Awakening Love: Part 4

PART FOUR: DINNER

Read Part One here

Read Part Two here

Read Part Three here

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AKOSUA

One in a million faces

The way my heart is racing

No one fi take your place o,

My baby, my baby o!

Akosua, Mary and Dzifa sang along to the love song by two of their favourite artistes, Remii and Sinmidele, as Akosua got ready for her first dinner date with Kobby. It had been almost a month since he had asked her to be his girlfriend, and they had gone out a couple of times since then, but all those had mainly been casual hangouts.

Kobby had admitted to her the week prior that he had been saving up to take her to Belgravia Bistro, a trendy new restaurant that had just opened up in the heart of Accra. Akosua had mentioned a few months ago in passing that she wanted to visit, but she had never had the time or money to do so. She had been touched, both by the act, and the fact that he had even remembered the comment that she had made.

“Akos, what about this one?” asked Dzifa, pulling out a knee-length red dress from Akosua’s jute bag of discarded clothes.

“Ah ah, Dzifa, you know I don’t like being called Akos,” Akosua said, as Mary applied primer to her face. “Plus, that one is out of style, I last wore it like four years ago.”

Dzifa shrugged, and tossed the dress back into the pile. “We’ve gone through nearly all of your clothes oh, my sister. If you don’t pick something soon, you’ll go in a towel.”

“What about that blue and white dress you wore at the baby shower?” asked Mary, starting to layer foundation onto Akosua’s face.

A little over nine months after marrying Matthew, Mary had given birth to twins. Akosua and Dzifa had wanted to name them Goodness and Mercy, ostensibly so that they would follow them all their lives, referencing the twenty-third chapter of the book of Psalms. Their parents had decided to go with Joseph and Joanna.

“That one is not bad,” agreed Dzifa.

“Yes, but it’s not fancy enough for Belgravia.”

“Ahn, but it’s fancy enough for my children, Akosua?” laughed Mary.

“But Mary, those ones are children na,” Akosua replied, tilting her head so that Mary could reach her neck.

“I’m going to get the towel!” exclaimed Dzifa, headed to Akosua’s ensuite bathroom to make good on her threat.

Just as Dzifa left, Akosua’s brother, Joojo, stuck his head into the doorway. Joojo, or JJ as his good friends affectionately called him, was two years older than his little sister. They were very close, as there was a five year age gap between their older twin brothers, Panyin and Kakra.

“Akosua, Kobina has arrived o. He’s waiting for you in the hall. Should I tell him to go back home?” he laughed, as he realised that his sister was still in her dressing gown, with curlers in her still-drying hair.

“Tsw,” said Akosua, rolling her eyes. “I’ll be finished in thirty minutes, tell him to–”

She never got to finish her sentence, as Dzifa walked back in, holding a white towel triumphantly.

“Ahaaaa, Akos, I’ve found a towel oh. Since you have decided that there’s nothing in your wardrobe that you like…oh hi JJ,” she trailed off, her eyes looking in every direction except Joojo’s.

“Dzifa, how are you?” smiled Joojo.
“Oh, by God’s grace I’m fine. How about you?” Dzifa was staring at her feet.

“I’m good too. Why are you looking at your feet?”

Akosua wanted to smack her brother. The boy was one of the most intelligent yet oblivious people she had ever met, and that was putting it mildly. She couldn’t count the number of times he had innocently ignored the brazen flirtations of her seniors when she was in JHS 1 and he in JHS 3. Many of the girls had then tried to butter her up to get to him. She had, of course, taken their lavish gifts and subsequently informed them that there was no way for her to persuade her older brother to take notice of them.

Dzifa was starting to get flustered and Akos was sure that if there was a hole anywhere around, the girl would have quickly found a way to bury herself. As it was, she went to her best friend’s rescue.

“Joojo, would you get out of my room? Tell Kobina I’ll be down soon. In the meantime, just be a good host. You can at least do that, can’t you?”

“We’ll see,” said Joojo, shutting the door. “Dad has brought out the photo albums though, so if I were you, I’d get downstairs ASAP.”

“Awurade! Dzifa it’s okay, I’ll wear the red dress you found like that. And Mary, no full glam again, just a light beat.”

