every way, from your
head to your toes.
“Where are we going?” She asked him. It came
out almost as a whisper. Who knew her voice could be so whispery light. He was
either bringing out the best, or the worst in her.
He turned to look at her again. “Somewhere
I hope you will like.” He said.
She cleared her throat surreptitiously. “On
the island?” She asked. There! That sounded better. They were taking the turn
into the express route going towards the islands. It seemed strange to drive
all the way back over the bridge for a meal.
He nodded. “Yes.” He replied. “Don’t
worry.” He assured her. “I’ll get you back home on time. You won’t be late to
work tomorrow.”
Who had been thinking about work? Ada
thought, slightly amused, work was the last thing on her mind.
It was already past seven. There was no traffic
going, but there was a gridlock coming from the island. It felt liberating to
drive against the traffic, to glide so fast on a road that, in almost all her
experience, was always packed bumper to bumper.
“I like to go to the island in the
evenings.” He observed, echoing her thoughts. “There’s just something very
pleasurable about driving on these roads when they are free.”
“Yes.” She agreed. “I just wish it would be
like this all the time.”
He laughed. It was a rich sound. It filled
the car and made her smile too. “If wishes were horses....” He said with a
grin. “So many people have made that wish, and yet, the traffic remains the
most distinctive thing about Lagos.”
Ada chuckled. “We all get used to it,” She
said. “eventually.”
“I could take you tomorrow, you know.” He
said. “I go to the island every morning too, and your office is on my way.”
Ada sighed, and imagined travelling with
him to work every day, sitting in such close proximity to him for at least an
hour every morning. There was no way she would survive that. She smiled
noncommittally and didn’t reply.
In no time at all the many lights of the
Marina were spread out in front of them, and then retreating behind them as
they sped over yet another bridge into Victoria Island. She found herself
wondering again, where they were going. It was probably going to be a Chinese
restaurant. Those were always the favorite with Lagos people. Personally, she
had never been crazy about the food. She found herself wondering whether she
would have to suffer through a sumptuous meal where the ribs were the only food
item she liked even a little.
He drove past the Galleria, another popular
spot. Okay, no movie then, Ada thought, which was good because she was hungry.
“You know you can just tell me where we are
going.” She told him as her curiosity grew.
He gave her a teasing smile. “Be patient.”
He said. “We’re almost there.”
‘There’ - when they finally arrived - was a
brightly lit, glass fronted, two-storey building somewhere off the Bar Beach
road. It had a low fence, and by the security lights, she could see that the
spacious compound was exquisitely landscaped.
Eddie drove in and parked as close to the
main building as he could in the crowded car park. This time, one of the
security men beat him to opening the car door for her, but as she stepped out
of the car, he was right there. He took her hand - causing a pleasant tingle to
start in her fingers and spread throughout her arm - and led her towards the
entrance.
She could hear soft music and muted
conversation. What was this place? She wondered. As they ascended the steps,
the front doors opened, as if by magic, but not quite so, there were two
doormen on either side, ready to pull them open, whenever anyone came near.
Ada gazed around, eyes wide. How was it that
she had never heard of this place? The whole ground floor was an immense suya
joint, with gleaming marble floors, frosted glass windows, inlaid wall lights,
a well-stocked bar, and about a quarter of the space taken over by a large
kitchen range, over which a
head to your toes.
“Where are we going?” She asked him. It came
out almost as a whisper. Who knew her voice could be so whispery light. He was
either bringing out the best, or the worst in her.
He turned to look at her again. “Somewhere
I hope you will like.” He said.
She cleared her throat surreptitiously. “On
the island?” She asked. There! That sounded better. They were taking the turn
into the express route going towards the islands. It seemed strange to drive
all the way back over the bridge for a meal.
He nodded. “Yes.” He replied. “Don’t
worry.” He assured her. “I’ll get you back home on time. You won’t be late to
work tomorrow.”
Who had been thinking about work? Ada
thought, slightly amused, work was the last thing on her mind.
It was already past seven. There was no traffic
going, but there was a gridlock coming from the island. It felt liberating to
drive against the traffic, to glide so fast on a road that, in almost all her
experience, was always packed bumper to bumper.
“I like to go to the island in the
evenings.” He observed, echoing her thoughts. “There’s just something very
pleasurable about driving on these roads when they are free.”
“Yes.” She agreed. “I just wish it would be
like this all the time.”
He laughed. It was a rich sound. It filled
the car and made her smile too. “If wishes were horses....” He said with a
grin. “So many people have made that wish, and yet, the traffic remains the
most distinctive thing about Lagos.”
Ada chuckled. “We all get used to it,” She
said. “eventually.”
“I could take you tomorrow, you know.” He
said. “I go to the island every morning too, and your office is on my way.”
Ada sighed, and imagined travelling with
him to work every day, sitting in such close proximity to him for at least an
hour every morning. There was no way she would survive that. She smiled
noncommittally and didn’t reply.
In no time at all the many lights of the
Marina were spread out in front of them, and then retreating behind them as
they sped over yet another bridge into Victoria Island. She found herself
wondering again, where they were going. It was probably going to be a Chinese
restaurant. Those were always the favorite with Lagos people. Personally, she
had never been crazy about the food. She found herself wondering whether she
would have to suffer through a sumptuous meal where the ribs were the only food
item she liked even a little.
He drove past the Galleria, another popular
spot. Okay, no movie then, Ada thought, which was good because she was hungry.
“You know you can just tell me where we are
going.” She told him as her curiosity grew.
He gave her a teasing smile. “Be patient.”
He said. “We’re almost there.”
‘There’ - when they finally arrived - was a
brightly lit, glass fronted, two-storey building somewhere off the Bar Beach
road. It had a low fence, and by the security lights, she could see that the
spacious compound was exquisitely landscaped.
Eddie drove in and parked as close to the
main building as he could in the crowded car park. This time, one of the
security men beat him to opening the car door for her, but as she stepped out
of the car, he was right there. He took her hand - causing a pleasant tingle to
start in her fingers and spread throughout her arm - and led her towards the
entrance.
She could hear soft music and muted
conversation. What was this place? She wondered. As they ascended the steps,
the front doors opened, as if by magic, but not quite so, there were two
doormen on either side, ready to pull them open, whenever anyone came near.
Ada gazed around, eyes wide. How was it that
she had never heard of this place? The whole ground floor was an immense suya
joint, with gleaming marble floors, frosted glass windows, inlaid wall lights,
a well-stocked bar, and about a quarter of the space taken over by a large
kitchen range, over which a
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