12:22pm
I had gotten to the beach apartment two days before my friends. It was going to be a long week of partying, adulthood and uncertainties. I had taken the vacation to sort a lot of things going through my head.
I got the room key from the host assistant and climbed the four flights of stairs to my room.
The view was magnificent. Goodness, gracious! Very Pinterest-y.
Before hitting the shower, I put all the contents in my bag away. My phone beeped, and I took a peek at the screen: it was a work email. I fell into a deep sleep soon after I hit the bed, wet body and all.
5:00pm
When I got to the swimming pool side later that evening, I was very relieved to find two ladies lounging under the surprisingly warm evening sun. There was also a DJ playing some house music under a thatched roof.
Good.
I turned to look into the pool. It so was clean and clear in the evening light. It had an overflow to both sides and a high diving plank.
Diving it is.
As I settled down on a lounge chair in the far corner of the pool area, my phone beeped again.
Work.
5:17 pm
I dropped my phone after sending out some emails, and a text to my mother. I had let her know I was okay, that I had decided to take some days off work. My dad does not know we had been communicating for a year now. It would break his heart, and he will not be happy with me till he passes. It was one of the reasons why I had taken some time off to think things through.
Her reply came in minutes later.
You are a weird human being. My miseries keep enjoying your company. When will you be back?
She has a weird sense of humor.
My mom is the only one that gets me. She left my father years ago after he had walked in on my mom and her lover. Her lover was eating her out. Her lover was our neighbor.
I put my phone on flight mode.
5:20pm
I took my shirt and shorts off. I had a brown thong underneath. It only covered a small circumference of my butt. Then I heard the footsteps of many people come into the pool area.
Fuck.
I had my clothes folded on the plastic table beside my lounge chair. I could not wear it or walk away briskly in my thongs. I would have looked ridiculous. I sighed. I did not bother to turn to figure out how many people had come in.
5:23 pm
South-African house music was playing through the speakers. The volume of the music had also gone up. There was a shower stall some feet away from where I was standing. I walked to it and turned the knob on the wall.
The water was very cool. It felt right on my skin. So, I stayed a little more under it, and while I was under it, somehow, thoughts of how sheltered I am kept coming to mind.
Thirty years old, I still love spending my fathers’ money. I will always love to spend his money. He once said he made sure he was wealthy enough for two, so I do not lack anything. I can afford to buy pretty expensive things. *Tongue in cheek*
I think I have been blessed with good genes. I’m a small head-turner on Thursdays. I wear blue on Thursdays. I feel confident in blue — anything blue. Brown makes me feel sexy. I am wearing brown thongs — the type you tie at the sides.
I do not have a gorgeous face, but my smile is pretty — I have seen my pictures. Letting my beard grown had been a decision I made when I clocked 30. It gave my face a little personality too.
5:28 pm
I turned off the shower and wiped the water from my face with my left hand. It was a quick bath. My second since I got to the beach house. My host is pretty elite. Like, one percent of the one percent.
I had avoided the newcomers by walking on the other side of the swimming pool.
The music was still on, and my steps matched with the beat.
I got on the diving plank, and I could feel eyes on me. I could not see them because somehow, the evening sun glared warmly at my face. Or maybe I could not look in their direction. LOL
I approached the end of the board before hitting the water in a twisted dive. I am such a show-off. After several warm-ups and two laps, I came out of the pool and toweled myself dry.
5:55pm
I noticed someone was facing my direction — another newcomer. I had seen him walk in when I was bathing by the pool. He looked familiar somehow sha.
I looked away and assumed I was just thirsty - he had no shirt on. I had put on my glasses so I could see everything and everyone clearly.
The music was still playing, so I kept nodding my head to the beat.
Then I remembered who the newcomer was and where I had first met. The sudden realization made me jerk up so hard, my back cracked.
Five months ago, I had attended a destination wedding with my Dad’s PA, who was also my friend. It was a beautiful ceremony, and that was where I had first seen Otire/Otty, after fourteen years. His sister was the bride. He looked familiar then, but I still could not place the face.
Two months after that, my dad’s company finally set up shop in Nigeria. We wanted to expand the company for a project an independent client had proposed. But we needed to team up with another organization for top-notch execution.
We set up a meeting with the best company we could find. I had not been around for that meeting, but Toni, my dad’s PA/my friend, had filled me in.
Toni had told me the meeting ended almost as soon as my dad stepped into the conference room. During introductions, my dad had hesitated when Otire extended his hand. My dad had apologized, shook his hand, apologized again, and canceled the meeting. Everyone had been stunned — including Otire’s sister, who was also there on behalf of their father’s company.
When I got to my dad’s house that evening, I found him mulling over an empty wine glass at the dining table. There was an unopened wine in front of him. I thought he was completely unaware of my presence until he looked in my direction and gave a smirk. It was my first time seeing a sad smirk.
“Bobo. How are you?” His voice packed a little boom, but I could tell it was forced.
“Hey, dad. I am okay. How did your day go?”
I pulled out the chair opposite him and, dropped my tote bag, and sat down. “Are you okay, dad?”
He chuckled, “Of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Since I stepped inside your house, you have had a sad look on your face. What’s up, dad? Kilo sele?”
He sighed, looked at the cup in his hands, then he brought his head up and faced me, “The client went with the company we wanted to work with”.
“What? What happened?” Toni had not said anything about this. It would be news to her too.
“I still don’t know. I got the call right before I went into the meeting. And then I went in, hoping to find someone I- I-…” He looked away, back at the table.
“Someone who?” I probed gently. The last time I had seen him look exactly like this was fourteen years ago.
“Who I saw was not who I thought I would see. I don’t even know who I expected to see.” He paused, then looked up at me again. “It was Otty.” He paused again, “It was your friend. Otty.”
5:57 pm
“Hi.”
I heard a voice say something. I looked up, and I found Otty staring down at me.
He looked shorter than I remembered. Or maybe I grew taller. My dad used to tease me about my height: he called me short thrice when I was thirteen and twice again when I was 17. So, I got vexed, and I grew taller after that.
Otire had a shiny bald head, it looked very pretty. Like a glazed doughnut. His beard was well groomed too.
He had put on a shirt on his short trip to me. I was a little grateful for that, but now that he was right there, in front of me, I wondered what he would want to say to me. I don’t think I would know what to say to him if places had switched at that moment.
“Hi.” He said again. I heard him the first time, but I just kept staring at him.
And he held my gaze.
Our parent’s drama happened when we were sixteen — almost sixteen for me, and we were also classmates. My dad had planned to surprise me in school with snacks and souvenirs for my classmates. He had asked the PTA for permission, and they had okayed it.
My birthday was five days after our parents were found in their throes of passion together.
My dad went ahead with the birthday plans. Years later, when we discussed what happened back then, he told me he wanted me to have a memorable sixteenth birthday. At least, on the surface. He said no one had to know I was hurting.
Otire had disposed of my snacks and party-pack in the bin at the back of the classroom. He watched me watch him throw it away before walking out of the room. No one else had seen him trash it. It had pained me sha.
5:58 pm
“Hello” I finally replied after I had stared at him for a full minute. “How are you?” He continued.
“What do you want?” I asked tentatively.
“I don’t know. I just saw you, and I thought-” He caught himself, “You brought back memories”.
I looked to my right, he looked to his left. You know how awkward moments can be, yeah? This was one of them.
“Alright then.”
I got up and went back up to my room, but without the room key.
