Set sail my love

11

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"... And so it should come as no wonder when we'll also visit your countries to check if you've made any progress in incorporating the global village in your borders. Thank you." As I walked off the stage 20 minutes later, accompanied by a standing ovation and remarkable laughter at my wit, I couldn't help but wonder if he'd only been an aparition. Then I saw him waiting for me backstage.
"You came," he turned around to face me when he heard my composed voice and I had to walk slower to make sure I wouldn't miss a step.
"I went to your apartment last night but it was locked and I figured if I drive I'd get here on time." He had his hand on the back of his neck and I had to look away before I did something drastic like pull him down for a kiss.
"I thought we weren't talking."
"I'm a man of my word. I said I would be here for you." I looked up at him then because he'd rephrased my intentions to suit how he knew I'd meant them.
"I didn't know you own a suit."
"This old thing? Yeah I've only had it for a good 6 hours. Bought it this afternoon and had it fitted. That's why I came in late." I quickly nodded in affirmation and walked past him to get away from that electric pull between us.
"We should go sit, still have some mingling to do." He smiled at me and walked us back to our seats with our arms entertwined.
Upon reaching the floor space a vigorous eruption of applause flooded the hall again. I waved in ascension as the praise followed me right to my seat and I didn't look up in fear of finding my father's steely gaze burning on my arm link with Chase. I sat down and immediately Canto extended his hand in greeting.
"Miss Vuur I don't believe we've officially met?" I looked into his greyish-blue somber eyes and it hit me that this man was very attractive even for his age.
"No we haven't. We've been to the same delegations over the years of course,"
"2015 Nigerian Clap Back Association week?"
"With Prime Minister's David Cameron and Dmitry Medvedev presenting the alternative oil method and it's impending success in the imperial nations?" I quipped back with rememberance of that dreadful conference I had to be present a whole 4 days for. The one my father arranged a shared room for Kai and I with one king-size bed. My 19 year old self was shaken and quite nervous of the whole ordeal I refused to change out of my evening gown. But Kai had shown real gentleman qualities and insisted I take the bed and he takes the floor and I'd realized the bed was large enough for both of us to sleep on our own sides and keep to ourselves.
"Well you really are a sharp bird. You do know what you're doing. I'm Cantella Dionesues Marika Beluwefu Gideoné Rosis  of Nigeria. But everyone calls me Canto." I smiled at his long name and didn't let on that I already knew who he was.
"Oh yes I knew your face was quite familiar I've seen you before." Chase quipped from beside me and I crossed my fingers in the hopes he wasn't lying.
"I don't recall, what's your name?"
"I'm Chase Waters, you've worked with my father in Tibet for a development scheme branded by Nigeria in 2014." I watched as Canto's entire face lit up with pride from having been recognized by what he probably deemed as a regular part of the crowd.
"Yes I remember why we did that, his father was declined governmental permission here for that project and so he worked with us to carry it out and it went both ways in our favor." Canto nodded this at me to explain how they're paths had crossed. "Funny, your families have conflicting interests I am very surprised you were set to come together here tonight it's rather callous of your public relations?" I was glad black people don't blush because he looked at me with such a knowing eye and I did not want to falter under his gaze.
"Well Canto tonight is all about branding the peace I'll say this was a successful move by our people." He nodded at that and his daughter pulled him to whisper something in his ear. I looked at Chase and noticed the smirk on his face which made me laugh with relief. "That was a close one."
"I think it's rather amusing how this seems to be the mainline of conversation when your speech was very gripping." He looked at me like I'd put the stars in the sky and I had to remind myself that my father was in the same room so I couldn't do anything untoward with this man.
"Not to be so untoward but it is rather beguiling that you would show up tonight with one of your father's prominent gnats in the collar no offence chap, but where is your husband tonight?" Dr Diwali spoke up from Chase's right hand side and Mrs Diwali sat forward as well in support of her husband's question.
"Mr Waters is a good friend and Kai Jensen I believe is the man you're referring to as my husband, is in Nairobi on business and he is not my husband." I deigned to put in the yet because every part of me still hoped that this whole marriage thing was a farce and my father was just thinking out loud.
