66

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX.
“Since you have decided not to move in with me, I might as well just move in with you.” Jamal’s words echoed in Adele’s mind, shattering her brain into a million pieces.
She looked up at him, utterly confused and alarmed at the same. She did not want to live with him in the same house yet. She wasn’t ready.
Lately, she was starting to notice her feelings for Jamal rekindle and she was still confused whether to accept them or kill them. Jamal coming to stay with her was going to make the latter option impossible which she did not want!
“No! No Jamal, please no! You can’t move in with me.”
“Yes, I can. Adele I don’t want us living apart. For the past two nights, I haven’t had any nightmares while sleeping and unfortunately, I have gotten comfortable with not having nightmares. I don’t want to go back there. Please.”
“But Jamal….” She cried in frustration. “This is absurd. This house is nothing compared to the mansion you have lived in your entire life. You will not be comfortable here.”
“Says who? I spent two nights here and I have been comfortable. You have a kitchen to cook food, a living room to relax, a bathroom and toilet for other businesses and even a workspace where I can do my work. I will be just fine.”
“Jamal…” she called almost in tears.
She wanted him to stay, but she was scared that his stay would lure her into making the wrong decision. A lot of things were going to change.
“I promise I’m not going to cross your boundaries. I won’t see you naked. I promise to walk out of the bedroom anytime you want to take your bath. I will respect your privacy to the fullest and I will not attempt to do or say anything that will make you uncomfortable. You will be the boss.”
“Ahhhh!” She screamed in frustration as she ruffled her hair with her fingers. “You are impossible Jamal.”
Jamal, who was looking at her in amusement, fought hard to keep his laughter in.
“Ahhh!” She screamed again as she rushed to the elevator that would take them to the apartment. Sean had already gone in with Jamal’s stuff.
“Thank you very much, Sean.” Jamal thanked Sean as he left the apartment. He then turned to look at Adele who was fuming at him.
“Are you still mad at me?” He asked and Adele rolled her eyes hard.
“Of course I am! How dare you take such a decision without asking my opinion.”
“I didn’t bother asking because I knew you’d say no!”
“Exactly! I would never agree to this!” She scolded stubbornly.
“Why not?” Jamal asked, chuckling.
“Living with you in such a cramped up house is a disaster! I’m not going to be able to do things the way I want. I can’t walk around in my pants and bra, I can’t sleep naked when it gets too hot, I can’t take a bath and run from the shower to the bedroom naked. I can’t do any of that.” She whined.
“Well, I don’t have a problem with you doing any of those things. It’ll be cute to watch.” He teased and she looked at him, eyes and mouth open and scoffed.
“Whoaaaa! Of course it’ll be a good sight for you!”
“Adele, we’ve seen each other’s nakedness before. I know how you look inside out, likewise you. There’s really no need for all of this right now.”
“How dare you!” Asked Adele as she gave him a heavy smack on his arm he just laughed. “You sick pervert.”
“Okay fine, since me seeing you naked bothers you so much, don’t do any of those things and we will be fine.”
“That’s all you have to say?” She asked in shock and he nodded.
“Yeah. What else do you want me to say?”
“This is the point where you feel like you are being a nuisance and a burden to me and then you decide to leave.”
“Not happening. I’m going to stay here and beg you until you decide to follow me back home!” He told her flatly and her shoulders sagged.
She was doing all she could to make him change his mind and leave, but none of that seemed to be working.
“I’m hungry, could you please make me something to eat?” He asked, walking into the bedroom and Adele followed him. When she got to the door, she leaned by it and folded her arms over her breasts.
“If you are hungry, then you go make something to eat yourself. You are not in your mansion where you have servants to serve you anything you want.”
“Ok cool! I will. Geez Adele, Isn’t your period over yet? Did I come at a bad time?” He asked with a creased brow and Adele turned around and ran away, totally embarrassed because she was actually on her period.
