FED UP

(…continued…)

                They got to Coker’s car, opened the back seat and sat in.

  “We can go abi?” he asked.

  “Yes,” they answered.

                He drove off.

  “Where are you taking us to?” Mabel asked.

  “It is a surprise,” Coker replied.

  “Surprise ke. You know I don’t like surprises.”

  “It may be a surprise engagement party,” Cynthia said.

                They laughed.

  “Between who and who na?” Coker’s fiancée asked. “We did ours months back.”

  “Maybe Timi is hiding somewhere, ready to jump out suddenly and pop the question.”

  “Timi is not free o.”

  “He is married?”

  “Kinda.”

  “And I was hoping if Mabel doesn’t pick him, he could be mine,” Cynthia said.

  “What do you mean by kinda?” Mabel asked, smiling.

  “He is based abroad,” Coker said. “You know how it is there na.”

  “Ok. You have to marry an oyibo woman to get your papers.”

  “Something like that.”

  “But he is settled now right?”

  “Yes. He had his papers years ago. He is a big boy.”

  “Eiyaa, that’s good.”

  “He wants to marry from here but it has not been easy for him.”

  “Why does he want to marry again na?”

  “He wants to marry cloer to home.”

  “So what is stopping him?”

  “If the oyibo woman finds out, he will be in trouble. So he is threading with caution.”

  “If I had a thing for him before,” Cynthia said. “I am no more interested joor before oyibo woman will trace me and come here.”

  “Does he have kids with her?” Mabel asked.

  “Yes. Two girls.”

  “He should remain with his oyibo wife na.”

  “You know how tradition is here. Every man must have at least a son who is a pure breed and who will take over the traditions and legacies of the fathers.”

  “Tradition indeed. The world has moved further than that.”

  “It is not true o,” Coker’s fiancée said. “Culture and tradition cannot be totally overrun. That is what makes us unique.”

  “Yes,” Coker agreed. “All you need do is to know the culture and find a way around it without confrontation.”

  “So what does he plan doing?”

  “There was an emergency, as his oyibo wife said, so he traveled back. In some month’s time, he will be back to resume the search from where he stopped.”

  “Ok oo.”

                Cynthia’s phone rang. It was an unknown number.

  “Who is calling me na?” she asked rhetorically.

                She picked. It was Chuka. Her face lit up. They talked for a while but Chuka told her he was not hearing her clearly and promised to call her back in the night. He hung up. Coker looked at her through the rear mirror.

  “Cynthia Cynthia,” he teased her.

  “What?” Cynthia asked, still wearing the smile on her face.

  “This call that is making you smile like this.”

  “Her bf called,” Mabel said.

                Cynthia nudged her.

  “Really?” Coker’s fiancée asked. “Tell me about him. Is he handsome? How many cars does he have?”

  “None,” Mabel said laughing.

  “I will punch you now,” Cynthia said, bursting into laughter.

                Coker and his fiancée joined in the laughter.

  “Throw him away then,” Coker’s fiancée said. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

  “It is not true o,” Coker said. “Who knew I would get to where I am today? The girl I could have married now threw me away.”

  “I don’t know what you people are saying o,” Cynthia said.

  “Don’t deny your boo na,” Mabel said.

  “He is still applying but I have not accepted him na.”

  “With what I saw while you were answering the call, I already know the answer to his so-called application.”

  “Ok oo.”

                Coker got to a popular joint in the town and drove in.

  “I hope you like this place.”

  “It is ok.”

  “Alright.”

                He parked in the parking lot. Then they alighted and went towards the tables. It was an open space with a raffia roof.

  “Choose a table,” Coker said to them.

                After some moments of indecision, his fiancée chose one. They sat and a waiter came to them and took their order.

  “So when are we coming for your grooving?” Mabel asked Coker.

  “Which grooving?” Coker asked.

  “Nuptial knot-tying grooving.”

  “As soon as we finish with some family protocols.”

  “All these family protocols sef,”

  “It is harder on the man than on the woman.”

  “I have told my parents to tell his people that they will not marry me o,” Coker’s fiancée said.

  “is it that bad?”

  “It is not a big deal. We are almost done dealing with it.”

  “Ok.”

                The waiter, with the help of another waiter, brought the pepper soup. Then they went to get drinks. They soon came back with the drinks. As they ate, they talked about issues any of them raised. Suddenly, Mabel froze.

  “What is it?” Cynthia asked her.

  “Segun just drove in,” she said pointing towards the entrance.
               They followed her pointing and saw what looked like Segun's car coming into the compound.
              

(…to be continued…)

-©2015.Chinedu Isaac