Izyyblaze:
Thanks for the update but don't you think Wednesday is kinda far? .

Abeg ask her for me o

Izyyblaze:
@king philip,trust me, when it comes to the blaming department, they have all got a share. But I wasn't even throwing blames, was just analysing your Fi as a character in the story as portrayed by the writer and I maintain that she's gullible and have no family values. She acted selfishly even though it's all because she felt hurt by Gio.
I have so many things to say on this but I think I should just end it there.

errmm let's just end it here n see how the story turns out at the end

BTW good morning

Nice job sis, i really love it

AudreyTimms:
Ha! So many comments to reply. Lemme update first. But first. LarrySun, my secret crush! Hubby traveled, so i'm permitted to do this How have you been? Missed ya.

How are you, ma'am? It's been quite a while. Very nice hearing from you. I was beginning to get worried. You're doing a really good work here.

And, oh, thanks for the credit. God bless you, ma'am.

Ear...Half way,i thought it was a qdpdal life story.....nice work d

Too tired to reply every comment. So sorry! Thanks for the beautiful and funny comments. Wednesdays and weekends are my free days. Stated this before i began the story.


Thanking you.

LarrySun:


How are you, ma'am? It's been quite a while. Very nice hearing from you. I was beginning to get worried. You're doing a really good work here.

And, oh, thanks for the credit. God bless you, ma'am.

see, if i should come home ehh..... i'll thief thief the manuscript of black maria

AudreyTimms:
Too tired to reply every comment. So sorry! Thanks for the beautiful and funny comments.

(In Helen Paul's voice) sorry aunty. Take ur time to rest vewy vewy well so dat u can update the remaining of the story on wednesday..........

Jumizie13:

see, if i should come home ehh..... i'll thief thief the manuscript of black maria

Loooooooool! Hello kid sister. Missed you a bunch. The manuscript would do you no good, dear. You know my handwriting is not world class.

nice story. well done audrey Timms.
i had actually suspected that Fi had another reason for betraying her brother besides her anger for his neglect. i also think something is up between herself and Gio's roommate which may or may not be related to why she's taking sides with Jessica

AudreyTimms:

Caught in the act again! Hubby complains i explain myself too much. I can't help doing that. I hate being misunderstood. I hate her too sha but felt sorry for her when everyone attacked her, well, except kingphilip, her defense attorney, i just felt i had to come and defend her action. Lips sealed from now on. Thanks dearie.

wow, I'm so glad to know hubby encourages u in writing for us...thanking him for me oh

Oh my! I am finally here. Audrey Timmy I love the way you tell your story. You got me happy, crying and seriously emotional at different times.

I love Gio and Nkiru 's self control. Thanks for portraying that youths can still keep themselves amidst raging emotions.

Alright dear.
Good evening to you too

kingphilip:
errmm let's just end it here n see how the story turns out at the end

BTW good morning

Oh my! I am finally here. Audrey Timms I love the way you tell your story. You got me happy, crying and seriously emotional at different times.

I love Gio and Nkiru 's self control. Thanks for portraying that youths can still keep themselves amidst raging emotions.

Lovely story. I enjoyed every bit of it. Pls today is wenesday ooo. Can't wait to continue reading ooo. Lol

God bless u for sharing this for free and may you contiue to write more beautiful stories.

Izyyblaze:
Alright dear. Good evening to you too

do u mean that on ur siggy
I'm here for u

Now this is thrilling,I cannot come and read 13pages of a story then disappear without a comment,like some readers do.

And honestly,unfulfilled promises is a learner beside this one.
The improvements are so obvious,the plots are well constructed,and the characters vivid.
Although at a point,I got bored of Gio's description and his family's wealth,and then the designers were too much.I see you dropped them already.That's great!

I love the way you paint the characters,your conversations are fluent,your grammer is good,then the body languages are great,and your description is quite better.
AudreyTimms is no longer a story teller,she's now a prolific writer.
And this is not another sweet mouth comment,its the truth my sister.
Ride on.

You're an awesome writer God bless you ma'am

Tomorrow is Wednesday..... *dancing azonto*

Nice story Audrey. Wednesday come fast na

Really nice.

Please please please don't kill Felix.

Dear Audrey Timms,
Please, can you update till episode 20 tomorrow.. I don't want the story to end so soon. Lol

Larryboo, I've missed you.

kingphilip:
do u mean that on ur siggy

I'm here for u

You are here for me to love you or you are here for me to pray that you survive?