“Right! I came at a bad time.” Jamal murmured to himself.
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“After taking a shower and putting on some casual clothes, Jamal went into the kitchen to prepare dinner for him and Adele, but when he got there, he was surprised to see her already preparing ingredients to cook.
“Wow!” He exclaimed with a smile. “Someone changed her mind.”
“Don’t even start.” Adele warned as she focused on chopping onions on the chopping board.
“I dare not!” Jamal surrendered. “What can I help with?”
“I don’t need your help.”
“I insist. I wanna assist you.” Adele stopped chopping the onions and looked at him sternly. He gave a calm look which melted her heart and let out a sigh of defeat.
“Slice the tomatoes.” She instructed and focused on her onions.
“Yes ma’am!” Jamal said as he took a bowl from one of the shelves and put the tomatoes on the table in it. He took them to the sink where he had then properly washed and then joined Adele at the kitchen island to slice them.
“Be careful with the knife, it’s sharp and might cut you.” She cautioned and Jamal nodded in agreement.
A pin dropping silence spread across the kitchen for a while and Jamal broke the silence when he flinched in pain as the Knife missed the tomato he intended to slice and cut his left index finger instead. He quickly set down the knife and the tomato and rushed to the sink to wash his bleeding finger, but blood kept oozing out.
“Oh my goodness!” Cried Adele as she ran to the room and brought the first aid kit.
“Come here.” She instructed as she led Jamal to the dinning where he sat on one of the chairs and placed his bleeding finger on the table.
Adele’s heart hurt upon seeing the bleeding cut. She didn’t have the courage to look Jamal in the face because she knew she was going to break down when she saw how much pain he was feeling.
She loved him to the point where him getting hurt in any way would drive her crazy.
She carefully applied alcohol on the wound to stop the blood flow and put some other medicine on the cut before plastering it with a pinkish gauze.
Jamal giggled upon seeing the plaster on his finger and that enraged Adele.
“It’s not funny!” She cried as a few drops of tears spilled down her cheeks and that’s when Jamal realized that something serious was going on.
“Adele.” He stopped giggling and looked at her, but her gaze was plastered on the floor. “Adele.” He called yet again, but Adele did not respond. She began sobbing and Jamal quickly raised her head up with his hand, only to see that her face was drenched in tears. “Baby.” He whispered. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong? Jamal, you got hurt and you were bleeding so much! I can’t bear to see you in pain.” She cried bitterly.
“Hey, hey… it’s just a minor cut and I promise I’m not badly hurt. Now that you have treated the cut and covered it, I can’t feel any pain. I’m fine. I promise I’m not in pain.” He tried to assure her because he knew that was the only thing that could make her feel better at that moment.
“Are you sure?” She asked as she sniffled tears and Jamal calmly nodded his head.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’m not in pain.”
“Okay then.” She wiped her years away and l let out a heavy sigh. She packed up the first aid kit and was about to rise from her seat to go and keep it back where she had taken it, but Jamal held her back. “Is everything alright?” She asked, concerned.
“Adele…” Jamal called almost in a whisper. “I know nothing I say can change the past. Nothing I say can change all the hurtful things I did to you. I just want to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I did to you Adele and I hope that one day, you’ll find a place in your heart to forgive me.”
“Why? Why are you doing all of this?” Adele asked as more tears spilled down her cheeks.
“What good am I if I don’t try to make it up to you? Adele, I am just a man, trying to fix his broken home and I won’t stop until I succeed.”
Adele couldn’t take it anymore. She rushed out of the house, banging the door hard behind her.
Jamal wanted to follow her, but he figured she needed time to be alone, so he let her go.
He took out his phone from his trouser pockets and called one of the men he had put in charge of guarding the building.
“My wife just left the house. I need you to follow her and make sure she is safe. Don’t make her notice you.”
“Yes, Sir!” The man answered and Jamal ended the call.
“I’m sorry wifey.” He whispered one last time.