"But of course you can't let us think that when you have shown up to every event arm in arm and on the verge of doing something PDA. Honestly he can not be just a friend can he?" For a moment I thought this was a Mr Diwali impersonator who was probably a day time journalist digging for dirt on me but then I knew his wife and she was the woman sitting next to him right now. Meek and supportive as expected of her culture.
"No I don't expect you to be asking me of anything tonight after I gave a damn good speech on unity like that!" I grabbed my Sangria and threw it back while the table had a good laugh. "Of course I'm open to hearing questions about our next plan Dr Diwali. Would you care to let me in on some of your prospects for the future?" I lowered my eyes at him in an intimidating manner that made him squirm and the whole table would've seen it if Chase didn't swoop in to save him.
"Yes on the emailed agenda there was mention of you being one of our possible guests of honor tonight because you also have a keen passion on the success of this joint global unity. A man of your stature obviously knows something we don't." Dr Diwali smiled at Chase's praise and he straightened his jacket and sat back like the whole world was on edge to hear his thoughts. Disgusting.
"Miss Vuur should bring this young gentleman to our company more often he knows his stuff." The whole table erupted in laughter before Dr Diwali delved into his findings over the years. After about 30 minutes of debate and discussion on our table, 6 sangria throw backs for me, there were a few more speeches on similar topics and then some time to mingle through the crowds and build connections. I was feeling light headed and so I refrained from saying much and just smiled and nodded when addressed by the other dignitaries. I did not want to run into my dad like this and thoughts of that being a possibility actually made me want to hurl.
"D'you want to get out of here?" Chase, my hero said and I emphatically nodded before letting him lead me out to the main lobby.
"Wait," I pulled him to a stop and whispered in his ear. "This place is surrounded and if security won't get us the paparazzi will." He looked up then and I noticed one of the guys who'd brought me here patrolling thy main doors and speaking into his earpiece. "I know a way out." I grabbed his hand and pulled him into one of the smaller foyers where about 20 waiters were pacing around packing Delectables on trays for rounds in the main hall. We tried to walk by as unnoticeable as possible and lucky for us they were all too preoccupied with their work to pay any attention to us. As soon as we got out of there we ran down a carpeted hallway that had dim lights and we stopped by one of the doors that led back into the hall. I peeped through the side of the open door and noticed my father stood with some of his security team and looked all serious. I panicked because I thought it was about me and I fell back onto the wall by Chase.
"Are you okay?" He whispered to me altough nobody would have heard him above all the chatter and music. I nodded hurriedly at him.
"It's my dad. he's standing right there and I don't think we can pass over here without him noticing my white dress." Chase thought over it for a minute before helping me up and placing me on his other side which was away from the open door. "What are you-"
"Follow my lead." I walked in step with him to cross over the open double door and peeped once more to see if the attention had shifted. My father was still deep in talks with his men and a sigh of relief escaped me resulting in Chase winking at my bravery.
"Come on." I said to him as I entertwined our fingers and let the softness in my head lead us on further down the dimly lit corridor until we reached a closed door marked 'STAFF ONLY.'
I pushed the door open and walked right into a set of downward leading stairs. This place had static lights and Chase and I hurried down the stairs two at a time in giggles. We pulled open the doors at the bottom and walked right into the steam filled kitchen. It was loud and a lot of words were being thrown around.
"Shrimp e loketse(shrimp is ready)" and others yelling, "ke mang ea li nkang(who's taking these up?)"
Chase and I ran past the guy who was flipping powered pita bread and he yelled at us, "hey! u ke ke ua ba tlase mona(you can't be down here.)"
We sprinted out the closed doors in such a giggle and found ourselves standing in the service lane in complete darkness save for a glitching street light out at the main road. We picked our way over the trash as we tried to catch our breaths and calm down but it was all too funny and so new to me. I held onto Chase's chest and he wrapped his arm around my waist so he could balance me up till we got to the road.
"I should take you home. Where are you staying?" He cooed into my ear when he noticed my tired eyes slowly fluttering closed.
"No Chase take me somewhere fun." He stopped walking and I ran ahead of him in my heels. "I don't want to follow the rules tonight Chase! Let's get high on life!" I started laughing into the night with my head thrown back and Chase ran to me then and scooped me into his arms to try and silence me.