Chai!... seeing as I'm envying Gio and Nkiru's love! ...this is what I want!!!!.

Kingphillip I see you o......

Audrey, I cut cap for you..

As for Jessica, to end this kind babes no dey hard na, invite her come house mix one better agbo with her juice, that her preggy go follow piss come out!

Make Gio come.meet me..

Izyyblaze:

You are here for me to love you or you are here for me to pray that you survive?

both

U look more beautiful when u smile

Hmmm....u make me speechless. .u wowed me!!!!!!!!.this is incredible.I am so loving it.u are much better in ur description of characters. Even ur pidgin sef na area .I throway Better salute for u.

Audrey its wednesday ooo
all i am saying give me update..lol
more strength to you

Comments

@Jumizie13, so you're LarrySun's sister. Hmm...I used to think he fell from the sky. And you sound troublesome. Permit me to say I love you for that. Please trouble him harder. I love troublesome siblings. I'm an angelic one though. Thanks dear.


@LarrySun, thanks a million. Coming over to join you guys pretty soon.


@handmaid, thanks dear. Lips sealed.


@Bb4u, I'm not trying to blow his horn but I have a one in a million hubby. He was the one who resurrected my writing career after we got married and he gives me my space when I'm writing and researching and is forever a source of encouragement. Yep, I ended up with my own Gio. 


@SPDAZZY, thanks dear. I didn't even realize I did that. Thanks for pointing it out. 


@chizi007, thanks dear. Yep, today is Wednesday. Amen. God bless you too.


@kingphilip, @kingphilip, @kingphilip, how many times did I call you? Na here you wan find your Nkiru?


@Feyikemi12, thanks dear. God bless you too.


@Okinjay, yes, today is Wednesday.


@Tife101, you're welcome dear. Wednesday is here.


@jokepearl, thanks dear. Keep your fingers crossed.


@vonn, lmao. I haven't gotten to episode 20. It's not going to end soon. We aren't even half way through yet. You know me. I don't know how to write short stories. I usually get carried away when writing. Thanks dear.


@Izyyblaze, epic response. Pity him sha.


@JeffreyJamez, lol. You will get it. Just work hard on your relationship and pray. By the way, where is your boo? I miss her. And you partners-in-crime friends? Thanks dear. Badt guy!


@Maryclaire1, thanks dear. *hiding my face at the pidgin english comment* I learnt it when I was in school.


@kayemdy, lol. Yes, it is. I'm just going through it looking for errors. Getting bored though. Might just post it like that abeg.


I'm sorry if I didn't reply your comment. I just replied the ones that came after my comment. I appreciate you all.


Thanking you.

Flakkydagirl:

Now this is thrilling,I cannot come and read 13pages of a story then disappear without a comment,like some readers do.

And honestly,unfulfilled promises is a learner beside this one.
The improvements are so obvious,the plots are well constructed,and the characters vivid.
Although at a point,I got bored of Gio's description and his family's wealth,and then the designers were too much.I see you dropped them already.That's great!

I love the way you paint the characters,your conversations are fluent,your grammer is good,then the body languages are great,and your description is quite better.
AudreyTimms is no longer a story teller,she's now a prolific writer.
And this is not another sweet mouth comment,its the truth my sister.
Ride on.

Wow! Wow! Wow! I'm not trying to open old wounds but this is what i call constructive criticism. Not only have you brought out my strong points, you have also subtly told me my weak points. With such a comment, all i want to do is work harder and harder and try to get better and better. Coming from a writer, i truly appreciate this. Thanks a lot. *dancing shakitibobo*

Thank God its Wednesday. Cant wait for the marathon update... God bless your creative Audrey Timms

*Continuation of Episode 14*

With her eyes on her wedding rings, Nkiru pinched herself on the lap to determine if she was dreaming. Was she really Mrs. Giovanni Ekwe? She looked at her husband who was seated beside her on the round table. He took his champagne glass and sipped from the Moët & Chandon Dom Perignon White Gold champagne he'd ordered. The other occupants on the table were her sister, Nkechi and Aunt Peace; their witnesses. Dressed in a sky-blue spaghetti gown with a rosette on one strap, one would mistake Nkechi for the bride. Her human hair weave bounced off her shoulders as she discussed with her in-law. Nkechi was glowing, her happiness from within shone on her pretty face. Aunt Peace was all smiles also as she listened to Nkechi's animated talk. She was simply dressed in a sexy sky-blue maxi dress. She tucked a loose braid behind her ear and bit from her chicken as she continued listening. 

