Carnival mood downplays reconciliation
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By Njoks The guests started arriving right on time. That got me thinking — if Jimmy’s family and relatives were so eager to make a good show, then they must be desperate to have me back in their fold. Those thoughts lifted my spirits. My friends, on the other hand, were being typical ladies — half an hour into the scheduled time, they hadn’t arrived and I was beginning to panic. My brother had come to check on me in my bedroom several times asking what time I intended to make my ‘theatrical’ entrance. Apparently, the guests (who included Jimmy and a couple of his friends) were wondering where I was. On his third inquisition, Auntie Shiru shrewdly took matters into her hands and shooed me off to my former bedroom. Then she turned towards me and said, "I don’t believe that what you are doing is right but today, we shall support you. So do not come out of this room until we ask you to do so." Good turnout One hour later, my friends arrived. They came in one by one and boy, wasn’t the turnout good! My five best friends had come. However, the party atmosphere that pervaded the house surprised them. Where they had anticipated a hostile environment with Jimmy’s family angrily facing mine, they found the in-laws happily embracing each other and enjoying the lavish meal laid before them. "So what’s going on? Have you guys reconciled already?" asked Maggie. "No, in fact I haven’t been out of this room so I don’t really know what is happening out there," I replied. "I can see Jimmy also decided to come with his buddies," quipped Angela. "Yeah," I said worriedly. "I don’t know why he did that." A knock interrupted us. My bro popped his head through the door, saw Angela and stopped. He’s always had a crash on her and the fact that she humours him by entertaining his flattery only makes things worse. Whatever he had come to say flew out of his pea brain. "Hey ladies, wassup?" "Please go away!" I retorted. I was nervous and didn’t need his toy boy madness. Jimmy wanted to talk "Spoilsport!" he threw back. "Anyway, I was just coming to tell you that Jimmy wants to talk to you . . . in private," he added suggestively, which made my friends whoop in delight. "Go talk to him," urged Maggie. "Hear him out before you guys are crucified by the wazees." That made sense, but considering I had been avoiding him all this time, wouldn’t it look hypocritical if I saw him now? What message would that send to him? I was confused. I wanted to end this drama yet I didn’t want to appear like the weak one, the one who had given in before the battle had even begun. What I didn’t realise was that Jimmy was going through the same peer pressure from his friends who didn’t want to go before the elders and discuss their buddy. Another knock startled us from our chatter. When no one opened the door after knocking, we figured out it was a stranger to the house. Janice, one of my friends, opened it. Outside stood Gitonga, or Tosh as we loved to call him. He was Jimmy’s best friend and best man at the wedding. —desperate@standardmedia.co.ke