of you?” i asked her
“We’re cool. Made out yesterday” she
replied like it was supposed to be normal
“So when do i get to watch?… Or join you
two?” i asked whispering the me
partaking part..
“We actually talked about that yesterday,
but you’re leaving already” she said
“Too bad…” i said
“Yea”…. She replied
It was somewhat around past 12pm that
I left her place for home to go prepare
for the wedding reception. Getting home,
i discovered none of the cars were parked
in the compound. Frank had left with
Fay’s, obviously dad and Fay left
together and mom used hers.
I quickly had another bath and started
looking for what to wear. Now since i
never envisaged attending such an event,
i hadn’t come with any clothing for such
events. i.e the bow tie/dinner kinda
outfit. Besides, unlike the west were most
people are dressed traditionally for
weddings, it’s a different style over here,
especially if you are not related to the
couple. So putting on a jean, with a long
sleeve shirt to match, shoe and my
glasses (which hardly make use of), i was
good to go.
Just when I was about to leave the house
Favour called to ask where i was. Told
her i was about to leave the house and
she said they were just finishing from
church. I asked what happen that the
mass stayed this long and she said she
would explain and i should wait she’s
coming to pick me.
Some 15 minutes later, i heard the sound
of dad’s car honking outside.
Stepping outside, i locked the gate and
got in next to her. “Nice dress, looks
better on your body than when you held
it” i complimented her
“Thanks, so you still use glasses?” she
replied as she pulled away
“you don see am na.. So where to now?
What happened in church?” i asked
“you wont believe the drama that almost
played out, that is if you don’t think it
played out already.. It was actually a
group wedding. The parish priest had
decided to wed both couples the same
time as against two different masses. So
mass was to start by 10am.
So it turns out that the other man was
once married to another lady and they
both had two kids. You know that type of
“waterproof” marriages where the lady
gets pregnant and moves in with the guy
whether he pays anything or not. So it
happened that the second child came
around but by that time, the dude had
already done some traditional stuffs with
her family and was now left with the TM
proper. But dude wasn’t financially ok at
all as living was from hand-to-mouth, so
wifey felt she couldn’t cope again and
left with another dude who she had been
seeing all the while. It was so bad she
left her kids behind and the last daughter
was just 1.
Friends begged, his family begged
neighbours begged, with some suggesting
she at least take the last child with her.
But she refused arguing they were his to
be taken care of and fended for. Sad part
she had the support of her family cos
new dude was buoyant or met her
financial needs and those of her
immediate family members and they
claimed he hadn’t done her TM yet.
Well she’s pretty, as in really really pretty
even more than the new wife. So perhaps
she felt her beauty was her ticket to
good living. So it turned out that there
was another girl in the compound who
had rounded up her NCE from the college
here but had nothing doing and was
seeking admission into the university so
she can earn a degree. So while dude
who was a commercial driver then, went
to work, new girly took care of the girls,
dropping and picking the one in school
while baby sitting the 1year old girl.
It wasn’t much, but dude managed to pay
her or rather gave her some cash in
appreciation. Before too long, an affair
started between them. Twas easy, as new
girly loved girls like they were hers going
out of her way to make them happy.
Forgot to add, dude was a graduate and
was applying for jobs all the while.
So after two years, baby was now three,
knew new girl as mom, and new girl had
began one of the Unical’s degree
program the college now offered. Dude
got employed as lecturer at the college.
We were same set, but he’s an academic
staff while I’m not. A year later he did
his TM with new girl, she was in her 2nd
year then. So today was the white
wedding, baby now four, not too sure but
i think the elder sister is 6 or 7″
At this point we drove into the reception
venue. Photo session was going on and
we made our way towards the hall.
Mom’s car was parked at a corner. Fay
introduced me to some of her friends and
colleagues at the college. I met with
another of her friend back in secondary
school who with the way she looked at
us both, she already concluded we were
fvcking each other. She wasn’t wrong
though, as Favour wouldn’t let me be or
out of her sight.
Then i sighted Guy 1 drive in with his
girlfriend from the other day at the club
house. We then proceeded into the hall. I,
Fay, Guy 1 and girlfriend sat together.
