WEDDING OF MY EX (EPISODE 10)
©Aaron A.A
FLASHBACK 3
BAWA RESIDENCE – EVENING
Chris emerges from his bathroom dressed in black trou-sers, shoes and an un-bu-ttoned pink shi-t.
He hums a love ballad as he fixes his cuff links. His door opens, and his mother enters.
She is a buxom elderly beauty, and that morning she is dressed in a fetching kaba and slit design with a matching headgear.
She is holding a golden br@celet.
MADAM LOIS
Dear, can you fix this for me?
Chris takes the br@celet. She extends her wrist and he fixes it.
MADAM LOIS
Are we running late? You better hurry up. You know how anxious Ruth can be when we’re late to her dinners. It won’t do to start displea-sing your mother-in-law so early.
Chris chuckles as he begins to bu-tton his shi-t. He tucks in, and smiles again as his mother inspect herself in his hvge mirror.
MADAM LOIS
How does your mother look, my son?
CHRIS
As beautiful as ever, Mom. You’re always beautiful.
MADAM LOIS
(smiles happily, turns and busses both his cheeks.)
Hurry up then, my love. I’ll be waiting for you in the living-room.
She leaves the room, and the smile disappears from Chris face.
He knots his tie abs£nt-mindedly, and just then his phone rings. He speaks in a distressed whisper.
CHRIS
Oh, Effe. My dear, sorry for breaking off our d@t£ tonight. So sorry!
He picks up the phone and stares at it for a long time even after it has st©pped ringing.
He sighs, and then he quic-kly s£nds a text message to Effe to the effect that some uncontrollable situation has aris£n and he cannot see her that night.
And then he switches off his phone. He descends to the living-room and finds his mother watching a sermon on television.
She reaches for the remote control and switches off the television.
MADAM LOIS
You look so handsome, my son. Your future-in-laws would be happy as always. I think Elaine has got the most handsome man in the world for a husband.
CHRIS
You do know how to make a man feel good, Mom. Thanks.
Putting his right arm around his mother, Chris steers her out of the door.
BOATENG’S RESIDENCE – NIGHT
The Boateng compound is filled with people. Chris and his mother are met by a well-dressed attendant and esc-rted throu-gh a side door to the garden.
Beautiful chairs and tables are arranged nicely on the lush green gras-s.
There is a lovely glas-s-t©pped dining-table in the middle, and this has five high-backed excellently-crafted chairs behind it.
The guests were either sitting down or standing. They are holding drinks and munching on sweet pastries.
Chris surveys the sizeable crowd with dismay on his face.
MADAM LOIS
What’s it, dear? It looks like you’ve seen a ghost.
CHRIS
I thought it was going to be a quiet evening, with us as the only guests. Didn’t know it’s a house p@rty.
MADAM LOIS
Oh, Chris, st©p being so dramatic. You know Ruth likes to do things in style. Anyway, they’re also celebr@ting twenty-five years of marriage and invited a few friends.
CHRIS
And you didn’t tell me? I remember you telling me they invited only us, and how inappropriate it would be if I didn’t come?
MADAM LOIS
You didn’t want to come, dear. I was sure if you had known it was a get-together you would’ve stayed away.
CHRIS
I had other plans, Mom.
MADAM LOIS
It’s okay, son. You had to be here. Elaine c@m£ from Accra just to be with you, and it seems to me that your plans doesn’t include her nowadays. Secondly, it is her parents’ anniversary and you should be here. Look, drop it for now. Let’s join them.
Chris still looks angry. Mrs. Ruth Boateng joins them and speaks happily.
RUTH
Lois, my sweetest, welcome!
She hvgs her friend warmly.
MR. BOATENG
(Holding a glas-s of wine approaches and extends a hand to Chris.)
Chris, my boy, you do look great tonight! Welcome, welcome!
RUTH
Come on, come on. You’re sitting with us on the high table. We were just waiting for you. Now where’s Elaine?
Madam Lois gives Chris a meaningful look as she follows the couple into the garden.