Nkiru's gaze fell on the silent but smiling guy beside her who was also listening attentively to his sister-in-law. Gio, her husband. The word 'husband' sounded strange in her ears. The guy in question looked drop dead gorgeous in a beautifully tailored suit teamed with a sky-blue shirt and a white tie. 

They'd had a simple ceremony at the registry that morning. They were now having their wedding luncheon at Sunview hotel in Alagbaka. The wedding party had finished eating in the restaurant and were now at the inner bar, chilling. She was happy that she and Gio had been joined together without any obstacle and their witnesses had been willing to come and brave their wedding without asking questions and divulging their secrets to anyone but she still felt something was missing. She signed. This was probably the driest wedding ever. They'd snapped a few photographs inside and outside the registry but there was no cake, no music to dance to, nothing! And she couldn't complain because Gio had single-handedly done everything. The only thing that had given her joy was her wedding gown, if it could be called that. It was a simple slip of a gown but what brought out the beauty of the white mono-strap gown was the small diamond studs that was all over the dress. It sparkled in the sun and fit her like a glove. Gio had bought the expensive dress. his bride had frowned at such extravagance but when she'd opened the box and viewed the dress, she'd fallen in love with it. She was glad she could wear it anywhere. Her sky-blue shoes and clutch complimented the dress. She fingered the pearls on her neck and ears and wondered again just how much Gio had spent on this simple wedding. He'd done everything except order for cake and music.

The new bride was still lost in her thoughts when a waitress cleared the table. When she heard the instrumentals of her favorite song, 'African Queen' by 2face Idibia, her gaze flew to the plasma television on the wall to watch the video but was disappointed to see it was still tuned to Super Sports channel. Then she heard a voice clearly, which she'd recognize even in her sleep.

"This goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Ekwe. Congratulations on your wedding." 2face's voice boomed over the microphone. Nkiru screamed and her gaze flew to the door where 2face was standing with his crew. A big sky-blue and white cake shaped like an open laptop with Gio and Nkiru's faces on the screen and a half-moon symbol at the top was placed on the table just then. Her gaze was fixed on her husband's smiling face when 2face started singing.

Just like the sun, lights up the earth, you light up my life
the only one, I've ever seen with a smile so bright
and just yesterday, you came around my way
and changed my whole scenery with you astonishing beauty

ah, you coulda make a brother sing,
you ordinary thing, a supernatural being,

I know you are just brighter than the moon
Brighter than the star, I love you just the way you are

Gio rose from his chair and extended a hand to his wife when Tuface began the chorus. She placed her cold hand in his and they moved away from the chair a little to engage in a slow dance as the famous musician sang on. They were oblivious to the fact that guests and employers alike had gathered at the bar to watch the rare show; they had eyes only for each other. People took pictures. Nkechi was asked to dance by one of the guests while Aunt Peace sat back to take pictures. 

By evening when Gio was driving them home in his car, Nkiru had to declare that day the best in her life and the best wedding ever. 2face had not only sung his all time favorite song for most people, African Queen, he'd also sang his 'If Love Is A Crime', 'True Love', 'My Love' and crowned it all with his latest track, 'Implication'. Everyone had gone crazy then. That was when she realized that Gio could dance pretty well. He and Nkechi had had the fun of their life on the dance floor. Even now he was singing to the lyrics of 'Oleku' by Iceprince. She still had a lot to learn about this guy she called a husband. 

She started laughing when he began moving his raised hands to the rhythm of Naeto C's 10/10 when they were stuck in traffic at old garage. He stopped, gave her a sexy wink and continued singing and dancing. By the time they got home, Nkiru had sobered up. Nkechi and Aunt Peace stayed back in Sunview hotel to give them some privacy. When Nkiru told them they could stay in her former room since she'd moved her things into Gio's room the previous night, Nkechi had silenced her with a frown. Nkiru didn't see the need for them staying in the hotel, after all, her sister and Aunt Peace had spent the night in her former room while she'd slept in Gio's room. Gio had gone to stay in a guest house for the sake of decorum.

By the time Gio drove into the compound and shut the gate, Nkiru was a mass of nerves. Her clutch dropped from her hand when she alighted from the car. Gio was there to pick it for her. She refused meeting his eyes. Before she knew what was going on, her husband bent and lifted her in his arms. She smiled and put her hands around his neck. He carried her to the veranda and awkwardly opened the front door.

