A TALE OF PALM NUTS

"Amy, would you please listen to me? I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"If I had to apologize to you a thousand times everyday of my life, I would do it, Amy. I love you, and you know it."

He paused to sniffle, refusing to acknowledge how the disgusted look on Amy's face made his heart sink.

"I don't know it, Kojovi. I know nothing. And you know why? - because you never tell me anything! Had you shared this addiction, this - this...obsession with me - I wouldn't be so mad now!"

She looked ready to explode.

"Now here you stand, the strong *Ewe* breed that you are, blowing your nose and crying 'Maa, Maa!' to accentuate her point, she scrunched up her eyes, spread her lips into a disdainful sneer and spat "Like some goat!"

For a while there was absolute silence.

Kojovi was still looking at her with the plea in his eyes.

Good, she had put the fear of God in him.

Never again.

She was the one true love of his life, (not even Auntie Amerley's pork bits could compare, and he loved his pork!) and now she was looking at him that way; with anger, her features contorted to resemble Zeus' 'Kraken'.

"Anger doesn't become you."

And just like that they were laughing, the kind that makes you clutch your sides - tears running down your face while struggling for breath amid heaving.

Amy managed to regain her composure first.

"See all your problems. Yet you're concerned about how my face looks like when I'm angry" pursing her bright yellow lips, she added,

"I love you, Kojovi.

And this'll be the last time you fight me over palm-nuts.

Never mind how succulent they were, you very nearly wounded me for them!"

She landed him a quick slap in the eye for that and turned away, swaying her hips while he shook his head to clear the sting of the slap.

He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, and looked down to survey the compound. Someone was watching them.

A little girl was staring up at the tree, her mouth open.

To her it was amazing how the birds with the yellow beaks flitted from one branch to another.

To him, it was appalling how kids these days had no manners, eavesdropping on an adult conversation.

Pah!

And why was her mouth open so wide?

He barely had time to ponder that fact because Amy was cooing at him and smiling that flirty smile of hers. They had a lot of making up to do.

After all, they were just a pair of love birds in a tree.

They had all the time in the world.

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