Chapter Seventy-Six – Family Dinner

You see, heartbreak and love are a very unique phenomenon. Love creates a complicated set of neurons in the brain that completely contort normal human behavior. I say all that to say that a person who is in love doesn’t have sense. Don’t argue with me. Argue with the science.

I was a well reasoning girl. Really, I was. Then I met Sly. Then Sly broke my heart. Then I lost all good sense.

Remember when I said Boateng was forgotten? Well, I lied. Haha. Reader, you must understand. What Boateng did was scumbag behavior worthy of death by electrocution. But if the vacation did anything for me, it offered me an opportunity to sit and think.

I mean, I asked Boateng to wait, meanwhile I was out and about with a new boo thing and an ex. How was he supposed to know that he would win in the end? As the saying rightly goes, a bird I hand is worth two in the bush. Aseda was there, she made her intentions clear and there was some attraction there. We weren’t together. He didn’t owe me loyalty. Not in that way.

At the same time, dear reader, even after reasoning it this way, I still can’t look past it. It’s like this obstruction. When I think, maybe I can move on in spite of this, it rears its ugly head in my way a second time. It says “look, I’m still here!”. I felt that Boateng owed me some loyalty. He knew I hated Aseda. If for nothing at all, couldn’t our friendship have stopped him from crossing the boundary?

Now who’s to say, that if I look past this transgression, it’s not going to repeat itself. Once a cheater always a cheater. Well, in this scenario technically he didn’t cheat but still. What if he gave me his word about something and then reneged? What if I was in too deep by then and then I couldn’t even live again. If Sly taught me one thing, it’s that I can’t handle heartbreak to save my life.

The plain and simple truth is this; I want to forgive Boateng. I badly wanted to but I just can’t trust him ever again.

I can’t tell you how many times he called me and I just wanted to pick it but then the sting of what he did hurt too bad that I couldn’t. It was a double-edged sword. Not talking to him was breaking him but the idea of talking to him was also breaking me. So we spent the one month Christmas vacation playing a game of hide and go seek. Boateng was doing the seeking. I was doing the hiding and there was no winner.

*

Lara moved the boxes of inventory over into the corner to give some order to the chaos that was our room. She and Mara were getting ready to resume business as usual not having done any over the Christmas break.

Christmas was a very strange time for Lara. Her parents had requested that she spend the vacation at home instead of at her sister’s place. She’d hesitated at first but they continued to press the matter. It wouldn’t look good that they were in the city and she was staying elsewhere even though she was still in school.

Reluctantly she’d moved home and spent every waking moment in that house in her room and when the opportunity presented itself, she was either at mine or hanging out with the group.

I made it a point not to hang out with the group this vacation. I knew Boateng was going to be there and I simply couldn’t face him. So, everyone else hanged out while I stayed my behind at home watching all my favorite shows.

The real reason she was trying to tidy the room was because she was nervous. Her parents had arranged dinner with one minister and another politician who was into election financing. They wanted the whole family to be present for same.

I watched Lara fidget with the combs in one box; arranging and rearranging, the order never actually improving the whole time.

“Do you think maybe you should just tell them you can’t make it?”

Lara looked at me like I was stupid. “How can I tell them that. They only just forgave me. I need to show up and be on my best behavior” she said.

“Okay. Then why are you so nervous? You’re always on your best behavior around adults. What’s the worst that could happen?” I asked.

Lara softened a little, sitting next to me. “I don’t even know. I’m just nervous, Araba. I can’t explain it. You know how your parents know you. They’ve sort of accepted your flaws and more importantly, they love you. Mine aren’t that way. I think if I died today my parents would be mad that I’ve inconvenienced their business and political plans but that’d be it. My mother wouldn’t shed a tear. Even if she wanted to my father would tell her it was pointless.”

I nodded in understanding. Lara’s parents were militant.

“I wish you could take a friend. I’d have loved to come and support you” I said. I genuinely meant it but at the same time I was glad I couldn’t go. Her parents were awful. I’d been to the house to see her and that usual warm reception parents give to their children’s friends wasn’t extended to me.

I’d been Lara’s friend maybe eight years, and they didn’t even know who I was. My mother knows all my friends like the back of her hand. When everyone else besides Boateng came to see me, she immediately knew what was up. When he finally came over and I refused to see him, my mum went out to meet him and covered for me.

The clock seemed to move faster now that Lara’s fate was doomed. She’d bought a maxi dress specifically for this dinner. There was no cleavage in sight. We hugged each other goodbye and she hopped into the car waiting for her downstairs.

The evening air was chilly and the sun was already setting by the time they pulled up to the Johnson mansion. Descending from the car, Lara said a quick prayer. “Lord, please let everything go right” she said.

She was right on time as the guests hadn’t yet arrived. All three Johnson girls and mother and father, were at the door to welcome them when they arrived. Lara had never seen her father so animated as they exchanged pleasantries. He smiled, he laughed and he was boisterous. Mrs. Johnson smiled till it reached her eyes. In all their video calls, she’d never seen that.

The dinner party made their way to the dinning room and everyone was seated round the table. The familiar fast pace of Lara’s heart began and she did her hardest to calm herself.

The moment the water had been poured into the glass, she downed it all and asked for a refill.

“Wow, you must be really thirsty” the minister joked. Lara smiled shyly.

“She’s a health junkie, just like her mummy” Lara’s mother chipped, hoping to redirect the conversation.

Lara’s heart stung again. That was definitely not true. Here this woman was trying to act like she knew her and worse still trying to act like they had anything in common.

“So, your father tells me you are studying economics in the university. That’s nice” the minister continued. Why wasn’t he backing down or engaging someone else. This time, Lara’s father was the one to interject.

“Yes indeed. I believe she has an interest in politics somewhere down the line, just like her father. Economics is one of the best ways outside of the law. I look forward to picking her exceptional brain in my own political career” he said.

Lara wanted to explode.

“Really, that is exciting. I wish one of my children had such interest. Right now, all they know is soft life and reaping where they did not sow. At least one of them has started a business” the minister added.

Lara didn’t even realize she’d asked until the question came out. “Doing what?”. The minister smiled in appreciation of the question.

“He’s into selling cars” the minister said.

“Oh that’s…” Lara’s father started to say before Lara cut him.

“That’s wonderful. I too have a business with my friend. We sell hair products on campus. We started last year. Perhaps I could learn a thing or two from your son.”

Just like that, Lara elegantly guided the conversation the entire night and by the time the guests were leaving, they were singing her praises.