The other girl sat next to us. So we
resumed our discussion
“So just when mass was about to begin,
old girl and family, brother actually,
showed up with cops to arrest dude..”
“Haaa..” i exclaimed in surprise not too
loudly but enough for the girls on the
next table to look at me. Fay’s mate in
disdain
“wetin we no see” Guy one chipped in
“My grouse was with the stupid police
officers that came with them” Guy 1’s
girlfriend added
“Is it not bail money they are looking
for?” Guy 1 asked
“So what happened?” i asked with wet
appetite for the gossip
Favour went on “They claimed he had
kids with their sister and refused to
marry her. So he must pay 500K as
settlement before he can proceed with
the wedding.”
“What happened to the guy she left
with?” i asked
Guy 1 answered saying “which guy go
marry woman wey abandon her kids and
marriage?. She is very fine and dude just
saw free pvssy (his girlfriend hit his arm
for the word) and fvcked (she pinched
him) life outta it while giving her stupid
mom and brothers peanuts. She must
have had several abortions for him sef as
dude wasn’t committed to settling down.
He left town two years later and she
began to warm different men’s bed in
town, but shame wouldn’t allow her
return. Her second daughter doesn’t know
her, the first one wouldn’t see her.
As Bros fortunes come change, he come
marry girl wey been love am and him
kids wen nothing dey. Only for her to
show up with her hungry and jobless
brothers forgetting how the whole town
begged her to stay, demanding to collect
500k. God punish devil..”
“I no know say e pain you reach this level
o” Fay laughed asking him
“Na my guy, i know wetin him pass
through all those times” he replied her
“So how was it settled?” i asked not
satisfied
Favour continued “The parish priest told
them that he wouldn’t allow them arrest
him for any reason. That to start with,
the Catholic church have a special
wedding announcement called “Bans of
marriage”. And that these
announcements are made three times for
three Sundays before the actual wedding
date is fixed. This is to give people who
might have issues with the intending
couple getting married in the church time
to come forward with their complaints.
And since they never showed up, they
have no case. At a point a politician who
is a guest for this wedding now
intervened. By then our own couple were
already fretting, hoping someone
wouldn’t show up from out of the blue
and ruin their own day.
The mass eventually started by 11 for
both couples. Their own reception is
somewhere else” she concluded
The reception went on as scheduled. And
it was not until the MC called on the
cake designer to come present the cake
did i remember Rose was supposed to be
there. She stood up from the opposite
corner from where we sat. My heart this
time missed the beat where i saw how
elegant and graceful she looked in her
sky blue gown that matched her skin
colour.
“sponge cake… Vanilla flavoured….”
“Ain’t that Ella’s friend?” Guy 1 asked
“Yea, she is” i replied not taking my eyes
off her as she spoke.
Favour, smart girl. With the way i looked
transfixed at Rose while she spoke,
Favour recognized her as the girl from
chief’s residence and she automatically
presumed she was the other girl I’ve been
seeing in town. Her face turned green but
she tried to conceal it. But just like me,
she failed woefully in that regard (i.e
hiding our true feelings behind a smile)
After the presentation and cutting of the
cake, Rose returned to her seat and that
was when i saw that Ella was seated with
her. I tapped Guy 1 to see Ella with her.
He and his girlfriend both waved at them,
and they reciprocated. It kinda eased the
tension as Fay now felt perhaps it was
because we went with them to the ranch
or something.
And since i didn’t look their way again
paying 100% attention to Fay, she kinda
let it go.
By 4, the reception was as good as over
and we were outside the hall talking
when both of them came to meet us.
Both hugged I and Guy 1 and his
girlfriend and shook hands with Favour.
They left almost immediately as Rose’s
aunt called them.
We both left a few minutes later. In the
car she asked which of the girls i had
something with. Just told her Rose, but
that was before she told me she was
pregnant and nothing came out of it.
Also that was why she was a little bit
cold towards me cos i avoided her since
then. More like i didn’t proceed with my
intentions.
She didn’t say anything about it again.
To be continued
