Free After the storm by Osar Adeyemi

occupied."
    She
sighed. "I'm sorry I've not been there, but what
happened?"
    "She
prefers someone else."
    Yemi was
surprised. Sesan was good looking, fun, and one of the most decent
guys she knew. That plus being the former captain of the
university's basketball team had to be enough to attract any girl.
"You still care about her, don't you?"
    He
smiled self-deprecatingly. "Crazy about her."
    Yemi
felt so sorry for her friend. Impulsively, she got up from her seat
and gave him a hug.
    "Hey,
don't let your fiancé see you hugging another guy," Sesan said,
pushing her away.
    "You're
not another guy, Shez. You're my brother!" 
    His
smile faded slightly. "Thanks, but like I said, I'll be
okay."
    Yemi
looked at him thoughtfully. "What about Ada? She really likes you,
you know."
    "Don't
even go there."
    Yemi
giggled at the expression on his face but decided not to tease him
any further. She stayed at his place for a while before heading
home. They chatted and played card games. She had wanted to
talk to someone and felt Sesan would be able to advise her
objectively about Akeem's mother. But she did not think it would be
fair to load him with her problems right then. He had too much
going on.
    ∞∞∞
    Akeem's
car was parked in front of her parents' house when she got there.
Her eyes automatically searched and saw the second car parked
discreetly some distance away. Yemi had only recently found out
that Akeem had bodyguards, and they followed him everywhere. They
changed their car frequently, but she now knew how to recognise
them. Akeem told her they came with his position as CEO of
KH.
    "Good,
you are back!" her mother said when she entered the living room. "I
was just thinking of calling Sesan's land phone."
    "Thanks,
Mum." She went over to Akeem. "I'm sorry, I was not aware that you
were here."
    "That's
okay." His eyes searched hers. "I've been having a nice time here
talking with your mum."
    "He has
not had anything to eat, though," Yemi's mother said. "He said he
was going to wait for you."
    Yemi
turned towards Akeem. "Mum made her special stir-fried rice today.
Believe me, you don't want to miss that."
    His eyes
held hers for a long moment. "I'd better have some then," he said
lightly.
    She was
dishing out the food for him in the kitchen when she felt his arms
go around her from behind.
    "I
missed you, baby," he said, nuzzling the nape of her neck. "Found
it difficult sleeping without speaking to you last
night."
    Yemi
felt the familiar emotions that his touch aroused rising within
her. "Hey, don't make me drop this plate."
    "I'm not
really hungry anyway." He planted little kisses along the nape of
her neck. "I just needed to see you."
    She
tried to move away. "I have to give you some food now, otherwise my
mum is going to ask questions."
    "All
right, just a bit though." He dropped a light kiss on her lips
before releasing her.
    Yemi
dished out the food and placed it on a tray, and they went back to
the sitting room. Her mother had been working on her desktop, but
attempted to leave the room when they came back in.
    "You
don't have to leave, Mum. Akeem and I can go to my
room."
    "Thanks,
dear," Yemi's mother said, sitting back down. "I need to complete
these lecture notes before tomorrow."
    Yemi led
the way to her room with Akeem following behind her. She set the
tray on her bedside table. "Do you want to sit on the armchair or
on the bed?"
    He
didn't respond and just stood there, looking at her. "Why are you
being so formal?" he asked after a long moment, "and why have you
not been picking up my calls?"
    "I sent
you a text message."
    He sat
on the bed but kept looking at her face. "Yemi, what's
wrong?"
    She
averted her eyes. "How do you mean?"
    "Come
and sit over here," Akeem said, patting the space beside him. Yemi
sat down but still wouldn't look at him directly. "It's about the
visit to the house yesterday, isn't it?"
    "Your
mum does not like me."
    "What
makes you say that?"
    "I'm an
adult, and I could see it clearly