Chapter 6 @TheDate #FinalChapter

I sat across a dinner table Ase had reserved. I wondered how he was able to afford this. I noticed a couple two tables away and I suddenly felt out of place considering how the lady was dressed. I had no make up and made a mental note to learn as soon as I complete school. I touched my cropped hair and wished I had taken my sister’s wig.
“Anything for you please?” The waiter approached.
“Uhh no, I’m good” I said nervously.
“No, she’s not” A voice interrupted. I turned to look and there he was, Ase, the famous Ase. He looked at me and grinned. He was brewing with confidence and I could not help but roll my eyes.
“Give us something to drink for now” He said to the waiter.
“Yes please”
“You still look you…sweet looking and all” He sat down and stretched his legs.
“Yes, yes and yourself, dashing and of course your big head” I blinked my eyes dramatically.
“You still blink like that when you are being sarcastic” He laughed. “I miss you Afia”
I took in calculated breaths as he looked at me intensely looking for a reaction to give me away. “Stop doing that”
“What?” He pretend not to know and I laughed.
“It’s certainly nice to see you again” I admitted
“You still look beautiful and natural”
“Thank you” I graciously replied.
The waiter came in with our drinks and we started to sip.
“How is your Christmas going?” I asked.
He smiled and shook his head. “Uhh you know me, I don’t do Christmas Afia but maybe…for your sake” he said and lifted his glass towards me. “Merry Christmas. You know..”
He took out his phone ” I saw this on my Facebook wall and I can’t help but agree”
I took the extended phone. It was a gridded image of an Egyptian god, Horus and of Greece, Attis, Krishna of India. Mithras of Persia and then Jesus Christ. They all had some small history of their birth and life beneath their photo.
“Amazing they all have the same birth story as Jesus”
“Ok…?” I probed feeling a hit disappointed that this Ase was the same as he was, physically and mentally.
“So I am saying as for me I don’t know which is which so I keep my cool. This is why I don’t do Christmas” He took drank the remaining of his drink in a healthy gulp and poured himself another. ” it’s either these people are lying or you Christian have been lying to us all these while” He looked at me for response.
I folded my lips and gave a tight smile. Clearly he could sense my disappointment.
“Ok Afia, I’m sorry”
“So it was a lie when you said you celebrate Christmas. Was it to lure me here?”
“No! And Afia did you really come here because I said I celebrate Christmas now?”
“No” I took a deep breath. I am here because I just wanted to see you. Nothing more, nothing less. Just see you and have fun but apparently this is a mistake”
“No no no! Of course not. I wanted to see you too Afia. You know what…?” He beckoned at the waiter.
“Let’s order some food and eat. I have a surprise for you even”
I noticed the plea in his eyes. He was thoroughly sorry. “Ok”
“Ok?” He reached for my hand ” I’m very sorry.
“Ok” I nodded and allowed him to squeeze my hand

The meal was a sumptuous one. The usual Christmas dish- jollof with chicken with a bit of salad preparation. And the wine he ordered afterwards tasted heavenly. We laughed and touched hands a lot. It was Ase, he liked to touch or perhaps the wine, it made me light and free.
Nothing really mattered but I suddenly realized my curfew mattered. I must be home before 20:00GMT.
I looked at my watch.
“Oh no” Ase said ” Let’s get you another surprise.
“Then I think we should start getting on with the surprise”
“Yes yes” He stood up and fetched for money for the bill. This one here is now a man. I thought quiet impressed. I’ve known Ase even as young as 16years. He was just a cafe boy helping his brother with his cafe shop while he helped fixed faulty computers. Now this was a man who took care of bills.