Nkiru knew then why her sister and his aunt had refused coming home with them. Short and round candles lit the way to the corridor, coupled with red petals.

"Welcome home, moglie." She grinned at his words. He'd called her 'wife'.

The candles lit the way up his room. He opened the door and she smiled again. The red petals entwined with the lighted candles created the shape of love on the bed. The opulent bedroom was festooned with white flowers everywhere she looked.

"Who did all these?" she found herself asking. Gio grinned.

"Sincerely, I don't know. I just told the manager in the hotel what I wanted. I gave him the description of the house and the key."

"And money of course!" she teased and he laughed. 

"You really are worried about the way I spend money, right?"

"Duh! Like yeah!"

He burst into laughter. 

"Luna, please don't be worried about money. I'll tell you something in the morning." His voice was so solemn, she frowned but he grinned. He carefully laid her on the bed beside the candles and petals. 

"Do you want to freshen up or should I go first?" He questioned innocently but frowned when she gulped. Her eyes were lowered.

"Go...go first," she stammered and looked away when he began unbuttoning his shirt. He'd removed his suit jacket in the hotel. Her husband put on the light, blew out the candles and removed them from the bed. He left to take a shower after that while Nkiru lay huddled on one side of the bed. When he came back a few minutes later on a black silk boxers, toweling his head, her eyes bulged. Gio was one fine male specimen. Her eyes moved up his body from his lean strong legs to the part where the boxers covered. Despite her nervousness, she felt like running her fingers down his chest with black hairs spinkled all over it and his flat taut stomach. In all their time living together, she'd never seen him in this state of UnCloth. She salivated and ogled him shamelessly. Gio removed the towel from his head and she quickly looked away. He grinned. She felt like dying. He'd probably noticed the lustful way she'd been looking at him. What was the matter with her anyway? This was her husband.

"Your turn but after tonight, we bathe and do everything together."

She could only nod as she got up. She practically ran out of the room. Gio chuckled. Nkiru was behaving typically like a shy bride on her wedding night which she actually was. He found it cute. He put on his laptop and played old school blues to set the mood right and probably calm her nerves. He was flipping through their wedding pictures on his phone when she came into the room. His phone clattered to the ground but he didn't notice. His wife looked down and whined her toes with one hand rubbing her other arm. She bit her bottom lip in nervousness. Scorching eyes raked over her and she trembled, maddeningly conscious of the tightening of her n.ipples and the surge of heat and moisture at the apex of her thighs.

Gio had always known his wife had hot legs but the the see-through black lace lingerie which ended at mid-thigh emphasized it. The strapless lingerie left nothing to the imagination. A smile lit up his handsome face. Of course his prim and proper wife had ruined its allure by putting on a half-cup strapless bra and panties. He walked slowly to her at the door where she was still fidgeting.

"You look amazing." He gave her a light kiss, held her hand and led her to the bed. Italian love words poured forth from his mouth.

He claimed her luscious mouth and she trembled, made weak by the hunger he could awaken so easily. While she struggled to catch her breath, he stripped off the sexy lingerie and lifted her onto the bed, peeling off her bra and, more slowly and provocatively, her panties. He punctuated each and every action with the drugging demand of his lips on hers. So roused was she by his touch that when he attempted to step back she automatically put her arms out to prevent him and stretched up to find that taunting, teasing mouth of his for herself. An earthy laugh rasped low in his throat as he toyed with her full lower lip and let his tongue plunge deep in an erotically sweet invasion that left her gasping.

Nkiru laid on the bed where he had put her, her senses singing and quivering. Clad only in her birthday suit, however, she soon began feeling horribly exposed and shy and all too shamefully aware that she had pulled him back to her, desperate for another kiss.

"Relax, moglie mio." Registering her apprehension in the evasive flicker of her eyes, Gio endeavoured to employ a soothing tone for his nervous wife. "You look incredibly sexy."

Nkiru shot him a reluctant glance. His black silk boxers revealed more than they concealed of his bold state of arousal. It was a view that shocked her and she hastily looked away, her heart racing like an express train. Her tension acquired an edge of panic, for suddenly it seemed unbelievable to her that she was actually about to get into a bed with a man for the first time in her life. She shivered. Gio noticed. She covered her b.reasts with a pillow.

Her husband kissed her and she stopped wondering and trying to think her way around unfamiliar and complicated corners. Wanton craving took over. He pulled and the pillow fell away revealing smooth brown delicate curves crowned by pouting dark buds.

"You’re ravishing,"he groaned appreciatively.

