YOU ARE NOT A SLUT | Short Story

It was going to be a long drive back to Gboko the next day and she was looking forward to the solitude that the road trip would bring her. When she turned down the option of taking a flight a week ago, she had done it rather spontaneously, without thought. What was travelling if you didn't see the connected towns and cities in between states? She had even chosen a book she would read through the eleven hour drive, whether or not she would actually read it or sleep most of the trip, she was yet to find out.
But before the reality of the journey ahead set in, she was determined to make the most of this last night. With her hand clasped in his and their shadows stretched out before them, they walked silently under a pine of trees.
Her hair was set free from the plastic clip that usually held it bound and now it bounced and swayed in a dance against the night winds.
"It might rain tonight," he said, almost to himself. But she heard him and let out a low affirmation of "Hmm-mmm."
They had been walking for almost ten minutes, circling the street that led away from the club house. She had said she wanted the Lagos night life experience and had begged him to take her to the best club that was guaranteed to leave a lasting memory. But a Martini and half later, she was done with it.
"I can't stand this place," she had said into his ears, her voice almost too loud as she tried to be heard above the too-loud music. "I can smell stale sweat all around me and I think I am going to be sick."
And so he had taken her out for some fresh air, and after they had stood outside the club for a few minutes, they began to walk.
"If it begins to rain right now, we are already too far from the parking lot and you might not like a run through the rain," he said.
Oh god no!" She gasped, her other hand brushing through her hair as though it were the most precious thing the rain could destroy.
"I figured. But it won't be bad sha." He added.
"What? What won't be bad?"
"You know nah, running in the rain, playing like kids." And he laughed.
"Abeg abeg not tonight," she said and waved her palm in a halt toward his face. "I have work on Monday you know, and I doubt I'd have any time for a salon tomorrow when I arrive town."
"Hmmm".
They began to walk back now, headed to the parking lot of the club.
She liked these times, when they went out into the city in hopes of finding a fun experience. Although theirs had become a long distance relationship at best, she wasn't at all bothered by it and instead preferred to see it as a welcome opportunity to really make the most of what little time they spent together.
It hadn't always been like this. They used to be almost within reach of each other at whatever time they wanted. Joshua lived about twenty minutes from the small apartment she had shared with Rhoda, and they were in each other's arms twice, sometimes three times every week.
Until that Wednesday afternoon when she was summoned into her Boss's office and was told about her immediate transfer. And with her salary almost twice what it had being, a paid-for apartment and a company driver added to the mix, she feared to refuse the offer.
" You'd have your own driver," her boss had informed her. "At least pending when you acquire a view of the town and can navigate your way around."
Then they had given her a bonus which her boss had called "Just a Tip" and asked her to clear out her desk.
It was all too tempting and she knew the trick too well. They trapped you I'm by getting you so comfortable that you couldn't find a reason to refuse.
"You guys are going to break up you know?" Was Rhoda's first reaction when she told her about the transfer. "Men are not built to be without a woman for too long. Before you know now he would find someone else."
"We would figure it out," was all Samantha could say.
And they did figure it out quite all right. Joshua proved to be more than supportive, making plans with her for how they would both take turns in visiting each other and even keeping up with the back and forth emails they shared daily.
"Texting or phone calls would be too bleehh," he had suggested. "We can follow an email trail and we can even call it our love letters."
She thought him charming and all too silly.
Then two months ago on Valentine's day he had visited her in Gboko, checked them both into one of the few luxury hotels and asked her to marry him.
When she called Rhoda excitedly to tell her all about it, she only said "Hmmm..these men know how to tie a woman down, but I'm happy for you sha."
Samantha sometimes wondered if Rhoda was right or if she was just plain sad. The latter suited best in her opinion.
When she had first moved to Gboko, she feared that a long distance relationship was not going to sustain them as Rhoda had predicted.
But now two years and several road trips and airline tickets later, they were together again, trying to use up all of the minutes before the next goodbye.
They were seated in the car now and it had begun to drizzle.
"I don't want to drive this car in the rain babe, yiu know, that tyre issue." He was holding her hand.
"So you want us to wait in the car till it stops?"
"Yes, but not here. Someplace quiet."
He began to steer the car out of the lot and drove on into the street, his head turning this way and that as he searched out a spot.
"There!" She pointed towards what seemed a lonesome space flanked by really tall apartment blocks.
He parked the car, turned of the ignition and let out a low sigh.
"Its a beautiful night isn't it?" He asked.
"Yeah."
He squeezed on her palm and then pulled her toward him. Taking her mouth fully he kissed her, smelled her and snuggled into her all at once.
