In a pickle!

Can you keep a secret? She had that smile of innocence mixed with some mischief.

Sure, I replied, secrets are my thing. I was expectant, wanted something new and exciting from the other side of the family. We were all come back to our hometown for the Christmas holidays. She lived in Lagos with her dad, elder sister and her mom, who was my Dad’s sister and my aunt, while I, had just arrived from Abuja with my parents seeing I was the only child.

She looked at me with somewhat of a glee, her cheeks going pink with a blush.

Whaaat! I asked reciprocating the smile.

Her head went down, taking her stare from my face to the ground, her palms were clamped together, fingers twined and twisted, legs crossed over. I could see she was feeling uneasy by whatever she had to tell, or perhaps she was shy. I went on to give her the upliftment nudge she required. Are you shy? Is it something you did? Tell me and I promise not to tell.

She raised her head, stared at me, then returned to starring at the ground.

Or is it something that has to do with a boy, you know you haven’t told me anything about any of your boyfriend, who’s on and who’s gone, I went on trying to pry open the wooden wall that was hiding the confidence I knew she always carried around somewhere in her guts. Did you do anything with a boy? Samuel? Kelvin? Jacob? There was no response. I decided to push it further. Did you kiss any one of them?

No! she emphatically cried out, I don’t even allow any of them touch me.

Really? I thought they are your friends and judging by the way you guys hand out, I thought you were starting to have feelings for one of them, if not all. I said smiling, knowingly poking at her.

No. I did not catch any feelings hanging out with them, they are just friends.

Alright, I said.

Honestly, they act quite childish, naïve, they act like kids, they don’t know how to treat or be with a girl, everything is like a game to them, they are always competing to see who’s cooler, who’s got the most girls on his friends list, who’s is better at Play Station. It always boring hanging out with them.

I was surprised at the short outburst of her view about the boys, it looked like the catharsis she needed. Okay, then tell me what the secret is.

Her head went down again, the pink returning to her cheeks. Promise to act mature about it and keep it to yourself.

I promise.

I like you.

I like you too. I replied.

She smiled and looked at my face, making eye contact, you do?

Sure, I do. So, what’s the secret?

The smile left her face and was replaced by a confused and inquisitive one. That is the secret she said.

That is it?

Yes.

That is a dum…. Then it dawned on me, the pink blush on her face, the constant smiles she gave anytime she looked at me, the time it took her to give up her secret.

As if to read my mind, she continued, look Kingsley when I say I like you, it means I like you like you, I want to be with you a lot, spend more time with you, I want to be….. to be your girlfriend.

As she kept, talking I kept starring, thoughts whirling around in my head. My thoughts were concentrated on how best to handle the situation. I thought to myself, does this kid know what she is saying, for one she is my niece, a Sixteen-year-old professing love to her 22yr-old-nephew. I managed to collect myself and make out some words from the sounds coming through my throat.

Look Ophelia, she shrank back expecting some sort of reproof, I took note of it and knew I had to be careful, had to thread light. We were close and it was something special for her to make her feelings plain to me the way she did given that she is a guarded individual who doesn’t let people in that easy. I had to take another approach.

I like you too Ophelia, I said faking a smile. I stared at her to see the effect it had and for a minute, we said nothing. I had to go on, tell her more things to make it sound real, cos at the moment she did not look like she was buying it. You are beautiful, nice, smart, especially smart that’s is why I like you. The things you say when you speak, they get me interested, they get me… I didn’t want to say wowed, that would make it look an obvious lie... thinking, I said. Few girls can keep me interested in a conversation as long as you do. I could see the colour coming back to her face, should I hit her now or should I stall a little longer. “Thread light”, said the voice in my head. You are also fast when it comes to taking decisions and actions, you aren’t one of those slow, lazy and entitled girls and that’s one thing I like in a girl, I really feel like I could depend on you. Whenever I am in need of something, I prefer calling you over your sister.

She looked at me still smiling, aww, that is wonderful, Kingsley, you are such a sensitive guy, you take note of little things no one appreciates in me, that is why I am so attracted to you.

I got positive, give her the “but” I thought, but before I could speak, she continued.

What you just gave me is a recital to confirming the kind affection shown by a family member to another, albeit a special kind. I call it a recital cos it seems somewhat rehearsed and somewhat genuine, I would give you the benefit of the doubt.

I was taken aback.

I noticed that while you spoke, you carefully avoided using the word ‘love’, you did not make mention of my looks, my shape and curves and I know I have got some. It’s almost like you’re playing daddy to me. Now I am going to ask you that same question, do you love?

Wow, I thought, this girl is intense. I knew she also had the ‘I must get what I want’ attitude and she was now onto me, I decided to lay caution to the side, this was no time for pretending. I do love you girl, I love everything about you, but you are too young to be talking about relationships and even if you weren’t, I am not the right person to be in love with, I am your nephew. I turned around to get a good look at her sister as she went around the house trying to get the table ready for lunch, she too got a look at her.

I see, it wasn’t bad when you were with my sister, but now it’s my turn, you want to talk to me about being siblings?

I do not follow, I said.

Anyways, she said, getting up from her chair and storming out of the room if I won’t have you, neither would that bitch.

Wait, what! I knew what she was talking about, but did not want to believe she knew. Ophelia! I ran after her and caught her by the arm. What bitch?

You think I don’t know what you and my sister have been doing for a while, every time we go to bed, how you creep into our room and into her bed, how you fondle her breast and how she rides you some night.

Holy shi*t, I grabbed her and tightly sealed her lips with my palms, preventing her from making any more comment, peradventure someone was lurking around and might hear us. I dragged her outside and away from the house. Let go of me, she wriggled free out of my grip.

Ophelia, this is a strong accusation against me, I tried to play the defensive card, I wasn’t going to accept the allegation, but I wasn’t going to deny it completely cos that would be foolish. Yes, I occasionally sneak into your room at night and get into your sister’s bed, but I have never had sex with her, I have never played with any part of her body.

Then what do you do in her bed?

 I…. there was a stutter in my speech as I searched my head for what to say. It’s when I get cold, I come to lie close to her and it’s also cos I don’t always like sleeping alone in my room.

The second one is a lie, I am not buying it, she said, in fact I believe they are both lies, not the cuddling, but the fact that it’s just cuddling. Stop lying to me, you’re treating me like a kid, like I don’t know anything, do I look dumb to you?

I felt like an ass.

Alright, she said, if you insist that’s all there is, I will take it to grandma, and the both of you can explain what you really do at night in Jenifer’s bed.

No! no. no. I would be honest with you, just promise to keep it to yourself, then I would speak frankly with you.

I promise.

Promise not to tell it to anyone ever, you could hurt your sister.

I don’t care about that whore.

I knew she wasn’t bluffing, she was ready to go to war with her elder sister even if they were 5year apart.

And me.

I would do it for you.

Thank you.

On two conditions.

What are they?

You would never sneak into our room again to come and sleep with her or even have anything to do with her at anytime of the day or in any part of the house.

Okay.

And two, anytime I come to your room, you would let me in.

Seriously, I exclaimed.

Seriously.

I stared at her and thought for a moment. What options do I have, at least she didn’t specify what we would be doing in my room. My affair with Jenifer, my niece, her sister had gotten me into this mess and up till this moment, Jenifer was oblivious to the new turn of events. I was in a pickle.

Alright I said.

Good, she said walking away.

Damn! I was fucked.