"If you make any noise they won't let us get very far." I smiled up at him and had to reach up a little more on my toes to reach his lips. I kissed him so passionately and slowly such that he groaned and bit my lip while he pulled me tighter to his body so we could be aligned. I had my palms flat on his shoulders and I moved them up and around his neck into his hair. He was responding so vividly to everything I was doing and I didn't want to ever stop. As we stood there grunting and breathing and having unrestrained access to each other I could feel the night air caress my exposed neck. Chase reached up and released the hair tie in my hair so he could move his fingers over my scalp and tug my hair in all the right magnitudes. This felt so surreal. Eventually we had to come up for air and he let go of my waist so he could hold my hand.
"I'll call an Uber. How crazy do you want to get tonight?" I thought for a moment and then threw all caution out the window. My face split into an Earth shattering smile and I was so grateful my head felt like air because I didn't want to ruin this night by over thinking.
20 minutes later we were lined up outside Gold Reef City with our endless coils of tickets which Chase refused to let me pay for. We were walking into the brightly lit amusement park with our arms linked and with stupid smiles plastered on our satisfied faces.
"Oh Chase I don't know what I want to do first!" I squealed earning a bout of giggles from him and a tight squeeze on my arm.
"What about we do all of it."
"All of it?" I couldn't stop screeching in his ear.
"Yes my love we've got enough tickets, and we've got the whole night." I nodded my head enthusiastically at his declaration although deep down it was because he'd just told me he loved me. Well he said my love but it's gotta mean the same thing right? I held onto him tighter and my eyes lit up when I noticed a group of first graders run past us holding an array of colored cotton candy.
"I'd love to spend tonight with you but first I want all I can eat cotton candy so where is it?" We both burst out laughing and he scooped me up bridal style and took me in the direction of the confectionery stand. Standing behind all of the toddler customers we were the only adults having some. When it was our turn the bald guy in the candy cane apron gave us a big smile and a warm welcome before getting us orders twice the size we'd paid for.
"Ahhhh esanda ku-Weds (newly Weds)!" He exclaimed in Zulu and I almost fell out of Chase's arms when he responded fluently.
"Yebo nje kwavela esontweni eSandton nomlobokazi wami walamba. Ngicabanga ukuthi uzama ukungitshela ukuthi ukhulelwe (yes just came from the chapel in Sandton and my bride got hungry. i think she's trying to tell me she's pregnant.)" The pair of them exploded in laughter and I would've laughed too but the shock of Chase speaking in Zulu had astounded me.
"kahle ngithole okuthile ngezinyo lakhe elimnandi (well I've certainly got something for her sweet tooth) hey Mrs..." The bald man looked up at me for the first time tonight.
"Waters. Mrs Chase Waters." I said to him and my heart was so full it would've burst but right then Chase lowered his head and stole a lingering kiss from me in front of all these strangers.
"Mrs Waters, you take which candy tastes?" He asked me with a toothless grin and imperfect English. I looked up at my delectable vanilla husband and smiled at the man serving us.
"I'll have a rainbow candy stick thank you."
"Please get me the blueberry and lime thank you." The nice old man quickly whipped up our orders and I received both from him since Chase's hands were literally full. As we turned to leave he called out to us warm heartedly.
"umngane wami ngikutshela ukuthi kuyakuba intombazane kuqala. Isibeletho somkakho sibusisiwe (my friend i tell you it shall be a girl first. your wife's womb is blessed!)" Chase turned us around and smiled at the man with pride.
"You speak Zulu huh?" I asked him moving my head away from his chest so I could look up at him.
"Yup. My dad said learn as many languages as you can. There's all kinds of people in all kinds of places now."
"Yeah mine did too. What else do you speak?" I readjusted myself I'm his arms so I could lay on his chest and listen to his heartbeat while he walked.
"Sesotho, Afrikaans, Venda, Ndebele, Italian and French. Would've done Spanish but my modules weren't too lenient this year." I wanted so badly to hear him say something to me in Italian. "You obviously speak French and Afrikaans, what else don't I know about you?"
"Well if you put me down I might tell you."