Hey, not me!

Chapter Twenty Seven: Getaway.

It was finally the weekend and I was more than ready to get away from prying eyes. After my not so pretty breakdown in the reception area, gossip followed me around like an evil shadow. All manner of speculation had been going around and the most recent one involved a jilted lover. Huh! As if!

I was happy to have a couple of days to relax. What I was not happy about was having to attend a wedding. (Cue a heavy sigh and very dramatic eye roll.) Yes, I was very frustrated. Moreso for the fact that it was a relative's traditional wedding at my maternal village. My mother's obnoxious sister, Auntie Emelda, was bound to be there ready to gloat and nag at me all weekend.

I had made up my mind not to go up until Sheila decided that it'd be a great place for her to benchmark on wedding ideas. And Titus, the ever doting fiance decided that he wasn't going to let us suffer the injustice of not having his company along. (Sounds like a crowd already, doesn't it?) Gina, God bless her beautiful soul, also decided that she wanted in on some wedding action. Apparently, her husband had taken their children to Zanzibar for the weekend and so she had some free time. I didn't understand why she'd choose to tag along with us, though.

I was happy for my little bunch of misfits. If only I could manage to use Sheila and Titus to distract Aunt Emelda, then maybe I wouldn't commit a felony this weekend. Gina and I could then get up to some mischief, just us girls. She seemed to share my thoughts if the knowing smile she had on her face was any indication. As she climbed into Titus' car to join me on the backseat she wiggled her eyebrows deviously at me.

"So, Aisha, do you have any great pranks for the weekend?" She blurted out. Titus immediately choked on his saliva.

"No, she doesn't!" Sheila yelled.

"Don't I?" I challenged.

"You are not going to perform any pranks if you still want us to be best friends," Sheila shot back. She had a mean glare as she dared me to disagree with her.

"Relax, the pranks won't be on you or your Titus." I said and chuckled at the embarrassed look Sheila now wore.

"He isn't my Titus," she objected.

"Isn't he? He seems to think otherwise, right Titus?" I asked in my most teasing voice.

"It is okay babe. I would love to be your Titus," he responded even as he leaned in to kiss Sheila on the lips. I quickly covered my eyes and made gagging noises which made everyone laugh. "How do you like that for payback?" Titus gloated.

"I hate you. I prefer it when you're nice and not being mean to me," I sulked.

"But you are never nice to me," he pointed out

"I am always nice to you," I defended quickly.

"Is that why you keep calling me old?" He questioned.

"But you are old!" I whined. "You are almost 50." Gina burst out into laughter. I glared at her. "You are not helping." I shot at her.

"I am 42, Aisha. For the last time, I am not that old." Titus said in exasperation.

"You do know that you had an ID when I was born, right?" I insisted.

"Why do I keep arguing with you?" He asked suddenly.

"Because you, my dear friend, don't know what is good for you. That, and because you are desperate for my approval because you know the way to Sheila's heart is through me." I answered in a sing song voice.

"Aisha!" Sheila gasped. Gina laughed in the background. I pretended to have gained a sudden interest in sightseeing and kept my lips firmly shut.

After some time, I looked to the driver's seat and found Titus eyeing me through the rearview mirror. I could vaguely make out the amusement in his eyes. His jaw was ticking slightly and I had a feeling that he was trying not to laugh. I smiled openly at him because I had no qualms about showing my own amusement. In times like this I appreciated how lucky my best friend was. She had found herself a gem in this level headed man who had an endless sense of humour. I was sure, however, that later on Sheila would be giving me an earful. She hated it when I gave Titus a hard time.

The rest of the journey was uneventful even as the scenery outside the window changed gradually. We left behind the grand buildings of the city and ventured into the rural areas. Several hundred kilometres later, we arrived at my mom's rural home. The soil was an angry red and the roads were slightly muddy in this season. A defined chill hang in the air and a trail of goosebumps rose on my arms.

I found myself swallowing nervously. It had been ages since I had visited this place. My mother's uncles and aunts lived here with their whole families. I had always felt left out because I didn't have grandparents of my own here seeing as my mom had been orphaned at a young age. I stopped visiting when Aunt Emelda got her share of inheritance and moved back into the village. Every time I visited she would be on my case and the joy I ever felt here was long forgotten.

Once more, I was grateful that I hadn't come alone. The fact that I had brought my best friend who was soon going to be married was bound to earn me some browny points with my aunt. I didn't particularly care what she thought of me but I was not in the mood to be sneered at for the next two days. However, after all this, Sheila would owe a big favour and I was planning to cash on that quite heavily.

As we pulled into the large compound, the massive tent greeted us. There was a flurry of activities as people rushed to make last minute preparations. I was glad to have arrived at such a time. Everyone would be too busy to notice us. Well, everyone except my mother. She spotted me as soon as I stepped out of the car and half run to pull me in for a hug. I never once appreciated an embrace as I did just then. It felt relieving to be held in familiar arms, to be held like I was finally home.