After the storm Read Online Free PDF Page A

fifteen."
    "Yeah…seems like that."
    They
continued chatting and tried to watch the movie intermittently, but
something always came up to talk about until they gave up on the
movie. Yemi felt so complete just by being with Akeem, and it
appeared like they had known each other for a lot longer than ten
days. She still had those moments when she wondered about their
relationship and if things would be the same when they returned
back to Nigeria, but her doubts were gradually getting fewer and
further apart.
    ∞∞∞
    Two days later, Yemi's older brother, Ayo, picked her up at
the Murtala Mohammed airport in Lagos. The heat enveloped her the
moment they stepped out of the airport. Yeah, I'm back home—the land of perpetual
summer !
    Ayo saw
her face and grinned. "Don't worry, you'll soon get used to it
again."
    "I hope
so. Right now, I feel like I'm roasting."
    She was
glad when they got into the car and Ayo turned on the air
conditioner. Little beads of perspiration had already started to
form on her forehead; and to think she had only been away for a
month!
    "Derin
said she will pop in tomorrow to see you," Ayo said, referring to
his wife.
    "That
will be cool. I've missed everyone." She stifled a yawn with her
palm and looked out of the window at the familiar road networks.
Hot weather or not, it was good to be back on her own turf. She
yawned again, and Ayo glanced at her.
    "You
must be really tired."
    "I am."
She leaned her head against the seat. "I had to get up really early
this morning to catch my flight."
    "You'll
feel better after a nap. I have a surgery to perform later this
afternoon, so I'm just going to drop you off at home and head back
to the hospital."
    Yemi
smiled at him gratefully. She knew how busy he was. Her parents
were attending a conference out of town, so Ayo had offered to pick
her up from the airport.
    When
they arrived at their parents' house, Ayo helped Yemi with her bags
and quickly left for the hospital as planned. Once settled, Yemi
made a call to Tola's parents to let them know that she had arrived
safely. She knew that Tola was attending a job interview and would
not be home until later in the day. She had already texted Akeem
when she was going through customs, and he had texted her back that
he would call her as soon as he could.
    Not too
long after her phone call to the UK, Bose, the housekeeper, knocked
on her bedroom door and informed Yemi that her lunch was ready. She
had prepared Yemi's favorite dish: jollof rice and fried
plantain.
    "Thanks,
Aunt Bose, you're the best! I'll just freshen up and then eat
later." Bose had lived with them for a long time, and Yemi was very
fond of her. She was not a blood relative, but in Nigeria, every
older adult was automatically called Auntie or Uncle.
    Yemi
showered and decided to take a nap. She was already missing Akeem
so much. It was still amazing how much he had come to mean to her
in such a short period of time. She had deliberately not told her
family about him yet. She hated to admit it, but a part of her was
waiting to see if his feelings towards her would remain the same
when he got back on more familiar terrain.
    Tola had
Googled him up while she was still in England, and they had read
his impressive business profile. They could hardly believe that it
was the same easygoing guy that they saw practically every day in
the UK.
    But
there had also been other bits about his social life, stuff that
had given Yemi a bit of concern. Akeem had been linked with a lot
of beautiful women in the past and even quite recently. Women far
more sophisticated than her, to say nothing of their cool careers
and wealthy backgrounds. Yemi had again had doubts about their
relationship but somehow, those doubts always faded anytime
she was with him.
    She sighed and rolled over on the bed. She sincerely
hoped that everything would be okay when he came back. She had
fallen too hard for him and didn't think she could bear it if they
broke up.
    The next
time Yemi