So that was… an uncomfortable attempt at a comeback. What’s up next?

Walking through the church gates, embarrassed was too little a word to describe how Allison felt.

That was awful, she moaned to herself as she made her way out, hoping to God that nobody really paid attention to what transpired between them. I should’ve known it might end up like this.

Indeed, after the way she had ignored him in the past, due to her strong disregard for romantic relationships, and her slow drifting away from him after a while to ensure no seed of affection would actually spring up, it was quite ridiculous to expect that he would welcome the prospect of a rekindled relationship attempt with open arms. It made way more sense that he would turn her down.

“And he’s got a girlfriend too,” she muttered out loud. “At least, he says he has. Hmmm. I messed up on this one.”

Standing by the roadside, she waited for a taxi to pass by while she internally debated on what to do next. Now that this matter had arisen in her heart, it would be nigh on impossible to just toss it aside; it had to be dealt with.

But what was the next line of action?

“Ughhh! God, what to do, what to do…”

***

Where in the world did that come from? Marcus wondered as he walked back into the church building, still quite taken aback by what had just happened.

He had gotten over the whole Allison thing a long time ago, so this was really puzzling to him. Why would she suddenly want a comeback? Had she been told he was “the one” or something?

Well, whatever it was that convinced her to open up had done its job way too late.

Shaking his head, he entered the hall where Allison had come to call him. Most of the people he had been with had scattered. Two of his closer friends, Basit and Jerry, were still around.

“Chale, Allison say what?” Basit asked. They had been aware of Marcus’ former interest in Allison in the past.

Marcus sighed as he slumped onto a chair next to him. “Just some small issue bi she wanted to ask about.”

“Chale, Marcus, I didn’t want to bring it up till a little later on, but I have to be honest, I think the girl is changing oo. For like three weeks now, I’ve noticed her demeanour has become less stiff. I seriously believe there’s some change somewhere. Plus, she’s looking even more beautiful. I think you can start over with her. Second chance,” Jerry stated, an expectant look on his face.

Marcus shot him a dirty look. For some reason, Jerry seemed to have this concrete belief that Allison was the one God had destined him to be with. He had shown strong disapproval of Marcus’ decision to back away from her, and until one particular day when Marcus angrily snapped at him to end the agenda, had championed a reunion. Now that he had seen Allison call him aside, he knew he was going to resurrect the agenda.

And Marcus was not going to allow that.

“Massa. Please. Don’t go there. It’s over. End of story.” He crossed his legs, and thought to himself, in any case, if you’re referring to beauty, Temwani is an absolute gem.

“Oh, Marcus, don’t do that. There’s no need to be bitter about the past…”

“AH!” Basit responded incredulously. “Bitter? What you dey talk about? The guy has moved on from the past, you are there saying bitter. Ma guy, drop what you dey talk!”

Marcus shook his head. “I don’t understand where that’s coming from. The girl never dissed me or anything like that. She just made her stance clear, and I advised myself. Now I have moved on from the whole thing and I don’t intend to go back and you’re saying bitter.”

Jerry pulled up a chair and sat next to the two. “But Marc, let’s be honest; you never actually asked her out. I mean, despite everything, you could have just asked. There’s no harm in trying. Boy, this life is all about taking risks oo. That Craig David lifestyle of always walking away doesn’t help. She might have accepted. You never know.”

Those last couple of sentences had Marcus and Basit wide-eyed with mouths agape. They looked at him as if he had just announced to them that he was going to be on the next episode of Fear Factor.

Basit clasped his hands together. “Jerry! Number one, that be very bad punchline. Craig David lifestyle of walking away? Boss, make you never use again. Number two, you make I shock paaa. Herh! Why? You no know this Allison girl or something? See, rewind briefly. You dey kai the day she come from Kumasi, straight from the bus yard to this place, wey like you dey go hug am?”

Marcus stifled a giggle. The memory of the outstretched hand that plainly sent a ‘NO, don’t do it’ message to the oncoming Jerry was quite a funny, yet embarrassing one. Allison in her element clearly had a very strict way of dealing with guys.

“I sure sey the memory alone go make your ears burn right now. Aside from that embarrassment, I have seen with my own two eyes the reaction when Marc tried to hold her hand when we were walking to the National Theatre one time. Somebody go figure sey acid dey Marcus e hand top. Ah, these things all, you dey tell we sey she might accept any romantic advance? This girl wey she dey fit behave like Pentecostal hug be foreplay? Hoh!”

That remark made the two laugh. Basit had a penchant for saying the silliest things. It had only been a matter of time until something that crazy came forth from his mouth.

“In any case, you forget the gathering at the mall? On Dede’s birthday? You forget the guy? That guy with the braids?”

Jerry paused for a moment, then reluctantly shook his head. “I no forget. I dey kai paaaa.”

