Smooches

Anna swiftly removed her mouth from my face and replaced it with the icepack, her breath was hasty and her eyes- shut.

James glanced at us, unsuspiciously, and smiled at me.

"How you holding up?" He asked, walking towards me.

"Very well." I studiously spoke so as not to stammer.

Anna was clearly uncomfortable, her hands were unsteady, her eyelids still glued together, her face- clenched, she didn't move, she didn't speak.

"Good to see you are good." James said, still smiling.

"Thanks for checking in." I managed to say.

"Get better bro," James patted my shoulder. "would be back, good work Ann." James finally said, before leaving.

I let loose a big, heavy sigh, closing my eyes and opening them again in relief.

Anna seemed dazed, her eyes were still shut, I took the pack from her, nudging her gently.

"He didn't notice?" Anna finally spoke, climbing down the bed.

"I think so."

Anna heaved a deep sigh.

"I'd be in the backyard." Anna left the room.

I took off my jacket, staring at the ceilings- thinking about the implications of my indulgence with Anna, stating from my mother to even Anna.

"Worst case scenario," I muttered, "my family would hate me, I might get disowned, rejected or even banished but Anna would be happy, I think." I paused to process what I was saying before continuing, "or, they'd accept us, understand us, understand that love isn't discriminative, then we'd get married, have kids, get old, die, happily..." that didn't sound so well, I realized I was talking nonsense. "What am I saying? This would never happen, Mr. Mark would hate me for life," I placed my hand over my face. "I don't want to hurt him, he's been very nice, ruining his daughter's life is not the best thank you," I hit my face with my palm. "but Anna, I promised her, I love her.

The drowsiness took over me again, this time stronger, I walked to the door, locked it and went back to bed, burying myself under the duvet I fell asleep.

ANNA'S POV

I left Henry's room, perplexed and afraid, I needed to be away from him, I hoped he wouldn't follow me, I needed to think.

My legs seemed to heavy to lift, slowly and lazily I dragged my feet, climbing the stairs misguidedly, staggering and tottering lifelessly, my head was crammed with fear and confusion, had James seem me kiss Henry? Was he pretending not to have? Would he understand if I explained to him? Hell no, I've not been so nice to him of late and he wouldn't think twice before he chirrups like a cockatoo, stumbling to the backyard, walking slowly and unsteadily, heavily I slumped into the sun lounger, I frowned at the pain, as my butt painfully collided with the chair.

I don't want to lose Henry at the same time don't want to lose my family, I care about their opinions, I respect their feelings and nothing but disrespect would I bring to them if they find out about my relationship with Henry, I would disappoint them all, most importantly, my father.

I felt uncomfortable in my clothes, my legs itched a bit, it was a tingle, I took off my shoes immediately and placed them under the chair, trying to relax, I unpacked my hair and let them scatter all over the lounger, shortly my eyes were shut.

"You what!" I heard James yell from upstairs.

Ordinarily I wouldn't care, except I heard Henry's voice, his dulcet, sober tones, quickly I jolted from the chair, belting towards the house.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it." Henry sobbed.

"You've been fucking my sister all this while!" James grabbed Henry by the collar and threw him on the floor, punching him severely, I hurriedly ran to them, crying.

"James!" I cried, trying to pushing him away from Henry, but he didn't move.

Henry wasn't retaliating, he appeared paralyzed, the bruise around his eye worsened, he was bleeding from his nose and mouth , bleeding profusely, James's fists were clothed with Henry's blood as he kept hitting and punching Henry's face.

I jumped on James, biting and hitting him but it only appeared futile.

"You'd kill Henry." I cried.

I saw tears roll down Henry's face, he was dying, James was still pouncing on him, Henry smiled at me as James stomped on him with both fists, angrily I grabbed the lamp beside me and shattered it on James's head as he fell instantly, his head bleeding.

I rushed to Henry who was scarcely alive and he smiled again.

"I'm sorry." Henry said.

"For what?" I asked pulling him up, trying to balance him on my shoulders.