Both Mary and Dzifa laughed as they finished helping their friend get ready.

| ~ | ~ | ~ |

Kobina was playing ludo with her father and Joojo when she came down nearly thirty minutes later. The photo album thankfully lay forgotten on the coffee table, and the three men were deeply engrossed in the game.

“Home kick!” shouted Kobby, as he moved Akosua’s father’s piece back to his home base. “Sorry sir,” he added.

Mr Obeng laughed as he rolled the die. “My friend, would you play and stop apologising? I’ll get you, don’t worry koraa.”

Akosua coughed lightly to get their attention, and all three men turned in her direction. Kobina’s jaw literally dropped when he saw her, and Joojo slapped the back of his head.

“Close your mouth!”

The knee-length dress Dzifa had selected was stunning, a deep shade of crimson that complemented her rich, dark skin and subtly accentuated her curves without being immodest. She’d paired it with black stilettos and a black purse, and her long, curly hair framed her face beautifully.

“Wow, Akosua, you look…really good,” Kobby finally said.

“Thanks,” she replied shyly.

“Akosua, go and change, it’s too short,” frowned her brother.

“Ah, Joojo, really?”

“Yes,” he said, with a completely straight face. “You can’t go out like that.”

“I think it looks fine,” said Dzifa, as she and Mary entered the room. She had finally found her tongue. “You’re just being extra.”

Joojo opened his mouth as if to reply to her, but then just snorted and crossed his arms.

“You look very nice,” said Mr Obeng, a tear shining in his eye. “Just like your mother.”

There was silence in the room for a little while, before Akosua replied with a forced smile. “Thank you Da.”

Her father turned to her boyfriend. “Make sure you have her home by eleven o’clock latest. Drive safely and sensibly. Most importantly, keep your hands to yourself.”

“Ah Da! I’m twenty four oh, I’m not a child!” cried Akosua, indignant.

“As long as you live under my roof, you obey my rules. Eleven o’clock, the security man is locking the gate. It’s up to you whether or not you’ll be inside when that happens. And if you’re not…well, just pray that you are.”

“Yes sir,” said Kobby, as they headed for the door. “I’ll keep her safe.”

“And don’t touch her oh!” added Joojo.

Everyone laughed.

KOBINA

“Ah Kobby won’t you say anything?”

The man in question blinked twice.

“Huh?”

“We’ve been sitting here for the past three minutes and you haven’t said anything. That’s really odd.”

In the two years he had known her, not once had he been lost for words. At the very least, even when he had seen her all dressed up for different events, he’d have snarky jokes to crack about her appearance. This time though, he’d been completely bowled over, and a sarcastic comment certainly didn’t cut it anymore, not that any even came to mind.

“Oh, erm, I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“You look really nice,” he repeated.

She laughed. “You’ve said that like seven times tonight. Not that I mind, but chale, if I had known you’d lose all power to speak, I would have worn sweats.”

He laughed. “You this girl ehn.”

“What have I done this time?”

“You’re asking me.”

“No, I’m asking the coconut tree on your head.”

“You’re not serious,” he chuckled, shaking his head.

“Anyways, since you don’t have anything to say, let me bring something up. Pastor Kunle just asked me to take the role of Head of Ushering. Mary said that she wants to focus on nursing the twins right now, and ushering demands a lot of time, which makes sense, but ei, those are some big shoes to fill!”

“Have you prayed about it?”

“Well, yes, but I don’t think–”

“What did you hear?”

“I sense in my spirit that I should go ahead, but Kobby, I’m scared oh.”

Kobby shook his head. “Were you not the one who told me earlier that God has not given us a spirit of fear? If God has called you to the task, He’ll equip you to complete it, moreso since it’s work in His house.”

“Pastor Kobina!” laughed Akosua, clapping. “Wow, wow, wow! Preacho!”

Kobby smiled and shook his head. “Small Scripture and you’re shouting?”

“Eish, sorry sir. Man of God! M.O.G.! You are a prophet with an address, you are not a Sunday school teacher!”

Kobby guffawed so loudly that the couple at the neighbouring table turned to look at them.

