by Boadi, Lilly
“Oh, I don’t?” Haida paused as well. “At least, I had lunch with her fiance!” Haida stressed sardonically. She walked away and pressed the elevator nob devastatingly, leaving Kelly standing.
Kelly sighed and walked towards the elevator “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t do anything to upset you. She must only be jealous of you because you are more beautiful than she is, and she envies you perhaps because you hold a higher position here than she does”. She thought she must say something for her. But, inside, Kelly was laughing off in happiness. But why? God must really be in favour of her, because everything was working out perfectly. In fact, the real reason she wanted to pick Haida up at the workplace was to crush with Meg per chance. She had been praying earlier on to meet her. The time Haida had given her seemed unfavourable; she thought 5.30pm was too long a time for any employee who closes at 5pm to be hanging around the work place, especially when it was a Friday.
Loud systems bushing with danceable tunes; lamps in different colours blazing all around the gardens, streets and everywhere; flashy cars parked at every corner; smiles on everyone’s face; crackle of laughter from different corners and the shouts of talk from one person to another; quite a number of people gathered around the centre of the ground, shaking their boobs, twisting their waists, throwing their legs about and waving their hands in the air in excitement - this was the scene that greeted Haida as she and Kelly stepped out of the car.
“Here, get this”
Kelly pressed a card in Haida’s hand and departed in a rush. Haida stared at the card - an invitation card, a weird one; there were no formalities as to the event or time or place. The only thing that gave the card its definition was the inscription, ‘Guest 315’. She followed Kelly to the main grounds of the Five Star hotel. A stout man by passed her, and she turned and then almost called after him. Wasn’t that the most sought after movie celebrity in the country? More surprises awaited her when she got to the main grounds. At the high table stood a white man who was shouting excitingly to the crowd which went berserk. That definitely is the Filipino love singer and actor, Jericho Rosales; on his left stood the gorgeous Black American soloist, Diana Ross, the gospel icons Darlene Zshech, Kirk Franklin, Don Moen and others she couldn’t see. On his right, she saw Beyonce Knowles, Justin Timberlake and other more. Any moment, she expected to see CeceWinans, Kari Jobe, Donnie McKlurkin and other celebrities of her favourite. Haida couldn’t believe her eyes, and then it dawned on her where she really was, yet she needed to be sure.
“Where are we?” she shouted to Kelly through the waves of the loud sounds.
“The Celebrities Night Show” Kelly shouted back.
They were pummeling their way through to the front. Haida had seen the advert on the Tele and heard it on radio - a cocktail show that would feature most celebrities in the entertainment world, from all walks of life, ever to take place in the country. It was an exclusive big show, not meant for the ordinary citizen. It was strictly by invitation and she had not imagined herself being there. Though few of her favorites had been mentioned and she wished she could be there to see them personally, she knew the reality of that was just a fantasy. So then, it was unbelievable to find herself there. The comments made about the on-going show through the waves were enough to excite anyone to be there. Mellis couldn’t take it anymore. He thought by now, Haida had cleared her confusion, if any at all, about who to spend the evening with. Though he wished he could be at the show with his beloved, to enjoy the lovely hilarious atmosphere, he thought going alone wouldn’t be bad. The next few minutes, he was on his way to the show. He dialed Haida’s number for the third time
“C’mon Haida, c’mon” and on the fifth try, he gave up. Where could she be, and why wasn’t she answering her phone? He wondered.
Haida looked on in excitement and surprise, as each celebrity gave comments that excited the crowd. She turned to her right and Kelly was nowhere to be found. She looked through the crowd and saw her in familiar talks with a number of white men. The next minute, she found herself in their presence and Kelly introducing her; she didn’t notice when Kelly pulled her, it was so fast. They moved a few steps ahead and there were these handsome men gathered around, with their eyes fixed at the high table. They all shouted in excitement when they saw Kelly. She seemed to know lots of people. Few weeks ago, when Haida asked about her career, she had said she managed one of her mother’s chains of restaurants in the country. Since she couldn’t hide her foreign physique and British accent, she had said she used to live in the UK and came down few years ago (she was careful not to say anything which could be revealing, should Haida mention her to Mellis). But her work had gotten nothing to do with the entertainment world? Maybe her alienation with the UK could have made her acquainted with famous people, and therefore, the possibility of her getting an invite to such an occasion which luckily enough, had extended to her. Well, for any reason, what Haida was happy about was the fact that she was at the show, meeting all the celebrities.
