Ex Gratia (#1 EX TRILOGY)

Chapter 30

It was hard to sleep that night. Akoma kept toying with the handgun in her hand and thinking about many things. She walked to the wardrobe to take out the dress and turned it around under the light. It was an elegant emerald long dress with a slit. The purse that came with it was golden with pearls studded all over it, and the matching shoes were neatly piled in a corner. There was a wig hanging in there too. Akoma sighed, replaced the dress and banged the wardrobe door shut.

******

Akoma woke up slowly and checked the time. It was noon. She took a painful shower,  dressed up and hid the handgun and pepper spray in the purse. She got into her car and waited in silence. Ender called shortly afterwards. “The reception is taking place at Jofel,” she said to Akoma. “Leave your car behind. Go there now. Find the groom and kill him.”

Akoma sighed and clung to the steering wheel. “And then?”

“Then leave. We will find you and settle the results of your probation.”

“I see. Will you kill me?”

“That’s up for discussion on another day. Go.”

*******

When Akoma’s taxi arrived, the place was buzzing with many people and the parking area was almost full. She got off and walked in. A gentleman met her and smiled. “Sweetheart, can I talk to you? You are pretty,” he began, but Akoma simply walked past him without a backward glance. She looked around and realized that there were no decorations. The place was just bare. Few women were talking angrily to someone, and her ears caught something that made her draw closer.

“What kind of wedding is this?” an aged woman with a funny wig shouted. “No decorations and no food!!! And you invited all of us to come here? What am I doing with champagne? Aah!”

“They have wasted our time!” her counterpart walking by her blurted.

“Mummy, please relax!” the younger woman dressed like a bridesmaid pleaded. She looked restless. “There have been some problems during the planning. The people we counted on disappointed us. We are sorry. Pardon us.”

“Oh get out!” the aged woman marched out of the place with her friend following. The young lady sighed and climbed up the stairs angrily. Akoma decided to follow her up to the top floor where there was a band playing music and few people dancing  while others just stood around complaining. She searched over their heads for the newlyweds but found their seats vacated.

“They are not there,” Akoma said as she adjusted the headset and turned to leave for the stairs. “They are not seated – “

“I have been told where they are,” Ender interrupted. “There is a lounge downstairs. It’s a restricted area, but you will be able to pass. My backup will cover you remotely.” Akoma panicked at the mention of backup and felt she was being watched. She descended the stairs slowly, but as she headed for the lounge, someone called her name from behind.

“Akoma!"

Akoma stopped in her tracks and pretended to take her foot out of her left shoe and wear it again. She did a quick glance while crouching and found Aba and Louisa staring in her direction from the car park. Aba was trying to push Louisa to get going, but Aba was adamant.

“She is the one. Look at –“, Aba was saying.

“Let’s go. Aba!” Louisa shouted as Aba broke free and started to walk towards Akoma. Akoma saw her taking out her phone and making a call, but the call did not go through, and Aba stopped in her tracks. Akoma sighed with relief, rose to her feet and changed the way she walked. “She looks like her. No, she isn’t Akoma,” she heard Aba saying.

“I told you,” Louisa said and steered her away. “Let’s get out of this forsaken wedding with no decorations and food. I feel ashamed for our friend paa o. Did you see her gown? Ah!”

“Akoma will kill her when she finds them together,” Aba said. “I wonder if she made it to the wedding. Hmmm.”

That was when Akoma woke up.
The décor, the food, the gown – the conversation between Aba and Louisa – they were adding up. The assignment was not as shallow as she had taken it. At once, she felt a strong urge to want to see the newlyweds and clear her suspicion. She finally opened the door into the lounge only a crack and peeped inside. The newlywed walked past towards a water dispenser at the end of the furnished room with a glass in her hand, and she appeared to look uncomfortable in her gown. Akoma watched her rip it from a seam on her left under her arm, and she pulled off the hem so that what was left was a dress without a train. She had to hold the top to herself to prevent it from falling off.

“Baby, relax,” her husband said from the side of the door where Akoma could not see, and the voice caused her heart to leap. It was so familiar. It sounded like it belonged to –

“Rich, stop it!” the new wife shouted at him with her back turned to him, and her voice also made Akoma’s heartbeat worse. It was a characteristic squeak. She turned around and Akoma gasped.

“Gracefield?” she whispered.

“I am sorry for everything, OK?” her husband said. “I am as disappointed as you are. I didn’t expect our wedding to be this terrible. I will call Adriana and find out why we didn’t hear from her again. Robby’s phone is off. The décor – humph! I don’t want to go there but – they suffered a tragedy. The cargo truck got burnt in an explosion on its way to the church.”

Gracefield’s makeup did not hide her restlessness and frustration. She stood akimbo and glared at her husband who was hidden from view.

Her husband finally walked into view, and at that instant, Akoma thought she was going to have a seizure. The man in a royal blue suit, white inner shirt and golden waist coat who walked to stand before Gracefield, who pushed her hair off her face and pulled her closer to his body and caressed her – was none other than the man who had shattered her once and was doing it with none other than her friend once again….

Akoma barged into the room, shut the door and locked it behind her. The two turned to see who it was and jumped in shock – Gracefield being surprised that Akoma was in the lounge, and the man for many other reasons even Gracefield did not know. He was utterly terrified.

Akoma opened her purse and pulled out the handgun, and for the first time she felt it was the most candid thing to do without an instruction. “Richard Ampofo, Richmond Lartey – one and the same person,” she said in a quaky voice filled with rage and bitterness. “Rich – you are wicked!!!” Gracefield turned to stare at her husband quizzically before turning back to Akoma. Ender cleared her throat on the phone and started humming a song playfully.

Akoma and Gracefield’s ‘Rich’ had some explanation to do, and the two ladies were waiting.