“Very good. What did she say after the guy left? If my memory serves me correctly, she unequivocally stated that she was not impressed by the guy’s approach, and that men in general and their ways of trying to get with girls does not amuse her, and that any guy who approaches her will get the bouncing of his life. Do you remember what I teasingly asked? ‘Ei, so you mean any guy?’ What was her response? ANY guy. Special emphasis on the word ‘any’. Non-exclusive function here. Meaning there is no special exception in the aforementioned case. Once you be guy, bouncing go dey. Take this argument go any courtroom, them go tell you the same thing.”

Jerry shook his head. “See, Basit, you dey forget one thing. There is always an exception to the rule. Always. There’s the likelihood that she was testing Marcus. You know how girls can be. Saying one thing and meaning the opposite. He should have deciphered the thing. There are different ways of the ‘hard to get’ game they play.”

Marcus sighed in exasperation. Not that outdated line of thought.

“Please don’t take that route. Girls are a lot more straightforward these days oo. Look at opana,” nodding in Basit’s direction, “and Sefakor. Was she doing long complicated things? No, it was opana she liked, and she didn’t waste time in accepting. Slight stretching, but nothing ridiculously radical. Allie was, and always has been fiery about her convictions. No teasing. No coyness. She is serious.”

“Exactly!” Basit added. “And anyway, difference dey between red light and brick wall oo. First one, small delay dey inside. The other one bi denial ankasa. This be straightforward denial. We no dey prod around this thing, we dey respect the decision. Women fit make dema own decisions. If she no wan marry, fine! Nobody bore. It’s your life, it’s your choice.”

As Marcus nodded, he admitted, “And now that you’ve made me talk plenty, I might as well say this to the two of you. The reason she called me was that she wants us to possibly start over and probably become a couple. And I said no.”

Jerry looked shocked. “Ah! But why? She’s come around, and you’re rejecting her?”

“Oh, and P.S. I asked if she would’ve accepted my proposal back then, and guess what? She said no. So I hope that answers your question.”

“Ma guy, that’s all. If your time pass, your time pass. Move on. Isn’t that what we sang in church today? ‘I won’t go back, I can’t go back, to the way it used to be?’ Like ibi me, I go tell am sey I get woman make e eye die,” Basit added.

Another sigh from Marcus. “Ummm, I’ve been waiting for a while to do this, but since this popped up, I guess I have to let it out since I told her anyway, but I’ve got a lady in my life.”

His two friends just looked at him, stunned. As he took out his phone, he continued. “I met her at Sharon’s monthly function. You know, that function my company does every month? The finance officer invited her. We started talking, we got close, I fell for her, I proposed, she said yes, we’re a couple now.”

Finding the picture he was looking for, he showed it to them.

What they saw was a stunning beauty of a woman. Dressed in a cute orange jumpsuit, they could see she was a short lady with a slightly plump build, blessed with ebony skin, high cheekbones, and the deepest of mahogany eyes.

Basit put his hand over his mouth. “Heeeeeerrrrrrrrhhhhhh!!! Guy, this girl fine ooo! Where she from?”

Marcus grinned. “She’s actually not a Ghanaian. Zambian chic.”

“Sosket! Chale, those Southern African ladies too, dema beauty level be some unique thing kraaa o! Kwԑԑ! This one diԑԑ, double for your trouble oo!”

Jerry looked at the picture and stood upright, shades of disapproval on his face. “She’s beautiful, chale. Very beautiful. But… I’m not really feeling it. I dunno. I just feel you and Allison look better together. In my opinion, you’re a perfect fit together.”

“Massa, commot for there!” Basit snapped. “Wasn’t that the same thing you said when Manchester United appointed David Moyes as manager?”

Marcus fell off his chair in a bout of laughter. Trust Basit to say something like that. The master of ‘trailer jamming’.

“Eeeei, this boy go kill me ooo!” he laughed as he got back up, eyes already filled with tears of laughter. “Herh, why you messop like that?”

“Ibi truth I dey talk. But chale, look at the girl. What be e name?”

“Temwani.”

“Temwani. Beautiful name. Like I be you, I go take this pic show Allison, then I go talk, ‘hwԑ wo watch, hwԑ wo time, ayԑ late!”

Just then, another picture of Temwani appeared, with Lionel Richie’s voice an accompaniment. “Hello… is it me you’re looking for?”

Marcus grinned sheepishly as he excused himself. “Chale, make I take this call.”

Basit’s mouth was wide open as he watched his friend retreat to answer his call. “Herh! Awo’a! You this boy!”

***

Marcus was out of the church about half an hour later, heading home to rest and prepare for the working week ahead. Basit and Jerry had also departed after a few more minutes of chatting about other issues.

He shook his head as he recounted the interesting events after service. Never would he have expected something like that to happen. But anyways, what had to happen had happened.

“I mean, it is what it is,” he shrugged to himself. “Like Basit said, brick wall. I was never gonna get through it-“

He was interrupted by his phone ringing.

It was ‘Hello’ again. Meaning it was her once again: the lovable Temwani.

He grinned, and answered. “Hey, my sweet lady!”

“Hey, Marcus! Left church now?”

“Yep, just about driving out of the compound now…”

Well, that was an interesting interaction! I don’t know if you’ll side with Basit or Jerry, but this should be an interesting one…