“Hello ma petite!” said a handsome man who opened his arms and hugged Kelly like a babe.
It was surprising, but every guy Haida came across, to her, was very handsome and well built. Was it a night of gems?
“Meet my dear pal, Haida” said Kelly with excitement “Haida you meet Carlos, a good friend”
“Hello pretty” said the man, taking Haida’s hand which he kissed “It’s a pleasure to have met you” he said, looking deeply into her eyes and holding her hand far longer than necessary.
“My pleasure too” said Haida and pulled her hand gently from his.
At the corner of her ear, she heard the song ‘He lives in me’ “Wow! That’s Diana Ross!” she said excitingly.
“You like her?” asked the man
“Sure! I like her a lot”
“She’s my favourite too” he said, and then got closer to her.
Haida must have been so engrossed watching and listening to Diana Ross that she didn’t notice when the man put his arm around her waist or Kelly left. For a while, she felt uncomfortable and put up a slight struggle to wriggle away, but seeing the man was nothing like excusing her, she gave up.
Much later, the smell of edibles hit her nostrils and she saw waiters and waitresses in exquisite uniforms all around the place with trays of edibles in their hands. Seeing it was time for socialization, she managed to get few of the celebrities’ autographs. With every move she made, the man hooked to her but she couldn’t expose her displeasure. Where was Kelly? Was it a planned thing - was Kelly giving her a date for the night?
At the other side of the ground, Kelly was chatting up her colleagues after moving around almost the whole place.
“So, how’s it going?” asked Laura
“Pretty cool”
“And Carlos?”
“Trust him to do a good job” said Kelly, giggling.
At the far end, from where she stood, Kelly’s eyes fell on a familiar face and figure. There were lots of gorgeous women in a compromising position with him, laughing and talking in a frenzy mood. She moved some steps forward and was overwhelmed. She must hide herself immediately! Then, giggling broadly, she thought to herself ‘Haida must see this!’
“Laura?” she called out, with her eyes fixed on the small group afar off
“Yes, what is it?” said Laura
“Come over here” beckoned Kelly, with her eyes still fixed on the small group
“Hey! Who’s it?” asked Laura, knowing Kelly was staring at someone
“Just see for yourself” said Kelly and Laura looked her direction
“Hullo!” she exclaimed in surprise “Did you know he’d be here!?”
“Not the slightest idea! But it’s great he’s around” said Kelly
“What!? Do you want him to see you? We must get going!” said Laura, troubled
“Not too fast. This sight is lovely, don’t you think?”
“What!? I hope you’re not up to what I’m thinking”
“No, not at all. I’m not going to discard those wenches of women off” said Kelly angrily through gritted teeth.“Haida must see this scene, don’t you think? I was just trying one thing with Carlos, and now another pops up. Feels so great!” said Kelly giggling once more. Laura watched her and understood her
“And how do you intend to achieve that without you being seen by him?”
“Quite simple” said Kelly, giggling sarcastically. Kelly moved through the crowd and finally caught sight of Haida, with Carlos bridled at her side. She smiled, and then went to them.
“Kelly, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you all around” said Haida, glad that Kelly was finally with them.
“Oh I’m sorry. I was whisked away by a friend, and he would not leave me alone” said Kelly glancing at Carlos who chuckled. “Come. Let me introduce you to some people”
“I think you know almost everyone at this place” said Haida, following Kelly like a child who didn’t want to get lost in a crowd.