Lowering her down onto the pillows, he rubbed the luscious crests to even greater prominence with skilful thumbs and finally laved the straining peaks with the tantalising warmth of his mouth. Nkiru was catapulted from a moment of extreme shyness over her unclothedness into an infinitely more shocking surge of pleasure. She shut her eyes tight at the height of it. Her tender n.ipples throbbed beneath his administrations while a feverish damp heat stirred between her thighs.

There was an unbearably tight feeling of yearning low in her pelvis. She shifted up skittishly against a hair-roughened masculine thigh, absolutely desperate for his touch, controlled by instincts far stronger than she had ever imagined. Just as quickly that frightening instant of forced self-discovery was forgotten again beneath his expert touch. The dark, exquisite pleasure of his seduction made her jerk and moan and cling. And she didn’t care, she really didn’t care about anything but that he should continue holding her and teasing her with an erotic skill that made her feel as if she could fly as high and bright as the sun.

At the exact instant when the excitement threatened to become an indescribable torment, Gio shifted over her and slid between her thighs. She hadn't even known when he took off his boxers. Her pleasure was that intense. She felt the iron-hard length of his s.ex push against her tender entrance and, although she was frantic, all keyed up with eagerness for the ultimate act, she froze with nerves and the conviction that he was much too well endowed for her.

"Luna, please don’t tense,"Gio urged grittily.

His wife lay as still as a sacrifice, eyes firmly closed. He stole a sexy, savage kiss that lifted her lashes and he gave her a slashing smile of challenge in reward. Coming up on his knees, he dragged a pillow across the bed and eased it below her hips. "It’ll be okay," he swore in a roughened undertone.

The slick, hot heat of him forged a passage into the tender depths of her damp, resisting flesh. He felt massive. A startled moan of discomfort was wrenched from her. Immediately he stopped, apologised, swearing in ferocious Italian below his breath.

Nkiru looked up at him with accusing eyes. Fierce strain was etched in his lean, strong face along with an astonishing hunger that made her feel oddly empowered. She was at a screaming pitch of nervous anticipation, both wanting and not wanting, burning quivers of need still shimmying through her slender frame because he had roused her to a point beyond bearing.

He was skilful and smooth, but that slow, deep plunge into her silken softness and the final piercing of the barrier of her virginity caused fleeting tears to well into her eyes. He stayed very still then, allowing her to adjust to the invasion. ‘I’m sorry...I couldn't help hurting you.’

Ripples of heat and stimulation pulsed from the hot, secret heart of her again. Newly sensitised, she quivered, her body angling up to his in an invitation that spoke louder than any words. With a ragged laugh of gratification he moved again and a whimper of excitement escaped her because he felt amazing. Her heart began to hammer against her ribs. Exquisite sensation built and the knot of ravenous need in her was tightened and tightened as he set up a raw, sensual rhythm. Delirious with pleasure, she abandoned herself to his dark, driving passion. At the height of a shattering climax she moaned in ecstasy before she tumbled down and down and down in a release from her physical body that was so powerful that she was not quite sure she was conscious for several minutes afterwards.

Gio kissed her all over her face as he murmured words of sweet nothings to her. His wife felt elated. As if she'd just received a prize for climbing the highest mountain. Her decision for waiting till marriage before coitus was definitely worth it. There was no feeling of guilt or recriminations. Just bliss, fulfillment and completeness.


**********

Daylight was struggling to get through the thickness of the lined velvet curtains when Gio gradually stirred into consciousness. He yawned. He tried lifting his right hand but felt a weight on it. He slightly lifted his head and smiled. Nkiru had her head on his arm and an arm around his waist and the other underneath her. She was sleeping on her side, facing him. He smiled again. His wife. The word sweetly rolled off his tongue. It was now the most important and beautiful word in the dictionary to him. In fact, the best. He gazed down at her innocent-looking face as she slept. She wasn't innocent anymore, not after last night. He felt his loins stir as he remembered what was definitely the best night in his life. He however took deep breaths to control himself. She'd be sore by now since they'd done it twice last night and he'd foolishly not used protection. The wedding preparations and all had made him forget protection. And last night he'd been too carried away to remember precautions. He didn't want her getting pregnant now. They still had quite a number of months to go before the end of their service year. He didn't even want NYSC to know they were married until he resolved things with his dad, Jessica and her people, and his in-laws. They'd be furious when they found out he'd married their daughter without their permission. Time-- he knew time would solve everything. He would get the condoms later. He needed to make breakfast for his wife at that moment.