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It was not much of a surprise. Going to church was no surprise and this was some of the reasons why I hate surprises. It sometimes is not a surprise as it is intended to be. It was an evening Christmas service and we were just in time for the danceables from the singing band as offertory was being taken. Everyone was in a festive mood and I think Ase felt that too. Or he pretended to be.
He begun to dance and took my hands to dance with him. “Afehyia pa! Afehyia pa! Afe nk) m3to y3n nso bio…”*
I was too tired to dance but I laughed with him anyways “Oh Ase!”
“Now give your offertory” I said to him when the usher came around with the offertory basket.
“Of course” He dropped his offering.
I dropped mine. “We should get going, my mum will be upset”
“Ok” He nodded and we made our way toward the exit.
For some reasons we held our hands as we walked along the road.
“I miss you Afia… Please come back” he muttered.
We were getting close to the trotro station to pick a vehicle. Few street light scattered along the road and some were not functioning.
I stopped in my tracks and looked at his face. Beads of sweat dotted his large forehead, his upper lip and his shirt clung onto his body in sweat. I touched his forehead before I could stop myself. I started to wipe the sweat with my hand. One last swipe at his upper lip with my thumb I smiled sadly “Oh Ase”
He smiled too and a single tear trickled down his cheek. “Please come back. We will do a lot of Christmas if we have to. I don’t mind Afia”
“I think you know it’s not only about Christmas, Ase”
I clasped his large head in my hand and tipped slowly on my toes to peck his lips.
I hesitated waiting for a reaction. His lips was cold and his body was limp. It was as though the last wind had left him. The noise in the street was louder now.
“I just can’t Ase” I said quietly. “Ase…”
No response
“Ase…”
“Go Afia… Just go” He finally voiced out.
“Bossu! Madam! Mo kɔ Abuakwah anaa?”* The mate from a passing vehicle shouted.
It seemed like an escape. “Aane!”*

And shameless as I was or ashamed as I felt I let go of his hand and started to ran to the trotro.*
I did not just ran, I fled.
And when I did, I did not turn and did not look back. I was scared my legs would fail me if I turn and I was relieved my strength was in tact. I was sad for myself, for Ase. Nonetheless I was hopeful for a clean future. The future- it glowed in a tiny hole with promises and as I ran it got bigger and brighter. It was a glow of many more life to live even though I felt dead now.
Ase and I, it was not just about Christmas or Christmas misconception. It was about identity and purpose. It was about the kind of love that you love and you still find yourself. The kind of love that geared toward a certain vision. I needed more than attraction and Ase could not promise that. I could not accept to live in moments while they last as Ase was offering. It would be like living in a castle built on desert sand. Loose foundation can not stand against storms so I ran harder and willed myself not to cry.
Sometimes when you hold on to something that does not really exist, you miss the actual thing so I ran embracing the painful flashes of sweet memories I was leaving behind.
This particular one pierced my soul. The one Ase was singing Goodbye My Lover by James Blunt.
“Did I disappoint you?”
“No”
“Did I disappoint you…? Or..”
“No”
“Gadammit Afia!” He laughed. “I’m singing”
“Oh I thought it was a question you were asking” I teased him. “You know I cannot differentiate between your singing voice and your talking voice”
“Really?” He laughed.

Goodbye my lover, Goodbye my friend, You have been the one, you have been the one for me
I’m so hollow baby, I’m so hollow
I’m so, I’m so, I’m so hollow…

I sat in the vehicle and begun to weep, just as I felt relieved I was so hollow. How was that possible. This I guess is what happens when you experience something so pure as Ase’s love yet very disheartening as it ends because it lacks a path.
“Madam are you ok?” The mate asked concerned.
“Yes”
“What has happened, did someone die?” He became more inquisitive.
“Yes” I lied “My grandmother”
“Oh sorry sorry. You relax er, I will take the money later”
I nodded.
I could hear Ase’s faint shrill voice as he sings:

Goodbye my lover, Goodbye my friend, You have been the one, you have been the one for me.

THE END

Keywords

1.“Afehyia pa! Afehyia pa! Afe nk) m3to y3n nso bio…”*
-Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas. May another year come to meet us again!

2. “Bossu! Madam! Mo k) Abuakwah anaa?”*

-Boss!Madam are you going to Abuakwah?

3. “Aane!”*

-Yes!