"I wish you didn't have to go," he said between kisses. I want you here longer.
She let out a laugh loud enough as could get through her mouth as she kissed him back.
"If you ask me to resign now you know I will," she said.
"Liar! You like the job. Sometimes I think you work too hard" He said letting her go briefly to gaze into her eyes. They seemed to sparkle against the reflection of the street lamps and the rain drops on the windshield cast light spotted shadows on her face that made her appear theatric. She was so beautiful, he thought.
"Well there's a new job I want to try," she announced.
"Huh? Which one again?"
"This one," she whispered and began to mechanically fondle the bottons on his shirt with her  perfectly manicured fingers.
She leaned in over the handbrakes, planting kisses on his face, stroking his balding head with one hand, the other sweeping back and forth along the waist band of his jeans.
"You know you don't want this," he began to say.
"Ssshhh" she said, enclosing her lips in hers and hushing him.
"Yo-you don't want this.." He started again as she reached even deeper, her fingers drawing imaginary circles now as she played with the stiff curly little hairs that preceded is maleness like a welcome mat.
"I need to get out of this," she said and began to unlatch the seat belt that held her bound to the seat. Once free, she settled her weight into his side of the car, stooping low enough to reach his belly with her mouth. When her lips came in contact with his skin he felt it like a whoosh of cold air and groaned, his need becoming firmer and ever so impatient.
She took hold of it now, between firmly pursed lips, her head rocking to a soundless pulsating rhythm only she could hear.
He grabbed a fistful of her hair as he groaned deeply, enjoying her starts and stops, her infrequent moans and the splattering of rain on the windshield.
He shifted in his seat, his hands up and around him as he let her in even closer. Then he leaned his weight on the steering wheel and almost shot up out of his skin.
The horn rang out into the night as his elbow pushed down on the steering. "Shit!" He cursed.
The unexpected shattering sound of it had shocked them both in a panic and set off a pair of dogs in a barking frenzy in the distance.
"It's tight in here sorry," he said and began to fight a long fingered hand into the side of the driver seat, blindly searching for the lever that wheeled the chair back.
With more room now between her head over his thighs and her back to the steering wheel, he let out a heavy sigh.
"I've never done this before," she whispered. "I feel like a cheap girl, like a dammed slut."
"You might give the best blow my love, but you're not a slut," he cooed.
"So what am I?"
"My bride to be." And with that he lowered her head as he eased himself farther back into the seat.
She jerked herself free of his hold and looked up at him.
"Well I don't feel much like a bride right now." She said and let go of him, settling back into the passenger seat as she stared off blankly into the blackened rainy night.
"What's wrong now?"
"Nothing."
He let out a deep sigh. "I told you it was a bad idea." He whispered.
"No its not that." She had her hands folded now across her large breasts, her face illuminated in part by the street lamps ahead of them.
"Then what?" He asked, placing a palm on her thigh and squeezing on it as though itmeant something he couldn't voice out.
"I'm leaving tomorrow Josh." She sighed. "I'm beginning to get tired of leaving. I'm not sure I want to go back."
"No you don't mean that."
"Yes I do. I feel.. I don't know, trapped."
He wanted to tell her that what she felt was right, that she should trust her feelings and quit the damned job and come live with him in his four bedroom apartment in Lekki. But he knew that would be selfish and reaching. Instead he squeezed again on her thigh and said in a low but firm voice,
"I know what you mean babe. But you have done quite well in the past two years you even earned another promotion. Don't you see? It is all perfect."
"No it's not Josh. I'm lonely out there. Plus I miss you all the time, I just want us to get married so I can finally come live with you and not have to leave anymore."
He swallowed hard, words failing him. He wanted the same but he knew her too well. Her career was an engrained part of her and she couldn't be half sane without it.
"I want that too babe..you know I.."
The loud bang on the door was all they heard next, blasting through the splattering rain outside and setting them alight with fear. A flash light beamed brightly through the driver side window, lighting up their faces. They stared back at what seemed to be a trio of armed officers but it was too dark beyond the windows to tell.
Joshua immediately began to fumble with his zipper as he realized just then that it had been left open. "Be cool babe," he whispered to Samantha. "Don't say a word, relax, you hear me?" She nodded.
The man closest to the driver door rapped on it again, this time more determinedly.
"Open the door!" He yelled out, adjusting the gun on his hip and doing it so they could see it flash in the light.
"Oh my God Josh, what is this?" Samantha asked trembling.
"Shhh," he held a finger to his lips, cautioning her with his eyes. Then he rolled down his window, slowly and turned to stare the man squarely in the face.

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