At The Dinner Party

Tiwa's Acceptance

Of course, Tiwa would love to go to the dinner party with the one she had missed but the problem is; it's a night party, with a boy. She was confused of how to reply him for she feared her mom would not allow her to. In what way is she going to table it to her mom that she'll be attending a dinner party with a boy?
God! Tiwa was confused but nonetheless, she followed her gut and gave Banky a positive answer.

"Alright, since it's a church dinner party, I'll come. I'll know how to table it to mom." Tiwa replied.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation" Banky was overjoyed.
"I've already sent the details to you on Whatsapp, the date, address and other things are there.
Don't worry, Peter and Okoye too are coming.
It will be fun, it will be like old classmates reconciling.
I invited Tacha too but she said she would not be available" He added.

"Oh! That's it. He only remembered to call and invite me because Tacha would not be available. It's always been like this: He likes Tacha. Why I'm I so blind to see and acknowledge this?
I hate this feeling of being envious. Tacha is my friend, I cannot be jealous of her. Can I? No! I cherish our friendship and wouldn't do that. I, Banky, Tacha, Peter and Okoye are all friends. Tacha is just lucky to be the one Banky likes right?
So, I should not be jealous right? And if eventually, I am, my heart should be blamed and not me" Tiwa tried to console herself by weighing the pros and cons of the matter and the once smiling and happy Tiwa became moody.

"Stop overthinking things and be ready to go already! It's just a dinner night to spend with friends, nothing more or less."
Tiwa's inner voice urged.

"Yes, I'm just being too dramatic." She mumbled to herself.

"The problem now is how to tell mom. Should I say I'm going out with friends?"

"But she'll query why you have to go out with friends at night." Her inner voice counteract that idea.

"Oh! Since it's a church thingy, I can just say I'm going to a vigil or praise night with friends. Right? Yes! This is it! Mom will surely accept this because she likes anything churchy." Tiwa felt relieved after devising this idea.

* * *

"Yes, I'm in a cab already, on my way" Replied Tiwa to Banky on the phone.

"Okay, I await your arrival. Can't wait to see you" Said Banky.

"Same here". Tiwa replied as she thought of what her reaction would be like upon seeing him after a long while. Will she act like her normal self? Or act like the way her heart wants to?

"Safe journey here. I trust you to have reminded the cab man not to speed" Banky stated.

Tiwa smiled and replied "You remembered?"

"Of course! How could I not? You, that anytime you board a cab or bike, you're quick to saying 'Don't run' !
I guess that statement or is it a command? has become engraved on your tongue.
It would not be surprising if later in the future, you still tell yourself 'Don't run' while driving yourself" Banky humored.

Tiwa laughed hard "Why will you think that? I don't think I can even bring myself to driving. I'll just get a driver. And all thanks to you Banky - I'll always remember to tell him 'Don't run' rather than say it to myself"

"Alright then. See you". Banky said amidst laughter and ended the call.

Even after ending the call, the smile on Tiwa's face lingered for a while before her facial expression returned to normal.

Her mind which is always busy with one imaginative thought or another, drifted to the day she told her mom about attending the dinner party;

Tiwa decided to tell her mom about the dinner party when it was two days away. She planned on telling her the evening of that day for her mom do leave home for work early in the morning.

Tiwa was the only one at home on this day, she stayed in the living room reading a motivational book on her phone until she felt sleepy and slept off on the couch.

A wild slap on Tiwa's thigh woke her up from her long sleep. At first she was unaware of her environment but the angry face of her mom, reminded her of where she was;

This is home where you don't wake up on your own - Someone is bound to waking you up regardless of when you sleep; Morning? You'll be woken up early to do chores.
Afternoon? Will be woken up to run one errand or the other and Evening? To cook evening meals, to eat or because of this popular belief that it's not good to sleep till evening time.

Tiwa was not woken up because of any of these reasons. Perhaps, the later one was part of it for her mom is bent on not tolerating evening sleep - No one dares to sleep till evening time in her house and if anyone did, she'll surely wake the person up but today seems not to be because of this. Though, it's a latent reason.

"Why didn't you take the clothes that were spread on the cloth- line off when it rained? And who spread the clothes without clipping them?. Go take a look yourself,
All the spread clothes have been blown to the ground by wind and have become dirty". Tiwa's mom complained.

Without waiting for an answer, she added: "Wake up my friend! Make sure you wash the clothes clean again. I don't want to know if they're yours or not. That's your punishment for sleeping like a log and forgetting to take off the clothes when it rained".

Tiwa dared not argue. Besides, she has a goal to achieve this day; She needs to tell her about the dinner party and it would not be good to be on her bad side. So, Tiwa stood up obediently to do exactly as her mom had said.