Gio gently removed his hand from underneath her head. She muttered something and turned on her other side, still fast asleep. He located his boxers at the other side of the bed and put it on, trudged carefully out of the room and went to the bathroom to freshen up. He got to the living room and realized they didn't put out the candles. They had burned themselves out. He chuckled and made for the kitchen opposite the living room. He didn't know how to cook but Nkiru had taught him to at least fry eggs. He opened the door to the Samsung fridge by the door and brought out four eggs and took them to the counter. He took in the neat and clean kitchen with a wry smile. His wife was almost a clean freak while he was an untidy kind of guy. A smile turned the corner of his lips when he envisaged her frown at him turning her kitchen upside down when he was through. He'd tried his best to be tidy but he never remembered replacing things where he'd met them or always told himself he'd do it later. Her complains at his untidiness were however half-hearted. She'd confided in him that she found it cute and was glad that he wasn't perfect. His untidiness was a character flaw to her coupled with his snobbish nature. He smiled in reminiscence and set out to work. He took the sauce pan from its position on the wall. Where the hell would he find the vegetable oil? 

By the time Gio was through frying the eggs and boiling water for tea, the kitchen looked as if a circus had passed through it. He'd succeeded in burning both dish rags on the fire from the gas cooker. There was a spill of oil on one of the gas cooker plates, the empty egg shells were on the counter coupled with the opened salt and pepper containers. The peels from an onion bulb littered the marble floor alongside water. Four used plates were at the sink and the stainless steel pot he'd used before he saw the kettle was on the fridge. Satisfied with his accomplishments, he carried the large tray that contained the loaf of sliced bread, a plate of burnt eggs, two mugs and spoons and tea items to his room. He placed the try on the floor and opened the door. His wife stopped whatever she'd been doing and looked guiltily away. He carried the tray into the room and kicked the door shut with his leg. He placed the tray on his reading table and went to sit beside his wife on the bed. 

"Morning moglie," he cheerfully greeted but she stared at her hands in shyness, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Morning," she murmured and gave him a quick glance and a small smile before staring at her hands again.

"Go and freshen up for breakfast in bed." He glanced at the tray on the table and missed her grimace. She knew he was a terrible cook. She looked around the room for her lingerie and saw it on the floor alongside her bra and panties. 

"Please pass me my...my dress." She pointed at the tiled floor where it lay. He followed the direction of her forefinger and slowly shook his head.

"Please don't put that on this morning. Except you want to spend all day in bed." His wife's face turned a rosy hue. Gio stood up and offered her his sky-blue shirt. He walked to the table and turned his back on her to give her the privacy she was craving. His wife really had to get used to him seeing her naked. He turned around and saw her pulling the sheets from the bed.

"Why are you..." He paused before turning his back on her again to hide a smile. There were blood stains on the sheets. He'd noticed it before he left the bed. That was probably what she'd been trying to hide when he opened the door. She took the sheets with her as she left the room in his oversized shirt that was sexy on her.

Nkiru put the sheets in a bucket in the bathroom and poured some detergent on it before opening the tap to allow water fill the bucket. She sat down on the toilet to pee and winced. She was sore underneath. Her face reddened when she remembered all she and Gio had done the night before. Wow! It was classic!

She quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face with her Irish Spring soap. By the time she got to the room, Gio had made tea for her. His table was in disarray and the tray was on the bed. She sat down before him and sipped from the mug. She tried her best to hide what she was feeling inside. Christ! He'd probably emptied the entire contents of granulated sugar and a tin of peak milk inside her mug. Even though she had a sweet tooth, this was too much. She dropped the mug on the tray. The eggs looked burnt but not to hurt his feelings, she took a bite. Caustic! She knew she'd have to go to the market that very morning to go and buy more dried pepper and salt because her husband had probably poured the entire contents of various containers inside the eggs. The terrible meal would likely corrode the linings of her stomach but she had to eat it for her darling husband's sake.

"Hmmmm." She swallowed the over-spiced, sawdust-tasting meal with a false smile on her face.

Gio chuckled. "My brave wife." He picked up the plate of charred eggs and placed it on his table before going back to the bed.

"I'll learn. I promise."

Nkiru was so touched by his efforts and his words, she pushed the tray further on his bed and climbed his laps. Her hands went around his neck.

"Thanks for the effort. That's all that matters to me." She placed her lips on his.

Love is a beautiful thing.

*To be continued*