"I told him Anna, I'm really sorry." Henry mumbled.

"Oh my God," I puffed. "You need medical attention Henry, come."

I placed his arm across my shoulders trying to carry him to my car, but that didn't work, I ended up stumbling.

"I'm sorry Anna, I've really messed things up for you..." Henry coughed.

"Shh! Shh! Don't talk darling, you'd be fine." I grabbed his legs from the floor, this time dragging him by his away.

Just after we climbed down the stairs, Henry's weight increased- dead weight, I dropped him and stretched to my full height so blood can circulate around my limbs, turning and tilting my body to ease my strained bones, I glanced at Henry, I saw his eyes were shut, now I stared at him- he lay inanimately on the floor.

"Henry," I whispered but he didn't stir. "Henry." I whispered again.

I jumped back in fright, I was apprehensive, had Henry died? Terror didn't permit me to check his pulse or was it guilt? I didn't want to confirm his death, I didn't want to realize I had a hand in Henry's murder, I knew I had forced Henry to love me, I coaxed him to sleep with me, Henry was a good boy, Henry is a good boy, Henry is alive!

That awful pain of a sting from a bumblebee is what I felt in my tear duct, I knew it would happen, eventually I would cry, still gazing at Henry's lifeless body I cried. Walking nearer to him and kissing him, kissing him rhapsodically my middle finger and forefinger fell on his wrist and no pulse, no flow of blood, his heart had stopped, Henry's life- seized.

I withdrew my lips from his, looking ghastly at his corpse.

"Henry!" I cried. "Come back Henry!" I wept.

I wailed endlessly, burrowing my head in Henry's chest as he lay lifelessly in the sitting room because of James's irrational brutality.

Rage and exasperation ran through my veins.

"James!" I yelled as I left Henry and raced back to the hallway seeking James, and I saw him, James lay in the same position I had left him after shattering the lamp on his head, James bathed lifelessly in the pool of his own blood, I was horrified, dropping to the ground on my knees, it was clear, so explicit, James had killed Henry and I had killed James but now... I was going to kill myself.

I staggered downstairs to the kitchen, extracting the sharpest, sparkling metallic knife and slitting my wrist, lying very closely to Henry, nestling up to him and adoring out last moment till I died.

I jerked from the sun lounger, gasping and puffing like someone who had, had a nightmare, but it wasn't a nightmare because the sun was radiantly smiling down at me, it was a bad, awful, terrifying, excruciating, agonizing, tortuous dream, a dream! Yes it's a dream, Henry's is alive, Henry is not dead, I thought, hurriedly wearing my shoes and running to the house in sudden relief, nearly twisting my ankle.

Henry was standing by James's door, his face wore a disturbed and nervous look.

Fright overcame me again, I raced to him, pushing him to his room and locking the door.

"Anna?" Henry mouthed.

"Henry I'm sorry," I heaved deeply. "I have something to tell you."

"Can it wait, I need to talk to James." Henry said, standing from the bed.

"Talk to James about?"

"Something that has been bothering me." Henry walked to the door.

Hastily I raced to him, "Is it about our relationship?" I asked, standing between Henry and the door.

"Yes Anna, I'm tired, I'm bored of this whole thing."

"You can't tell James, not right now." I said, dragging Henry back to the bed. "I had an awful dream Henry, it's was more of a revelation."

"Uh, a vision? Of course." I noticed Henry's mocking tone.

I ignored it. "Please don't do anything to manifest that dream, promise?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"I had a dream okay, a bad dream and in my revelation Henry, you died, we all died, James, you and I all dead, bled to death okay, so now would you reconsider?"

"Till you get me scared, look Anna, it's a mere dream, probably because you were thinking about it, nothing of that sort would happen okay?"

"I can't believe that, yes I thought about it but believe me, it isn't coincidence, it's a revelation of the apocalypse of this house," I popped my eyeballs. "excluding my parents of course." I whispered.

"Hmm, hope this game of hide n seek won't bore you so soon darling." Henry sighed, lying on the bed.

