Chapter 116: Tequila
Koda;
"Did you see how good Kishan was with the baby!?" Elián questions behind me as we make our way through the woods, and I roll my eyes for the umpeenth time.
He’s been talking about Kishan, Seun and their baby for the past five minutes.
"And Seun. Do you remember when the baby cried, and it went quiet the moment Seun held him? Wasn’t that amazing!? It’s like having a super power!" He adds, and even though I’m not looking at him, the excitement in his voice paints a clear picture.
I can see his bright red eyes glowing with so much excitement and his hands flying everywhere as he talks.
Thank the Light we are almost at my spot. Hopefully, after he sees the food there, he’ll temporarily forget about them and my ear will breathe in relief.
"Oh! And that time Kishan sang to put the baby to sleep. I didn’t know he could sing. Can you sing?" He questions, and my steps falter.
"When we have a baby, you’ll be the one to sing and put them to sleep, right? I have a horrible singing voice." He speaks again just as I pull back the giant rhubarb leaf in our path, and I freeze.
My eyes widen as I realise the meaning of what he just said, and my mouth runs dry.
When... we have a baby? He... he’s.
"Waow!! Is this where you’re bringing me!?" He exclaims, and I come back to the present.
I blink at the decorated space up ahead, and Elain brushes past me.
"It’s so pretty!!" He exclaims as he rushes onto the mat that’s been laid out in the clearing, and I reach out in an attempt to hold him back, but he’s too fast.
No.
We can’t... we can’t just move past what he just said. We can’t act like he didn’t...
Does this mean...he’s... he’s okay with the idea of having a child with me?
"You’ll be the one to sing and put them to sleep, right? I have a terrible singing voice."
His words ring in my ear, and an excited shiver runs up my spine.
Elián doesn’t mind having a child for me!!
I stare at the young man who’s happily opening the baskets on the mat like an excited little child.
He suddenly looks up at me, and I swallow.
"Come on, hurry! There’s so much food here! How did you plan all this in just a few hours!?" He exclaims as he takes his nose to the flowers set in a pot in the middle of the mat.
I can barely contain my awe and emotions as I walk into the clearing towards him.
Did he just say it in passing?
He looks like he didn’t give much thought to it before saying it.
Did he mean it?
I sit in front of him, and he pulls out a bottle from one of the baskets.
He opens it, and the sweet scent of palm wine fills the atmosphere.
"Ugh! What’s this?" He questions, holding the bottle out to me, and I force a smile as I take the bottle from him.
Clearly, he has no idea the magnitude of what he just told me.
He was happy and blabbing. It doesn’t mean he meant what he said. I... shouldn’t spoil our evening because of that.
He’s happy. I should enjoy that.
He looks like a moon flower right now. Glowing under the moon rays with so much joy and light. I have no right to ruin it for him.
If I love him, I should learn to find my happiness in his happiness. Despite my confusion... or hopes.
"It’s palm wine," I reply, and he tilts his head as he raises a brow.
"I’ve never heard of that before. What is... what is it?" He questions in honest curiosity as he leans closer to look in the bottle, and I smile.
He really is clueless about a lot of things.
But it’s okay. I can teach him.
"Palm wine is sap gotten from palm trees and kept till fermentation," I reply, not knowing how else to break it down, and he pushes out his bottom lip as he stares at the bottle in my hand.
I can see the wheels of his mind churning, and as I stare at him, I can’t help but imagine what our child would look like if we did have a child.
I’d like a little boy who looks just like him. That way there’ll be more of him to love...
"Fermentation. Wait. This stuff can get you high?" He suddenly breaks into my thoughts, and my brows knot.
"High?" I repeat, and he punches the bridge of his nose.
"No. I mean... Ermmm... Tipsy. It can get you... drunk! Can it get a person drunk?" He replies, seeming excited that he remembered the word drunk, and I nod slowly, wondering what’s going on in that head of his.
He gives me a smug smile and then leans back to stare at me.
"So this is like y’all’s version of Tequila..." He says with a smirk, and I raise a brow.
"Local. I like it!" He adds, and I just blink back.
I’m going to have to start writing down the things he says to keep track and probably find meaning because... what in light’s name is a Tequila?
Is it some kind of plant? Or is it another alcoholic drink?
I watch him rummage through the basket a bit and then pulls out a cup.
"A shot of your finest palm wine, please." He says, and I stare at the cup he has held out to me.
I pour a little into the cup in his hand, and then he sets it down.
He reaches into the basket and pulls out another cup. He holds that out to me, and I stare at it in silence.
"It’s no fun drinking alone." He says with a shrug, and I smile before pouring myself a cup.
I set the bottle down between us and take my cup from him.
"Cheers!" He says as he gently clinks his cup against mine, and I watch in confusion.
I guess he uses a lot of odd words and acts weirder when He’s excited.
He takes a small sip at first, and his eyes widen as his jaw drops.
"Wow!!" He looks up at me with those big, bright eyes, and I smile at the satisfaction on his face.
"It’s so strong. And flavorful!!" He exclaims, and my smile grows.
I watch him gulp down the whole thing, and then he reaches for the bottle.
"I’ve never tasted anything like this." He says as he uncaps the bottle.
I expect him to pour another cup, but my eyes widen when he takes the bottle to his lips.
"This is better than Tequila! It’s so natural and... and... it’s sweet and sour at the same time." He says as he takes a long swig, and my jaw drops.
"Elián, slow down. It tastes good, but it’s still alcohol." I try to caution him as I reach for the bottle, but he pulls it away.
"It has this tingle to it, too!!" He exclaims, and I nod.
"Yes. The result of fermentation." I reply as I try to take the bottle again, but he pulls it further away.
I watch him throw his head back and start gulping down the contents of the bottle, and I feel my soul leave my body.
At this rate, he’ll be completely drunk.
And there’s also the fact that he’s doing this on an empty stomach.
"Elián, stop it. You haven’t eaten anything." I panic as I set my cup aside and get on my knees.
"Ugh, I can get used to this. How come people never talk about this back home?" He says as he finally brings down the bottle, and when I yank it away from him, I freeze when I find it close to empty.
Oh, no...
I look back up at him, and he’s smiling at me.
"Are you okay?" I question, and he nods with a huge grin.
"Ugh. Don’t be such a grandma. I’m fine." He replies, and I eye him suspiciously as I sit back down and hide the bottle behind me.
"Is there more?" He questions, and my jaw drops.
"Elián, no. That’s enough wine for one night. You should eat something." I scold, and he pouts.
"It’s not my fault the wine tastes that good. I can’t believe I’ve been deprived of such goodness my whole life." He replies, and I roll my eyes.
Okay. That’s it. No more wine. I’m lucky he hasn’t lost it... yet.
He’s chaotic enough when sober. Imagine him drunk. Mom would kill me!
I reach for one of the baskets behind him, and everything inside me comes to a full stop when he wraps his arms around me in a hug.
What... what is he doing now?
"Will you give me a baby?" He whispers, and my heart skips a beat.
"I want one." He adds, and I feel sweat break out along my back as he tightens his hold on me.
"Will you give me one?"