Three Wedding Chicks And A Boat Ride

"ADE'S JOURNAL" 62

   The froth on the Lagoon, spiralled out of control as it projects itself violently into frantic waves from a clear green Atlantic Ocean. Sea creatures caressed the surface with their faces and watch out for visitors. They take risks and are dangerously curious, for the webbed nets linger around and wait to snatch and sell them for a price. hooks sway between uneven waves sway and lure unsuspecting prey of all Creed's to it's shinny point of no return. Only time will determine what's a trap and what will teach one lessons to help grow in life....

      Bala is up to something, the twins will be released on Friday and Ajoke is getting more and more territorial around them. Not that I blame her, but she has refused to leave the room. So, Bala had to concoct some form of story about losing someone he had begged her to meet all their dating life.
Ajoke was scared and filled with guilt, I had to calm her down. We passed through Mile 2, reminding me of my first year in Ojo in Lagos State University LASU. Just before they moved us engineering student to Epe. Such fond memories, such Innocence, if only I knew what I know now.
'What are you thinking of?’
'Just remembering clueless Ade, but that was me back then'
 Celine laughed and side hugged me.
‘Ade, we were all once innocent’
'I still don’t understand why I never took time out to see Bala's Aunt’
 We both hug Ajoke and reassure her that Bala’s family now her family will understand.
'Just take it easy', I said and as we drove past Finaija bus stop I looked around at the traffic ridden road.
Sharp, sharp, Celine and I freed up our time to spend the entire Wednesday on the Lagoon and from there to the Atlantic Ocean.
 I know that the last time I was on a yatch was on Valentine’s day with Mr. H but now that I’m with Henrik, I need new memories and this is the perfect opportunity.
 As the driver turned and drives forward, I am impressed by it all. The new buildings and the old. All complimenting each other. There’s  sinking building, built by a dog headed man who built it on a drainage system. All that cash down the drain. I trust Lagos state, there’s a big red ‘x’ on it, for demolition.
We get to a jetty and I start to smile, Bala’s auntie is waiting. Ajoke rushes and hugs her and both women start to cry.
‘So, until I die before you will come and see me, eh?’
'Bala lied to me, I swear to you Auntie I won’t do that again'
‘Before you marry, come with the twins with your boat’
‘Which boat?’
 She was handed a key to the yatch and crying.
‘Bala’s not serious'
Auntie Rakiya dragged her.
'Come and see the boat first’
  We all go to the jetty and marvel at the beast.
'Its massive’
 Celine says smiling and nodding her head and Ajoke dials her iPhone and talks through tears to her sweetheart. I am just too impressed with their relationship. Yes, Ajoke is one hundred percent materialistic, but their love is too much. They are that couple everyone says is doomed but just thrives and keeps on thriving one day at a time. My cheeks ache from smiling at the ease at which they communicate with each other. Fluid and with all it’s drama. Yet they are happy.
 Thirty minutes of praise for the gift, rage for all the deceit and trauma for the guilt about a dead auntie that is very much alive. Celine is anxious and wants to board the yatch and our dear possessive Ajoke shrieks.
‘Layelaye, the yatch is mine'
‘Pele oooo, ma bi nu. No vex’
 I immediately became the designated photographer, taking all sorts of angle of Ajoke on her boat.
'So officially, I am the first best friend on Ajoke’s boat'
 Celine curses in French and we both shriek.
 Auntie Rakiya does not join us and we all take a selfie with her and then board the massive boat.
 It’s an amazing feeling, to be far from it all. To be away from all the men in our lives, to be surrounded only by women. You may not agree with me, but let me just say it again, it’s absolutely amazing.
Not that I want this to be permanent, but it’s unrestrictive and Refreshing. The captain of Ajoke’s boat has a female crew and all staff for this short trip are women.
To think that just yesterday, Ajoke had not left her babies side since they popped out and Bala joked and said that he would baby sit if she agreed to go and have a girls day out. That’s how she got the surprise of her life, a yatch with her name on It with documents and all.
  And to top it all up, the captain of our yatch is an indigene, she slows down and shows us where she is from. Ibese community, I have never heard of the community before now.
‘This is Ori Ade Local government area and there are several communities all around…This is Ibadan, Irede… Iyagbe kingdom’s
 All I could see were beautiful communities with tourism potential, opportunities and growth. I would definitely be back here.
'How do people get around and how much does it cost?’
'From here a boat ride is fifty Naira and Lagos state waterways manages and maintains that everyone should put on their life jackets’
'So from here to Apapa now is how much?’
  For Celine to ask, I know her. She will come back here for an everyday persons experience. Ajoke wouldn’t, do I’m her tourist partner.
'You two are on your own'
 Ajoke shouts and shakes the champagne bottle.
‘Ade, use my iPhone to take the picture oooo'
‘Ajoke, you are back in full force’, I scream and pose beside her with her selfie stick.
Ajoke shoves me aside.
‘Me alone, first now'
‘Ade, don’t mind her, take the picture care’
 We pose as she pops it and we all cheered, trust Ajoke to upload it on the highest vanity bar on social media… Facebook.
'Did you two hear?’
 Celine sounds really excited.
‘Hear what?’
‘Mark Zukerberg is in town, in Lagos, Yaba training and encouraging kids studying information technology. And has said he wants Africans to manage the African business aspect of Facebook’