Chris follows them. Suddenly his arm is gr!pp£dha-rd from behind and he turns.
It is Steve, dressed in an excellent tuxedo. Chris’ face lights up with plea-sure immediately.
CHRIS
What the dilly-yoo, man! What’s gwan? Thought you were with your latest catch, what’s her name, Mimi? Didn’t you tell me you’re putting the works on her tonight?
STEVE
Dog that broad. Turns out she’s d@t!nga damn cop, and he’s an Inspector-General or something like that. Almost got my cheeks r!pp£doff when that fat cow followed her to my ghetto last night.
CHRIS
Been telling you to simmer down, Romeo. You’re gonna get your bu-tt roasted if you keep chasing the pretty Sk-irts.
STEVE
Let me worry about my problems. You’ve got one hvge bomb on your hands right now, dude.
CHRIS
Spill it.
STEVE
Let’s set the parameters first, dude. Now, have you told Effe about Elaine?
CHRIS
No. I planned to do that this night, but then the old lady kinda f0rç£d me to cancel out on Effe and come here instead.
STEVE
And of course Elaine doesn’t know you are now d@t!ngEffe.
CHRIS
I am not d@t!ngEffe, dude. To her we’re just good friends.
STEVE
And to you?
CHRIS
I’ll tell you this, because you’re more than a brother to me. I think I’ve fallen in love with Effe.
Steve looks staggered. He empties his glas-s and beckons to a waiter holding a tray.
He puts his empty glas-s on the tray and picks a new drink.
STEVE
Boy, you’re trying to look down the n£¢k of a bottle with both eyes, and one of your eyes is sure to pop if you continue pla-ying around like that.
CHRIS
Hey, belt it. I’m trying to get my act together and find a way out.
STEVE
Then you better find an excuse and leave here right now, or you’re gonna get burned.
CHRIS
What the heck are you talking about?
STEVE
Effe is here.
CHRIS
(stunned, gapes at his friend without speaking for a moment.)
What?
STEVE
You heard me right. Effe is right here with her father.
CHRIS
Oh Lord, no. You kidding me, right?
STEVE
Never been more serious in my life.
CHRIS
Oh, gr@p£s! This is bad, really bad! But how did that happen? Why are they here?
STEVE
I spoke to her. Small world, see? That’s why I’m always telling you to get your $h!t together. Turns out Mr. Opoku and Mr. Boateng, your two fathers-in-law, for now, shared the same dormitory at the university, and they were both SRC executives. They got together on Facebook, and Mr. Boateng invited his old friend here to the p@rty. Unknown to each of them, you’re ban-ging both their daughters.
CHRIS
Cut the rot, man, I’m up to my n£¢k here in some bad trouble. Why the hell didn’t you call me when you found out?
STEVE
(Steve half-empties his glas-s and points a stiff foref!nger at Chris.)
Tried a zillion times. Your phone was on vacation in the Bahamas, you fool. First rule in the pla-yer’s Basic Book of Survival is this: never switch off your damn phone!
CHRIS
My phone was off? Oh, yeah, when I s£nt Effe a text message I switched it off. Damn!
STEVE
And speaking of trouble, here comes the first salvo, dude.
Chris turns. Elaine is walking towards him smiling happily.
ELAINE
My Prince finally decided to come wake me up with a k!ss.
She puts her arms around his n£¢k and holds him ti-ght.
ELAINE
Chris, my breath. I missed you so much.
CHRIS
Elly. You look beautiful.
She draws his head down and brushes hisl-ips with hers.
ELAINE
Lord, I’ve missed you, wrestler. Wish we could disappear into my room for a while. My b©dy aches for your bullying.
CHRIS
Behave, darling. People are watching.
He steps back, and his eyes automatically searches for people who have seen their show of affection.
Standing a few inches behind Elaine is Effe. Steve is standing beside her. Steve shrugs and shakes his head sadly.
Effe looks so devastated. She looks at Elaine, then at Chris, then back to Elaine.
There is sudden pain on Chris’ face.
To be continued
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