"Whatever."

HENRY'S POV

Truth be told, I wasn't really sure why I knocked on James's door, I was still deliberating whether to tell him or just walk away when Anna appeared and talked me out of it. But it wasn't right, I needed to be free, I needed to express my love for Anna, I yearn freedom!

"How's your back-eye?" Anna asked, peering closely at my eye.

"Told you a nap would do." I poked the bruise.

"Welcome." Anna said with an application of sarcasm.

I laughed quietly. "Thank you doc." I smiled at her. "Where's Uncle Mark?"

"He's out with mom."

"Okay, he'd be mad if I get in a fight right?"

"Definitely, but that's only if he knows." Anna winked.

I nodded gently.

"You look good in a tank top." Anna said, massaging my right arm. "I planned taking you on a date today." Anna added.

"Let's go then."

"After everything that happened today?" Anna asked.

"Nothing really happened, moreover, I'm fine."

"Humph! 'kay, see you downstairs." Anna swaggered out of the room.

I washed my face and donned a quilted jacket with a pair of red sneakers before going downstairs.

James was seated in the living room, watching a television program when I got downstairs.

"Hey Henry."

I raised my eyebrows.

"How you doing?"

"Recuperating." I smiled.

"Anna did well." James smiled. "Erm, Henry, did you knock on my door and leave, like ten minutes ago?"

My heart skipped a beat, what am I going to say, I wondered.

"Yes I did," I blurted. "I was going to ask you about umm..." Thinking fast was all I did, ransacking my brain for an unquestionable answer I blurted out again, "yes it was maths."

James guffawed loudly.

"Maths?" He sniggered. "I'm not really a maths nerd but let me see."

"No, don't worry, I remembered the equation, never mind."

Just in, Anna walked downstairs in a silk evening dress and black stiletto shoes.

"Let's go." She frowned.

"Where you guys going?" James asked.

My heart thumped again.

"Shouldn't bother you." Anna quickly replied.

"Can I come along?" James asked.

"No." Anna responded.

"Henry?" A faint sneer of arrogance crossed James's face.

"Sorry, it's kinda a-two-person stuff."

I dug my hands in my pocket and brought out the car key to my SUV and tossed it to Anna while she walked out of the living room, closely behind I followed.

"Ohmi-God," Anna exclaimed, masking her mouth with her hands- what similar act of surprise. "Is that the car?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Aww, it's really beautiful." Anna quickly embraced me.

"Thank you." I said, sitting in the passenger's seat. "Take me on a date would you." I smiled.

Anna was busy auditing the vehicle, exclaiming and ululating.

"Nice whip!" Anna said, shutting the door to the car. "How much would you like a pizzeria?" Anna asked, igniting the car and wheeling it towards the gate.

"Not more than I like you." I smiled perversely.

"I know a nice place." Anna smiled back, driving out.

"I'm all yours."

"Mmm-hmm, I like how you turned James down, he never expected it." Anna chuckled.

"You do?" I scoffed.

"Yeah, he thinks he's so supreme."

"L-O-L, his prob though."

"No, it's my problem as well, it's disgusting when he's like that, so irksome!"

"He's still your brother, your only brother at that."

"Oh! Spare me that, he's way too annoying to be a brother."

"Whatever."

"Uh-huh.

***

Anna halted the car in the parking lot, stepped down, urging me to follow.

I came down from the car realizing- the ambiance was beautiful and tranquil, the leaves and flowers were having a gentle dance, twisting, turning and swaying graciously to the tune of the evening breeze. I stood, still admiring the beauty of the façade when Anna grabbed my wrist.

"It's beautiful." I exclaimed.

"Lovely." Anna led me inside the pizzeria.

The interiors were idyllically set, the sweet smell of the pizzeria sent a spontaneous sensation of alacrity running through my veins, the cool air enhanced by their conditioners was satisfying and elating plus the aroma of roasted chicken penetrated my nostrils and sank in my stomach.

"Hmm." I moaned at the aroma emitted from the preparations in the kitchen.

