THE LADY IN MUSTARD DRESS

Ade and Yetunde met at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Tarka, Benue statein October 2015.Ade was on a lookout from the first day he resumed camp for a pretty lady to make his camp experience more ‘fun’ and all Yetunde was scouting for was a rich kid who would be her meal ticket throughout the three weeks. They were perfect for each other.

They were found in each other’s company all day which usually ended with them having dinner then finding a dark hidden spot in the Mammy market for Yetunde to fulfill her end of the unspoken but agreed part of the bargain. It was more of tongue and fingers work anyway, as they both feared been caught by any of the soldiers.

As fate would have it, they were both posted to the same school in Gboko local government area which made Ade excited. He wanted to have a full meal as opposed to pot and finger licking of the past weeks.It happened on their first night outside camp-after reporting at their place of primary assignment -in the hotel room they lodged in, away from the fear of being caught by a soldier or having a video of them recorded in the act, or bugle going off by 10pm. The next morning,they had more meals before “Yetz”(as he now calls her) travelled home to Ibadan to prepare for the remainder of the service year.

Ade returned to Lagos after their passing-out parade to resume work at his father’s company while Yetz returned to Ibadan in search of a job. In the following months Yetz was still home looking for job, Ade travelled down to Ibadan almost every weekend to see her and once in a while, she came up with a lie to tell her parents to leave the house while she went on a romantic getaway with Ade.

September 22, 2018 started as a normal day, bright and sunny. Nothing about the oatmeal Ade had for breakfast or the smooth ride to ICM for his movie date with Yetz (who had also secured a job in Lagos) gave a hint that his somewhat great life was about to change. He has a good job, nice ride, the cash flow was cool and steady and a drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend who makes him the envy of other guys. His older brother, Adeoye inclusive. Adeoye always asks how Adeoti got so lucky to find such a girl as smart, lovable and endowed as Yetunde. She has no wahala, the sex was great, they laugh a lot and do silly things together. She was easily his best friend. Her biggest flaw however, is not keeping to time.

“Yetz, where are you now? The movie starts in about 10 minutes” He checks his Rolex. The movie tickets were on the table in front him beside a can of chilled Monster.

“Sorry baby, there was a little traffic at Ikeja under-bridge, but we are driving through now.Mabinu”

‘Uh…’Ade grunts, not buying his girlfriend’s easiest excuse.

‘Excuse me, is someone here?

Ade mouths the word no as the lady in a mustard yellow dress settles her tray on the table and sitsopposite him. Yetunde was laughing about something on the other end of the phone.

‘…why are you not saying anything Ade?’

‘Sorry Yetz, I didn’t hear you. What did you say?’

Yetunde hissed softly. ‘I was telling you something funny that just happened and you weren’t even listening.’

‘Pele, so where are you now?’ Ade couldn’t stop himself from smiling when the lady in front of him spilled some food on her dress.

‘I should see you in about two to three minutes. Have you gotten the tickets yet?’

‘No, I haven’t.’ Ade replied sarcastically. ‘Just bring yourself here abeg’

‘Yes sir!’ Yetunde said mockingly.

‘Hey forgive me, I didn’t know you were on a call.’ The mustard dress lady said with a smile as she still tryingto clean the stain on her dress with a serviette.

‘No, it’s okay.’ Ade laughed touching the Bluetooth earpiece on his left ear slightly covered by the face cap he had on.

‘Sorry about that’ He points at the stain on her dress but droppedthe hand immediately realizing where he was pointing at. She laughs, shaking her head.

‘Thank you, I’m just a mess’

Yetunde walked in not long after and together, they headed for the cinema. All through the movie and on the drive back to Yetz’ place, Ade couldn’t get the thoughts of the lady in the mustard yellow dress out of his head. No matter how hard he tries, images of her and the stain on her right boobkeeps creeping back. Yetunde seemed oblivious to the fact that her normally chatty boyfriend was distracted.

‘I can’t exactly place my hand on it but something is off with you Adeoti and you know it.You have changed.’Yetty shakes her head and stands akimbo, she looks disturbed. Ade tried to pull her into his arms but she pulled back.

‘Yetz, what are talking about? Did I do something wrong?’

‘Actually, it’s what you have not been doing’ Yetz bites the inside of her mouth. She’s not just throwing tantrums, is she?

Ade has really changed; he doesn’t laugh at her jokes anymore, hardly tells her what is going on with him. They used to be best friends, they literally talk about everything, joke around, do karaoke on his stereo until his neighbor calls him on the phone begging them to please lower their voices. He sometimes comes to bang on the door if Ade didn’t answer his phone because the music was too loud, but all that has reduced in recent times. These days she practically has to drag him to do anything with her or even talk to her about stuffs.

‘Could he be cheating?’ Nah, not her Ade, how can she even think that of him? He wouldn’t dare hurt her like that, right? This is starting to drive her crazy.

But Ade knows exactly what she’s talking about. He knows Yetz is not the one going crazy but him. How could he tell this lady who started out being just a pastime at NYSC camp to being his girlfriend and best friend that he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about the lady in the mustard dress he met at the cinema three months ago? How is he to tell her that the engagement ring he was to propose to her with still sits at the back of his wardrobe? How can he propose to his girlfriend when all the thoughts in his head are that of another lady? He sometimes finds himself blaming Yetz for being late that day. He wouldn’t have had to go get a bottle of drink alone just to while away time if his girlfriend had been at the cinema early, which meant he wouldn’t have met the lady whose face,smile and laughter he can’t get off his mind. He keeps remembering how funny she looked trying to clean the stew stain that soiled her dress on the right breast.

How is he to tell the woman he’s been with for three years that when they make love, it’s the face of the lady he met at the cinema he sees? He has even bought Yetz two different mustard color dresses hoping it would help him somehow but the effort only proved futile.

His brother, Adeoye had had a good laugh when he told him about his predicament. Adeoye suggested he looked her up on the internet but Adeoti couldn’t bring himself to tell his brother he didn’t even know her name. This is Lagos, what are the odds of him running into her again?

Ade is in a dilemma and he needs your help. What should he do? Should he tell Yetunde? Will this pass away with time? Can you be in love with someone and still be dreaming and fantasizing about another person?