Mama had gone to the market and papa to work when uncle Ngwa, papa’s best friend, came in with this girl.

She was tall, about 1,75m, 20 years of age perhaps. She had long dark curly hair falling down her shoulders, bumping and bouncing as she went along. Her colour was dark ebony and she walked with the graceful gait of a cat. She had the face of an angel and her body was one to die for.

She was wearing a black neck-halter blouse, fitting tight to every curve of her angelic body. Her breasts underneath her blouse were firm and subtle, with the rounded nipple imprinted clearly at the front. Her slim-tight fitting white jeans brought out the roundness and firmness of her taut bottoms, doing things to my blood pressure a visit to the doctor wouldn’t help.

As they came closer, she looked at me. Her eyes were hazel, a combination of brown and green. It was the most beautiful eyes I ever saw. I never saw such colours before in an African woman. I was enveloped in them, sucked up and packaged off, lost and thrown away forever. And then she smiled at me. A kind of heat break through my body, as I shivered as if cold. I looked into her eyes, enveloped in her smile and I knew I was lost forever.

I went to uncle Ngwa, hugged him as I took his briefcase. “Welcome uncle.”

“How are you, Sam” he asked.

“Fine uncle, thank you.” I said. I set his briefcase close to the dining table as I looked shyly at Miss Wonder.

“Sam, this is Dolly” uncle said. “She is my niece. She will be staying here for a while.”

I went jitters.

I remember mama telling me uncle Ngwa’s little niece will be coming to live with us for a week, before moving to her apartment at the Buea university student hostel. I just wasn’t expecting Dolly.

“Hi” I said shyly, extending my arm for a handshake. She took my hand, held them with both of hers, rubbed and massaged them for a while. Then looked me deep in my eyes, smiled at me, her eyes generating a warmness I never knew existed, then she pulled me close and gave me a hug. She held me tight, pressed herself on me, her body radiating a heat that could burn the mountains, her smell arousing senses I never knew I had. The hug lasted about 30 seconds and I felt a deep disappointment letting her go. I looked at her and knew she saw and felt my disappointment. Her eyes smiled at me and I looked down hastily, ashamed of my desire. I moved away quickly, trying to hide the tumult this woman was breaking in me.

“Sit down please” I said to them as I moved towards the kitchen. “Let me bring water.”

I entered the kitchen quickly, leaned on the fridge and closed my eyes. I needed to catch my breath, to make sense of this. I didn’t know what was happening. I was scared, I was frightened. This was completely new to me. Nobody had ever made me felt this way. Not even Jack. Oh Jack, I needed to see him, I needed assurance.

I took a jug of water from the fridge with two clean glasses. As I went back to the parlour, I avoided her eyes. But I could feel them following me. I could feel her gaze burning my back as I turned from her, pouring their drinks.

“Are you also at the university Sam” she asked gently. Her voice was music. It was pure magic.

“emm, n-n-o.” I stammered as I went red. I couldn’t look at her. She would see my embarrassment. I was very light-skin and my face burned red every time I was embarrassed. At moments like this, I hated being light skin.

“Are you still in high-school then” she kept on.

“em, n-n-o” I stammered again, going redder.

“Sam will be travelling to England next week to start university.” Uncle Ngwa explained.

“Oh, I see. That is very nice. Don’t only forget us when you get there Sam” she said, with a smile in her voice.

“n-n-n-o, I won’t.” I stammered.

“I will go get her suitcase. Is the boot opened, uncle”

“Yes, it is.” Uncle said. “Thank you Sam, but you don’t have to. I will bring it in later myself.”

“It is no trouble uncle. Please sit, I will do it.”

I rushed out of the house as quickly as my legs could take me, trying not to show how nervous I was

I practically ran outside. I needed to suck in some fresh air. I needed to make some sense out of this. One look at that woman, one word from her mouth, and I was turning bananas. What the hell was wrong? I needed to see Zack as soon as possible. I needed to look at his face to know everything was OK. If there was one person who could put things right again, then it was Zack. Maybe I should go over to his house. But I couldn’t leave them here alone. I had to wait for mama to come back from the market.

“Is everything all right, Sam” I felt warmth as her hands landed on my shoulders. I jumped and turned around, bumping right into her. I didn’t hear her coming, I had been so deep in my thoughts. She was standing right in front of me, a head or two taller, looking deep into my eyes, smiling at me, with the light changing her eyes from brown to green.

She put both her hands on my shoulders, smiling. This woman knew what she was doing to me; she was playing a game, a game only she understood. Her smile said as much, the twinkle in her eyes told me more.

She moved closer and I felt my chest tighten. We were standing on that part of the garden behind the house where nobody could see us. She pushed her face closer to mine and I felt her warm breath on my skin. She kept on coming, all the while looking at me, with that hoax of a smile that kept me mesmerized. I couldn’t take it any longer. I reached out to her, pulled her head to mine as my lips grazed hers.

She pulled back a bit, looked at me, telling me with her eyes she wanted it too.

Then she brushed my lips with her tongue, I closed my eyes and she melted against me. I held her tight, my hands brushing her hair, pulling her closer, deeper. Then she thrust her tongue deep inside my mouth opened and I embraced her. Our tongues entwined, sucking and pulling at each other. She pushed me against the wall as my hands found their way inside her blouse. I held her breasts; they were firm and hard; ready for me, wanting more. I squeezed harder as her tongue pushed deeper.

Then she pulled back suddenly, smiled down at me and left; disappearing as fast and as soundless as she had appeared.

My feet could hold me no longer. I crumbled on the hard ground, I didn’t care. I needed to catch my breath. I needed to bring myself back.

I heard voices. They were coming from outside. Mama was back from the market. She was with someone. I needed to get in quick to bring some semblance to my being before Mama saw me in this mess. I wouldn’t know what to tell her. The truth was definitely out of the question. And mama was hard to lie too. One look at you and the truth will start pouring out. But this truth was one truth she must never know. I dashed inside, took a quick glance at uncle and Dolly. She smiled at me, but I quickly turned my face. I hurried to the bathroom and splashed water on my face. It felt good, but the heat was still inside. I quickly dried up, ran my fingers through my hair, and went to face them.

They were all in the parlour, greeting each other. I could hear mama’s excited voice, and the other voice, the other voice was Zack’s. Thank God for Zack, he just proved why he was my best friend; always there whenever he was needed. I ran to them.

Mama was talking to uncle and Zack was with Dolly. She had his right hand in both of hers, rubbing and massaging and looking deeply into his eyes, smiling warmly at him, like he was the only man in that room. One look at Zack and I knew he was lost. Then she pulled him close and gave him a hug.

I stopped.

Mama noticed me.

“Hello Samantha, I see you are home.” She said. She was the only one who called me Samantha.

I couldn’t speak.

Zack looked at me, my boyfriend of 2 years, his hands still held tight by Dolly.

He didn’t speak.

Then I looked at Dolly as she looked at me, holding my boyfriend’s hands. She smiled as her eyes lighted up.

And I knew nothing was ever going to be the same again.