 I was in total shock and grateful he was empowering our people
Ajoke googled it and showed me a picture of Founder of Facebook, jogging in the morning on Lekki bridge.
‘He’s impressed by our high energy’, Celine reads out the article and Ajoke and I clap.
‘Nigerians don’t know how to give up. Go la mo, a o Mo stop'
 We nod our heads and agree and raise our glasses to Nigeria, Africa and a promising future.
‘I want all our kids to grow up as hard workers, smart I.t. geniuses and entrepreneurs'
 We all clink our Glasses and drink up..
 We drive through creeks and crude oil depot’s, we pass through coconut farms and raffia mat making stations and fishing nets drying on dried bamboo sticks.
My favorites are the sand castles on boats, we respect their trade and slow down when close. I learned that speeding past them could capsize their boats. Watching the machines dredge sand through large pipes from the bottom of the Lagoon is amazing.
And now, us women stare in silence at the turbulent natural Lagoon waves merging into an angry rhythmic Atlantic sea waves. All of nature's gifts to our mind, body and soul.
  The sea salt in the air wakes me and as the waves rise and fall, I spread my hands over them. Far to touch but beautiful to imagine it's feel. Water therapy, drank, bath in or admired really calms the nerves.
'So, in less than one week, you lost Henrik, got back that alakoba and threw him away'
 Celine says and rests on the wooden chair.
 I cause and sip champagne then remembered that Ajoke is not supposed to be drinking alcohol.
 I turn sharply to her drink and snatch it from her.
It's sparking fruit juice and she burst into laughter.
'I can't drink if I want to breastfeed my twins'
 I have a sigh of relief and watch Celineshow me the glass jar she hid under the table. They laughed and gave themselves high fives.
'I knew your mind was far from here'
 Ajoke adds and drinks her drink.
'It's like a dream but a hard core Nigerian series, with season two shocking me, the lead character'
'Exactly, how could you do revenge sex?'
  Celine was tipsy because she knows I did not sleep with Frank or Henrik.
'I did not'
'Tell Mr, is Frank that good?'
 I rolled my eyes at Ajoke.
'I... My mind just wanted a false safety net, a past that can never be'
'Why? And why not Mr. H? After all, the two men in your life got their side chicks pregnant'
 Celine had misyarned big time and Ajoke pinched Celine hard and she spilled her drink. She was right to point out the baby situations but as for Mr. H. In fact let my girls hear it from my mouth.
'Come Khadijatu and Baratu got pregnant for guys I was dating...'
 I stood up to announce what everyone already knows.
'Yes'
 Ajoke said, encouraging me to continue with my speech that now sounds like a campaign to save ADE'S image speech.
'And I chose not to get pregnant until I can honestly raise a child, no three children with my partner'
'Go on sounnnn'
  Celine raised her glass to me and encouraged me to keep talking.
'Right now, I have accepted that the past should hold itself. That the future is with Henrik and that this time, baby or no baby. Athena, Henrik's ex should hold herself. I will fight tooth and nail for my man'
 The girls were cheering me and refilling my glass.
'Henrik is mine, and na die any barger dey. Girls, women, we will get to were we want to go to. Have the career we want'
'Amen oooo', my best friends cheer and accept my prayers and I continued.
'But yatch's ourselves'
'Amen oooo'
'Because grateful for wonderful gifts, large and small'
'Amen oooo'
'Build investments for us and our generations'
'Amen oooo'
'Because Fruitful and have lots of children'
'Amen oooo'
'Good them to be strong entrepreneurs and pillars of our great Continent and our universe'
'Amen oooo'
'Be pillars ourselves, so that they proudly call us mentors when they collect accolades'
'Ase oooo'
 'Celine ti yi si Yoruba'
 We all giggle.
'Ladies, we cannot go back to the hospital too excited, let's switch to juice for now'
 We laugh and remember primary school crushes and secondary school toasters. University boyfriends and our close girlfriends, work place toasters, married and unmarried and then drink to the fact that in three successive months. All of us will be married.
'This is to.... Three Wedding Chicks And A Boat Ride'
 I shout and scream and we all raise our glasses. As they clashed we downed our drinks and laughed.
 Ajoke stood upright and poured us all another round.
'To Three Wedding Chicks And A Yatch Ride'
 We screamed and hug and jump up and down like children. Ajoke only stopped when her stitches hurt.
'More of this kind of trip, ladies'
'Can we?'
 Ajoke asked with her hands clutching her chest.
'Why not?'
 I asked my friends.
'We would be Continents apart, Ajoke here, I in France and you Ade, in America'
 It got quiet pretty quick.
'Let's plan once a month via...'
'Skype'
'It together'
'Then one, two or three trips a year'
'Somewhere warm?', Celine asked.
'If we can make it only once a year, yes'
 Ajoke adds.
'It's settled, only us girls will go on this trip, once a year'
'The second would be a family trip'
'What if we get broke or something?'
 Celine asked.
'I'm just been practical'
'Then we will pay for the trip'
 Celine shakes her head.
'I would be too guilty to spend all that money with none in my account'
 Celine was killing our positive mood, but she's right. Life is about up and downs.
'Then we match it, match the funds and credit whoever. No questions asked'
 Ajoke says without missing a beat.
'And Celine, Ajoke, if we can't come to the yatch, the yatch will come to you'
 We hug and crash to the ground laughing.
It's the best time and most I have laughed in a long time.

Thus positive future has me excited, I can't wait to live it....




**Season 1, Episode 62**
**"ADE'S JOURNAL 62", COPYRIGHT 2016**
**BUSOLA ELEGBEDE, COPYRIGHT 2016**