Phee's pleas

Chapter Eight

Phee had now spent three glorious weeks with Mariam and she knew she would have to leave soon. She'd spent those three weeks doing nothing but eating delicious food prepared by a wonderful - and expensive - chef, catching up with Mariam, and making detailed plans about her future. It was a huge relief to not have to think about how her parents would react when she broke the news to them.

However, her time was quickly dwindling and she knew she would have to leave Mariam's house soon. She heard the living room door open and then close and she knew Mariam was back from a lunch date with her friend/soon-to-be-boydfriend. Mariam had tried to persuade her to follow her to the restaurant but Phee had refused. She didn't want to be a third wheel, but she mostly didn't want to unintentionally run into any of her parents.

She heard steps on the staircase and knew Mariam was coming to see her. She got up from the large bed and walked to the door. She opened the door in time to see Mariam just getting to the top of the stairs. They smiled at each other and exchanged quick heys. When Mariam got to Phee's door, they hugged and moved into Phee's room.

"How did your lunch date go?", Phee asked as they both sat on the bed.

"It was nice", Mariam answered, faking nonchalance. But Phee knew the look on her friend's face.

"It was just nice?", Phee asked, a mischievous expression on her face.

Mariam burst into a huge grin. "Okay, it wasn't just nice! It went really well. Sean has been such a gentleman and he's been so consistent and honestly, I want to say yesss!", She gushed.

Phee let out a squeal and twitched excitedly on the bed. "I'm sooo happy for you! I'm so glad that Sean has turned out to be a nice guy. God knows the dating scene in Lagos is just wild." She put her arms around Mariam and said, "I'm really really happy for you."

"I'm really glad too", Mariam replied, a mushy smile on her face.

"See you looking all in love and shit", Phee said, laughing at Mariam. "Hard guy, hard guy, but Sean broke your walls", she teased.

"I hate you dude", Mariam replied laughing. "Anyway, Sean surprised me with backstage and VIP tickets and you HAVE to come with me!" She noticed the look on Phee's face and knew she was about to refuse the invitation but she was having none of it.

"Uh uh! You're not getting out of this one. You're leaving so soon and we've not even had one girls night out"

"But we've had our nights in, I enjoy those", Phee whined.

"I said out, not in", Mariam replied, trying to appear firm.

"Besides, I can't go out without you. If you don't come with me, I'll tell Sean I can't go and I'll cancel", Mariam said, resorting to emotional blackmail.

"Aahhhhh Mariam! That's not fair nau, you can't cancel yours and Sean's plans, Phee cried.

"I can and I will if you don't follow me", Mariam replied triumphantly, knowing that she'd had her way.

"Now, I hate you! Thank you for the emotional blackmail. I don't even have any clothes appropriate for a concert. I'll probably just wear jeans and a t-shirt"

"Ehn! Kole werk! You'll wear one of my gowns"

"Nooooo!"

Mariam only cackled at Phee.

                    *              *                 *

Phee had quickly found out that it was a Burna boy concert and was now happily getting ready for their "girl's night out". She was wearing a purple, slightly-longer-than knee-length gown which had ten-inch slits on either side of it. The bust was snug and almost tight. The gown had been a birthday gift to Mariam by her younger sister a year ago but her sister had gotten the bust's measurement wrong and so, while the gown fit everywhere else, it had squashed Marian's boobs. Mariam had held on to the gown but was now happy to give it to Phee.

Mariam on the other hand, was wearing a backless yellow and purple stretchy gown which rested three inches above her knee. The purple was so they could both match outfits and the yellow was "a very nice contrast to her dark skin".

"Babes, abeg act normal when we get backstage. Don't fawn over any celebrities you may see", Mariam said. "Most of them have enormous egos which are constantly fueled by their fans", Mariam concluded bitterly.

"Me? fawn over celebrities ke?"

"Last year when we went to Tems' concert nko?"

Phee whined, "but Tems is different nau. First off, she's wonderful, un-proud, and femalee"

"Sha don't fawn over any celebrities Phee"

"Abeg!"

At that moment, Mariam's phone rang and their bickering was cut short. It was Sean calling to pick them up.

"Hey babe...yes, we're done....yes, we're ACTUALLY done...we just need to put on our shoes and we'll be out...see you in a few, bye babe".

Mariam cut off the call and turned her gaze to Phee. "Put on your shoes and let's go abeg"

Phee hurriedly did the straps on her sandal heels, not wasting any time as she knew from experience that Mariam was a stickler for being on time. She hated "African time" and was always on time for any occasion.

They picked up their bags and strutted down the stairs. Mariam informed the security guards that they might not be back home that day and they both went outside to meet Sean, Mariam happily going to sit beside Sean in the driver's seat and Phee settling alone into the passenger's seat.

Sean soon drove off after greetings and a light peck on Mariam's cheek.

Translations
Kole werk - a line from a popular Nigerian song meaning, "It can't work"
Abeg - Please
Tems - a fast rising, popular, female, Nigerian artist
African time - (uncountable, sometimes derogatory, slang) A notional system of time which others sometimes derogatorily ascribe to Africans, and which they sometimes jocularly ascribe to themselves, to account for their supposed tendency to be leisurely, not rigorous about scheduling, and often tardy.

*the last definition is from my dictionary