Despite Doctor Chidinma Ude’s best efforts to keep a professional distance between them, she and Onyeka Michaels grew closer as each day passed.
Restarting their acquaintance on a more even foot had reduced a lot of the tension between them and paved the way for an unavoidable familiarity. He visited her home on other weekends, alternating between working with her and talking with Chidinma’s grumpy son. Nonso also began to show up at the clinic far more often than usual, and since he did not spend most of that time with his mother, she assumed he was with Onyeka. It was impossible for them not to grow any closer.
Onyeka revealed more about himself to the doctor in their casual conversations. In a space of just a few days, Chidinma came to know him a lot better .
“I was a rebellious teenager.” He told her during one of their short work breaks, eyes dim with what she recognized at regret. “There was little I did not get involved in. Truancy, fights, sneaking out to late parties, drinking… I was a real headache to my parents. The only thing I managed to avoid was drugs. Even women were not spared.”
Chidinma raised her brow, remembering his incessant flirting with the nurses and other female doctors. “Women?”
Onyeka looked shamefaced. “Let’s just say I started early and just got worse. But a good scare shook me out of it in my late teens. I sobered up quickly, returned to live under my parents’ watchful eye, and managed to change my ways long enough to get admission into the university and begin to follow the path that led to my first degree in accounting.”
Chidinma felt admiration for the young auditor surge through her. He was not ashamed to admit to his mistakes in the past and he seemed to have truly made something of himself. If there was anything she suspected he still had issues with, it was women. She still had her suspicions regarding Nurse Yetunde and her pregnancy, but she had noticed that Onyeka was not flirting as much as he used to, and he and the nurse barely talked. Maybe she had misjudged him after all. She only hoped whatever lessons life had taught him could be shared with her son in a positive way.
“I’m just worried about Nonso.” Chidinma murmured. “He’s easy to influence. All these dangers teenagers are exposed to early, it worries me. Just imagine the marijuana incident of a few weeks ago. What if he starts indulging in all that? It’s only a short walk away from addiction to other feel-good drugs and alcohol.”
Onyeka smiled. “From our discussions, you have little to worry about. Sure, he hangs out with a few more adventurous friends and some of them are sexually active and do get up to some wild stuff, but Nonso has a good head on his shoulders. He’s not as easily influenced as you think. Just trust him.”
Chidinma noticed Onyeka had not confirmed or denied if Nonso was already sexually active, but she did not push him for more information. Whatever Onyeka had been told by her son was probably in confidence; she could not expect him to break that trust. “I hope I can. I just have to worry, you know. Single mother life.”
“Well, he did ask me if we were dating.” Onyeka suddenly said, with a laugh.
Chidinma was startled. “What? Why on earth would he ask that?”
The auditor raised a brow. “Woah! Hang on a minute. Do I look undateable? You make it sound impossible..”
“Well, it is.” Chidinma cut in. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m older…”
“And so?” Onyeka asked, then continued as Chidinma began to respond. “Look, doc, I know you’re a conservative when it comes to these kinds of things, but I’m not. You’re a single, beautiful, intelligent woman. I can assure you if I wanted to go for you, not even age would stop me. It’s just five years between us..”
“Those five years may as well be ten.” Chidinma snapped, a bit annoyed. She had been pleased by his compliments but she also felt like he saw her as a prize, available to be won if he ‘felt like it’. “And I don’t see the point of this conversation. We’re working together and that’s it. My son has no reason to think I could ever date you, because it simply cannot happen. Full stop.”
Onyeka threw his hands up in surrender. “I apologize if I have offended you, doc. It wasn’t intentional.”
Chidinma only nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak. She watched him resume work, her eyes flitting over the natural waves of his low-cut hair. She wasn’t sure what had annoyed her more, the idea that he felt the age difference was unimportant; the idea that he considered her ‘conservative’ or more honestly, boring; or the idea that he had not tried to ask her out because he did not want to go for it.
This young man was affecting her in ways Chidinma had not anticipated; she wasn’t sure of her exact issue with him. She always had a handle on her emotions, so it was unusual for her.
But even more disturbing, was her realization that it was also a bit thrilling. Chidinma just prayed they would be done with the audit soon. Onyeka Michael was a menace to her peace of mind; she needed him out of her life. As soon as possible.
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