Kelly walked towards the small group she had seen earlier. Just about a mile away, she stopped suddenly, and then clapped her mouth with her hands in awe. She opened her eyes wide and then put her hand on her chest, breathing so hard. She looked like she had seen a ghost and any minute would pass away.
“Kelly, what is it?!” asked Haida, worried. And then pointing to the small group, Kelly said
“That guy…he looks like Ricardo!” Just at that moment, Binta, one of the ladies, hugged the man so tightly and gave him a full long kiss on the lips.
Haida just stood, tongue-tied. Then the girl was spluttering something to him which Haida couldn’t hear. She was saying “I love you, I love you. I’ve never imagined seeing you personally, it’s unbelievable! I always make sure I don’t miss your game on TV…I’m your great fan….” The other ladies looked on in devastation and wished they could tear her into pieces. They’ve all been civilized with their model and hero, but here comes a naughty haughty creature. They couldn’t disclose their displeasure, rather their feelings, as each hugged him passionately and gave him sensual peg on the cheek. As Haida looked on, breathing so hard with pain and fury, Kelly stood tall behind her, chuckling silently with satisfaction. Haida’s night was definitely ruined. Sobbing within, she turned and then ran towards the exit.
“Haida, wait! Where are you going?” asked Kelly, who only ran after her.
Haida’s bag fell and she didn’t mind picking it up. Kelly paused and picked the bag up. She caught up with Haida outside the main grounds, one corner at the garden. She was rolling with cry and pain. Kelly felt quite bad. She didn’t mean to hurt her that much; maybe she had come to like this innocent pretty woman a bit and was moved by her tears.
“Sweetie, what is it? Why are you crying like this?” asked Kelly, looking genuinely concerned.
But Haida wept the more and Kelly comforted her. For a while, Haida calmed down.
“I want to be home Kelly” she said, sobbing.
“But why? At least, not before you tell me what’s wrong with you”
“I don’t feel like talking right now, I only want to be home please” said Haida in a choked voice.
“That’s not fair girl. You know I’d be dead sick worried about you. You know you can share all your problems with me; I’m here to listen…” whispered Kelly “…besides, I brought you here, and if something bad has happened to you, imagine, it makes me feel guilty” she said with concern and Haida stared into her eyes, only seeing a friend who was more than a sister and loved her. “C’mon, tell me what’s going on with you”. Haida sighed deeply and looked down at her fingers with a sullen face.
“That guy you were pointing at earlier on” she managed to say
“Yes? What about him?” asked Kelly, attentive
“He’s my boyfriend….” she said, and then started weeping again.
“Mellis!? I can’t believe this. I’m…I’m sorry” that was all Kelly could say for now
“He’s a complete jerk!” said Haida amidst sobs.
“Don’t draw into any conclusions yet” said Kelly, putting Haida in her arms and caressing her arm “For all you know, he’s the passive one here”
“Don’t try to defend him!” snapped Haida, pulling herself away from Kelly’s arms, wiping her tears and trying to sound normal. “I want to leave and now”
“Ok. But please promise me you’ll not cry your eyes out all night, and if you want to talk, u can call me”
Haida forced a short smile out “Thanks Kelly. I appreciate your concern. I’ll do just that. Shall we?”
“Sure….”
In her bedroom, Haida collapsed into her bed and cried all her sorrow out. It was like the worst night ever. Was that really her Mellis? It was unbelievable, so unreal. It was like a dream she was hoping to wake up from. She could never believe anything else about him. He was a flirt, a liar, a jerk, and altogether ugly. She didn’t want to hear from him again. That reminded her to put her cell phone off; he would definitely try to reach her if she wasn’t calling. She reached out for her phone and realized it was already off. It might have gone off when her bag fell, because she remembered she had charged the battery fully early morning.
