Sure. Sick of the canteen tho. What do u want to eat?
His reply makes her genuinely blush and she looks up guiltily when she hears Nia’s voice reach her from the communal kitchen, speaking to one of their colleagues.
Sounds delicious. Anika replies, crossing her legs under the deskat the thought of his suggestion.
But I’m prob WFH tomorrow, so * eating in * might be more appropriate saved for then …
Her phone begins to vibrate in her hand and a smile pushes her lips wider as she answers the call.
‘Hey.’
‘My mouth’s watering already,’ Cam says by way of reply.
Anika laughs softly, conscious of her workmates, and lowers her voice. ‘Hmm. Like I said, I was thinking somewhere that isn’t going to tolerate us ripping our clothes off.’ She thinks for a sec, then lowers her voice. ‘Actually, if I’m not in the office tomorrow, why don’t you take me out somewhere tonight instead?’ Part of her is eager to be back in bed with Cam, but she also doesn’t want to miss out on all the dating stuff.
Cam tuts jokily. ‘On a school night?’ he says. ‘Oh, ho ho, Ms Lapo.’
‘Mmhmm,’ she says, hedging. ‘Where you taking me to dinner, then?’
He hesitates, and Anika is cautiously intrigued.
‘I was thinking maybe my aunty’s place?’
Racking her brain, she remembers that Cam’s aunt on his mother’s side owns a restaurant that serves Ghanaian cuisine to an eager crowd in Beckenham. The thought of getting some decent West African food makes her mouth water, but she’s also keenly aware that going to Cam’s family restaurant would likely mean … ‘So … This would be like a meet the fam thing?’ she asks, reaching for her pen and doodling nervous swirls on a nearby printout.He wants me to meet his family …
‘It’s calm,’ Cam says. ‘Aunty Nadia is chill, I promise you.’
The movement of her pen ceases at Cam’s consideration – and, more pertinently, the fact that Anika remembers her secret weapon. This might be a new level of relationship for her, but there will be no embarrassing slip-ups. She’ll be her new,impressive self. It also occurs to her that the hesitation in Cam’s voice might be to do with how things are with him and his family – it was clear after Zaya’s death that there was a strain that might never go away. It makes the invitation seem even more meaningful.
‘The food there bangs, I promise,’ he continues, as if she needs convincing.
‘Great, yeah, sounds good.’ She mocks herself internally for trying to sound nonchalant.
‘OK, I’ll come to yours and get you later. Say, seven?’
Anika takes a breath, then says, ‘Maybe come at half six-ish and dump your stuff for, um, for staying over? Then we can have a drink at mine before we head.’
Cam laughs knowingly but triumphantly. ‘Yes. That works. Can’t wait. See you then, baby girl.’
Anika knows her grin must be particularly goofy when she catches Nia looking at her as she walks by, raising an eyebrow over the rim of the coffee she’s sipping.
This is all heading somewhere good.
But the thought prompts a nervous swoop in the pit of Anika’s stomach.
Later that evening, Anika stands just behind Cam at the entrance to his aunt’s restaurant. The place is much more elegant than she anticipated, matching the tall, slender figure of Cam’s Aunty Nadia. She’s dressed in a floor-length column skirt, her top an off-the-shoulder number with a chic nod to traditional dress in its material.
‘Hi, Aunty.’ Anika echoes Cam’s greeting politely. ‘Nice to meet you. This is lovely,’ she adds as she gestures around.
‘Ah, thank you, darling,’ Nadia says, kissing Anika’s cheek. ‘You have this one in the palm of your hand, eh?’ She nods to her nephew. Cam’s smile is embarrassed as he follows his aunt,holding Anika’s hand to wind around the busy tables to their seats. He pauses to pull out a chair for Anika, while his Aunty Nadia ‘eh heh!’s with a jokingly raised eyebrow and smile.
‘OK, OK,’ Cam says good-naturedly. The minute they’re seated, a waiter brings over a small selection of food.
‘Just something to get you going,’ Aunty Nadia says to Anika with a wink, her hands clasped together proprietorially. They order some wine and Cam’s aunt asks if there’s anything Anika doesn’t eat. She’s glad she barely had time for lunch today in the end, because the implication is that they won’t be leaving with their bellies empty.
Cam sighs, settling in as Nadia finally heads off towards the kitchen, and reaches over the white tablecloth towards Anika’s hand, catching it before she can reach for one of the yam balls in the small dish in the centre of the table. ‘You good, yeah?’
Anika nods. She is feeling comfortable, confident. Content. She smiles, as much from her mind’s alliteration as from the feeling of Cam holding her hand.