“Akosua, did you just quote Prophet Suddenly? As in, the movie? Girl wei paa!”

Before she could reply, two waiters came over with a slice of cake and sparklers.

“Excuse me,” said Akosua, as they placed the dish in front of her and lit the sparklers. “I think you got the wrong table, we haven’t ordered yet.”

“No, it’s the right table,” said Kobby, kneeling in front of her.

“Wait, what’s happening?” asked Akosua, as other patrons of the restaurant turned to look at them, a couple pulling out their phones to record what, for all intents and purposes, looked like a proposal.

“I’m not asking you to marry me–yet,” started Kobby, noting the panic written on Akosua’s face. “I know I’ve already asked you to be my girlfriend officially, but that was quite informal. I wanted to do it right, just the way you’ve always dreamed. So here we go.

“Akosua Serwaa Obeng, since I rudely bumped into you nearly two years ago, you’ve completely turned my life upside down. You have been one of the truest friends a man could ask for, you’ve been there in some of my most vulnerable moments.

“God has used you to show me that He still has daughters on this earth. You’ve allowed yourself to be a vessel of His love, and you’ve consistently shown it, not just to me, but to everyone around you. You’ve taught me so much about what it means to know God, and to be known by Him.

“I know I’ve already said this so many times, but you’re incredibly beautiful. You’re a fine girl wey love Jesus. You are one of the smartest women I’ve ever met; I love that we can talk for hours on end about everything under the sun, and neither of us get bored. You’re humble…which other accountant do I know that will scrub the church toilet every Sunday morning?

“I could go on and on, but all I want to add is this, written aptly by my brother in Christ, Moses Bliss. Forgive my voice eh, there’s a reason I’m an instrumentalist and not in the choir.

“They say no one is an island,

No one’s the best oh,

Nobody fit get everything all to himself oh

Nobody can have it all, say

Nobody perfect

But my baby, you are perfect for me.”

His voice cracked slightly as he sang the last note. Akosua’s eyes watered with unshed tears and more than one person in the restaurant sighed, “Awwww.” Kobby’s heart raced as he stood, and his palms started sweating. Akosua glanced at the plate on which was written: Will you be my girlfriend?

“Well? Will you be my girlfriend, Aunty Akos?”

He saw her roll her eyes at the term of endearment. Others got ‘babe’ or ‘honey’. He preferred Aunty Akos.

“Kobby, of course I–”

She was interrupted by the persistent buzzing of her phone. She picked it up, and someone yelled, “Obaa, fa phone no to hɔ na gye ne so!”

She looked up at him and ignored the lady. “It’s my dad. He never calls, and he’d definitely never call me now, when he knows I’m out on a date. It must be important.”

The audience they had gathered slowly started to disperse, some grumbling.

“That’s fine, pick the call, and make sure nothing’s wrong. We can pick up where we stopped, I’ll even sing again.”

She laughed as she walked away to pick the call, and the sound gladdened his heart. Less than three minutes later, she rushed back to their table, looking dismayed.

“Akosua, what’s wrong?”

She didn’t say anything, instead trying to pack her items back into her handbag. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him.

“Akosua, what is it?”

“It’s Joojo,” she replied, her cheeks already streaked with tears. “He’s been rushed to the hospital.”

GLOSSARY

Tsw — kissing of the teeth

Awurade — God

Koraa — at all

Chale — friend/my guy

Ehn — just a Ghanaian expression, with no particular meaning

Preacho — preach

Girl wei paa — This girl

fine girl wey love Jesus — fine girl who loves Jesus

Obaa, fa phone no to hɔ na gye ne so! — Girl, put the phone down and reply to him!

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Don’t beat me! I’ve actually had a rough draft of this chapter in my head for a long time, but fleshing it out was so hard! Either way, it’s here now! We have two more chapters to go, and I can’t lie, I’m a little sad about it. It’s been an honour to give life to these characters. Anyways, the songs referenced are My Baby by Remii and Sinmidele, and Perfect for Me, by Moses Bliss. The movie mentioned is Prophet Suddenly by the Winlos. If you have any questions, you can reach me on princessasante77@gmail.com. Once again, God bless you as you read!