***
The loud knock on her door woke Haida up from her sleep. She felt a very sharp pain at one side of her head. She looked herself in the mirror; her hair was rambled, her eyes puffed up and her left earring gone. She was still in the attire she had worn to the show the previous night. Jolly kept knocking and shouting her name. She couldn’t let her or any of her parents see her in this condition. She thought if she didn’t answer, Jolly would be tired of knocking and leave. Thoughts of the previous night came running through her mind and tears rolled down her cheek. The thought of her eyes puffing up the more made her keep her sorrow within. She couldn’t let anyone else, especially her family, know about what happened the previous night; at least, for now. Her father trusted Mellis and spoke highly of him; her mom adored him, and Jolly was in love with everything about him. Besides, she thought she should deal with problems with her partner like a matured woman and not like one always involving her parents; she wanted to exhibit maturity. She decided to spend the day outside home, before her appearance subjected her to questioning in the house. She surely couldn’t go to Kiara’s; how was she going to explain herself? Eventually, Kelly was her last resort. She was about to put on her phone when she remembered Mellis might still be trying to reach her. Going downstairs to call Kelly was impossible now; she would make sure her father especially had left the house before she would show her puffy face downstairs. On Saturdays, most times, the vicar spent almost the whole day at the Parish, and at this juncture, she hoped today would be one of those days.
“Is Phoebe not up yet?” asked the vicar, joining his wife and daughter at breakfast.
“No dad. I went to check up on her, but she wasn’t responding to the knocks on the door” said Jolly
“She must be tired from the previous night’s outing. She came home a bit late last night” defended her mother.
Mrs. Morgan always wanted to portray a good image about her children to her husband. When they acted in negligence, indiscipline or in any way uncalled for as to a woman of substance and dignity, she tried to cover up for them in the presence of her husband. The vicar respected his wife and children and for the fact that his wife was a woman of substance, including the fact that she was inclined to bringing up women of substance and men of honour. In his youthful days, Mr. Morgan had quite a hot secular life and his wife was incomparable to any of the women he had been with. She was the most beautiful and virtuous woman he had ever known. He adored and cherished her so much. Amongst his daughters, Haida was the one who took so much after her, and this explains why she’s the apple of his eye.
Still in thought, Haida coiled herself in her bed, shaking miserably. She felt feverish, but didn’t seem to have time to administer to that condition. She heard the knocks on her door and Jolly calling out agai
n
“Phoebe, Mellis is on the line, come down quickly” she said.
“I’m in the bathroom, I’ll call him later” shouted Haida.
How silly of her to forget about the landline. Eventually, she found it useless not to put her phone on. She quickly dialed Kelly’s number, but there was no response. Upon the third try, she left a voice message
“Hi Kelly, good morning. Are you free today? Can I spend the day with you at your end? Please call me when you get this message. Bye”.
Kelly came out of the washroom and listened to the message. She smiled wryly and then dialed a number.
Haida was getting prepared to go take her bath when her phone rang. She hoped it wasn’t Mellis but Kelly. But it was an unfamiliar number.
“Hello?” she said expectantly
“Hello sweet, how are you this morning?” asked a male ecstatic voice
“Quite ok. Who am I speaking to please?” asked Haida
“Oh, you do not recognize my voice? I’m offended. But why did you decide to leave without letting me see you? I was looking all around for you”
“Excuse me, who is this and what are you talking about?” asked Haida, lost.
“Haida! You still can’t make me out? Well, it’s Carlos”
“Ooh Carlos!” she exclaimed “I’m sorry but I hardly recognized your voice. Forgive me”
“That’s ok. I don’t blame you anyway, because we didn’t have much time to talk much, enough for my voice to sink well into your heart” he said and Haida laughed. “Anyway, since you ask for forgiveness, will you spend the day with me to pay off your debt?” asked Carlos.
Haida laughed again and didn’t know what to say. She was saved by Kelly “Err, Carlos, a call is coming through please let me answer that; I’ll get through to you soon…on this same line right?”
“Sure. But I’d not take no for an answer” he said and Haida laughed
“Let’s see about that” she said and picked Kelly through “Hello Kelly”
“Haida, I got your message” said Kelly and asked sharply “who was on the line; I saw call-waiting?”