The pizzeria was scantily occupied with just a couple of lovers- caressing and romancing themselves, chuckles and slight mirth formed an aura of romance and loveliness.

Anna gently squeezed my palm and let go, she walked to the woman behind the counter while I secured a table by the window, watching the prestigious atmosphere and environment, staring ecstatically from my car to the clouds, to the fountain, to the signpost and to my shoes.

I was still admiring the environs of the idyllic restaurant when Anna walked to me with two boxes of pizza.

"Hope you love ham?" Anna asked, settling down on the white cushion just in front of me.

"Not more than I love this place." I smiled, gazing at Anna's delightful eyes.

"Of course." She said, tossing me a box of pepperoni pizza.

I opened the box to a flat round bread with cheese, tomatoes, vegetables, meat and pepperoni.

"Here ma'am." The waitress dropped two glasses of orange juice and two dishes of ham.

"Thank you Vee." Anna smiled cordially at her, pushing forward a glass of juice and a dish of ham to me.

"Anytime." The waitress left.

"Wow." I puffed.

"What?" Anna rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Everything seems nice."

"It's the best place for a couple, to be honest." Anna whispered, biting a slice of her pizza.

"Mmm-hmm." I stuck a slice of pizza in my mouth, "So, who did you come here with? Before me?" I muffled.

"Sorry?" Anna said, seemingly not to have heard what I asked.

I chewed the one slice in my mouth over and over again till it could be swallowed.

"I asked, who did you come here with before now?" I repeated explicitly.

Funnily and suspiciously, Anna quickly stuffed her mouth with a handful of ham, muffling words I couldn't hear.

"You can't parry forever." I chuckled.

Anna- struggling to swallow her ham amid laughter ended up splashing her mashed ham on me, smearing my face with icky, brayed meat.

"Oops, look who goofed." I tittered, reaching for the rag in my pocket.

"I'm really sorry, so sorry." Anna hurried to me, wiping my face with the rag.

"It's fine," I collected the handkerchief from her, and damping my face. "It's simple hysteria." I chuckled.

"It was uncontrollable." Anna laughed, rather nervously.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'd be in the bathroom." I said, standing up and walking to the bathroom.

In the bathroom I stopped in front of a mirror, washing my face and thinking about Anna's obvious digression.

"What is it that she can't say to me?" I soliloquized, washing my face.

"Hey! Keep it down there!" A man from the toilet yelled.

I hastily dried my face and rushed out of the toilet, tottering to my seat.

Anna was shyly biting her pizza as people periodically threw questionary glances at her.

"I'm so humiliated." She whispered.

"Humans are fallible," I began, holding her hands. "we all make mistakes, even worse." I squeezed her palms.

I felt I should re-ask Anna the question but on second thought, I let it go.

"I've been here before." Anna uttered.

"With who?" I asked.

"My ex, we've been here like a couple o' times." Anna responded, sipping her juice.

"You never told me about him." I nibbled my pizza.

"You never told me about Diana."

My face lit up immediately, Diana? How did she know about Diana?

Diana is a Nigerian girl I used to date, she is peculiarly beautiful but circumstance happened and we broke up.

"I broke up with Diana ages ago." I said.

"She still texts you, huh?" Anna smirked.

"What d'you want me to do? Seize her phone?"

"I'm not implying that, there's no problem with our exes as long as they don't interfere."

"Uh-huh," I chewed another slice of ham. "How did you know about Diana?"

"I went through your phone." Anna hastily said.

"Now you don't trust me eh?"

Anna smiled "D'you want me to tell you more about my insecurities?"

"I don't see why you should feel that way though, I'm not a perfectionist so I look beyond your insecurities and all that, focusing on the brighter side," I smiled "you are a perfect girl if you ask me." I said, clinching her palms.

I watched Anna's smile twitch, I noticed a tear drop down her eye as she walked towards me and triturating my lips amorously.

"People are watching." I whispered beneath my breath.

"I don't care." Anna muttered.