It was a really short walk.
Not long enough for a fight. But just about right for him to say something off and for her
to let go of his hand and remember the reason she had left him in the first place. More than enough time for the cold of the streets to find its way back into their hearts.
By some tacit agreement, they kept on walking to their destination even though their
appetites had disappeared. They had made it far enough that it made no sense to walk back home without the food they set out for in the first place.
"What will your order be today, sir?"
"Two servings of Fish and chips to go please," He answered the man taking their orders.
The server's nose was red from all the cold and he was ready for his shift to be over so he could go home and cuddle with his wife. He envied the young couple standing in front of him. He wished he could spend more time with his wife. She was always complaining about his late hours. Yesterday they had fought and this morning he had left the house without kissing her goodbye. He would give anything to trade places with this young couple and see his wife smile that smile that she reserved only for him.
"I don't want chips," the girl suddenly interjected.
Dele looked at her for the first time since she let go of his hand. There was a sadness in her eyes that only he could have put there and his heart broke all over again. It was a mistake, he wanted to say, one that he was determined to spend the rest of his life making up for, if only she would have him.
Instead he asked "Why don't you want chips, Ada?"
"I just don't," she said, her stubborn chin sticking out in defiance, daring him to question her.
"Alrighty then. Two fish and one chips coming up," the server said, suddenly in a hurry to get away from this lover's quarrel. It reminded him too much of his own problems. He had not taken two steps when he heard the man
call out.
"And one strawberry smoothie!"
There was no way they could hold hands on their walk back to their apartment; their hands were occupied with bags of food.
"You don't like strawberries" she said as they neared home.
"But you do." He replied.
"I didn't ask for it."
"No, you didn't but its yours for as long as you want it."
"What if I don't want it, Dele? What if I am not ready for it?"
"Then it will wait till you are. So long as you don't give up on it totally."
She held onto the bags while he fetched the keys.
When daylight returned, it would find the bags intact, fish and chips going sour, a smoothie that had gone flat, clothes strewn everywhere and love returned to its rightful place.
Song of the day: Cece Winans - Mercy Said No
