Forty-Seven

It is a Saturday.

Grand opening of JUNIOR'S.

A month has passed like a whirlwind.

Madam Didi had begged Chris to take on some of her dedicated staff. Chris retained three counter girls, four waiters, two waitresses and four chefs. Ira had graciously advanced him some money to design the white, blue and red food packs and delivery bags.

Effe had paid for the huge neon-lit signboard and one-week ingredient supply. The profiling of JUNIOR'S on HEARTBEAT TELEVISION had made the news spread like fire through a dry prairie. Other news stations had come on board to do interviews, but Chris has refused to appear in any of them.

Surprisingly, a couple of non-governmental Christian organizations had agreed to provide new interior seats and tables, and also pay for a year's car park rental. Chris had been extremely nervous at first, detesting the whole idea of being a chef, but Junior had been with him constantly, and given him the needed strength.

As the time drew nearer to the grand opening, Chris had found himself getting caught in the euphoric excitement. The opening ceremony had been short but colorful. Some of the most influential people had turned up. Junior had been allowed to say the prayers, and his passionate appeals to God to let his father succeed had moved many to tears.

Chris went to the kitchen, and supervised every step of the cooking. He started with four dishes for the day; noodles, banku and okra stew, jollof and potato fries... and of course salads. There is a CREAMS stand, where iced creams, smoothies, crushers and shakes of different flavors can be had.

He waits anxiously as the orders begin to trickle in.

And then things begin to really heat up! Suddenly, people that had already eaten are now coming back for 'take-aways', and soon there is pressure at the Drive-Thru window.

Victor Nyenku, a young chef who is fast beginning to impress Chris, walks up to him as he is pouring raw fries out of a bag.

"I haven't seen such a crowd in all my four years of working here, Boss," Victor says, grinning happily. "I must admit, you have very sweet hands indeed. Look, I had my doubts at first, but now I think the TASTE BUDS restaurant is in serious trouble!"

Chris looks at the young man, and they smile, and he nods.

"Thank you, Victor. I think I like that."

Suddenly a young waiter enters the kitchen and goes straight to Chris.

"Sir, please there's a man in the restaurant," the waiter says nervously. "He says I should tell you to prepare him a picatonto salad! I tried telling him we don't have it on the menu but he told me you know what it is, so I should tell you."

Chris freezes, and his face suddenly lights up!

The only man who demanded 'picatonto' salad had been Chief Superintendent of Police, Jon Fii.

"Go and tell him a picatonto salad is coming up pronto, Adamu!" Chris says excitedly.

"Yes, sir!" the waiter shouts with obvious relief.

"Picatonto? What's that, sir?" Victor asks, intrigued.

"A specialty in the prison, boy. Come and learn!" Chris says with a smile.

Soon Chris has the salad ready.

He dishes it in the best salad bowl, and serves the order on a tray. He picks up the tray.

"Sir! You're not serving yourself, are you? Please, let me take it, please!" Victor says, alarmed.

"This order I serve myself, Victor," Chris says with a smile.

Chris carries the tray to the eatery, and he pauses with sudden shock when he sees that it is tightly packed! Adamu sees him and utters a cry of shock and fear. He rushes forward to take the tray, but Chris stops him.

"Please, sir – "

"Where's the gentleman, Adamu?" Chris cuts in.

"Table nine, please, sir."

"Okay, fine. I've got this, Adamu. You can serve another table," Chris says gently.

When he walks through the restaurant, he sees people looking at him with something approaching awe. He sees children and adults digging in, eating with real relish, and he sees that most plates are completely empty except for bones, and suddenly he feels a certain kind of exhilaration he has never thought he will feel.

Amir, you old dog, thank you very much for forcing me to learn the fine arts of the kitchen!

Jon Fii is sitting at table nine, and he is not alone.

Barbara Brooks is with him.

Fii is in uniform today, and he gets to his feet with a broad smile as Chris carefully puts the tray down. Fii then crushes him in a fierce hug.

"Chris, Chris, Chris! Boy, am I glad to see you!" Jon Fii says, quite emotionally.

Chris looks warily at Barbara. Since that night, she had attacked him he had not seen her again. She had sent text messages and called him to apologize, but he has kept out of her way strictly.

He had told himself that Ira is right; Barbara is unbalanced, and as much as Chris had wanted to help her get over the trauma of being abused by her father, he knows she is quite dangerous. Her mood swings are absolutely lethal, and he doesn't know what she is capable of doing from one second to the next. A phrase, a look, an innocent action can set her off into that volcanic rage he has experienced twice already. He had had the unpleasant feeling that she had wanted to kill him.

"Glad to see you, sir. Very glad to see you. A picatonto salad, the best, just for you," Chris says with a happy smile.

"Sit down, Chris," Jon says.

"I can't, sir. Too much pressure. Tell you what, we open at two in the afternoon on Sundays, so I'll come over tomorrow morning and have a church service with the guys. I miss that."

"Really? That will be grand. The boys will be so happy. Especially Darlett Thompson. There is a strong possibility that Darlett will be released soon, Chris. His case has gone for review after new evidence was unearthed."

Chris Bawa's face breaks into a huge grin, and in spite of himself he sits down at the table.

"Wow. Darlett? Damn! That is great news. He always told me he didn't steal that car, but that his partner framed him for that crime. That's great news indeed!"

Suddenly, Chris' big left middle finger is grabbed, and he looks around and sees Junior standing beside him, his mouth full with chicken.

"Daddy!"

Chris, heart bursting with joyful love, sweeps his son into his arms and plants a kiss on his cheeks as Junior giggles insanely and wriggles.

"My son, sir. Champ, meet a friend of mine, Jon Fii."

"Yes, the famous Chris Bawa Junior!" Jon says with a smile. "I saw you on television. The boy who bought this place for his father!"

Junior's face splits into a huge grin of pride as Jon Fii shakes his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, sir," he says shyly.

"Oh, call me Uncle Fii. You look so much like your father, it's amazing."

"He's my father and I should look like him."

They all burst into laughter, and Barbara reaches out and shakes Junior's hand.

"Hello, Junior. Happy to meet you again after the fun we had at the beach. Please tell your father I'm very sorry okay? He's angry at me, and I believe if you ask him to forgive me, he will," she says in a conspiratorial voice.

Junior looks at his father and frowns, and then he wags a forefinger at him.

"Daddy, Sunday School teacher says we should forgive each other like, erm... seven times? No, no, no, she said like seventy times?"

"Seventy times seven times," Jon Fii says with his mouth full of salad.

"Woow! That's radical! You know the Bible too, Uncle Fii?"

"He is the Chaplain at the prison where I was, Champ!" Chris says with a soft laugh.

"Awesome! Yes, Jesus says we should forgive seventy times seventy times... is that right, Uncle Chaplain?" Junior asks, making Jon laugh rather uproariously.

"Close enough, son, close enough!"

"So, you will forgive Miss Barbara... no, wait a minute, are you Missus?"

"See, no ring. Still Miss Barbara, my dearest boy," she replies, laughing and showing her hands.

"Daddy –"

"Alright, alright, shut up already! I forgive her!" Chris says.

They all laugh, and Barbara suddenly draws Junior into a warm embrace.

"Thank you, Junior! I owe you one!" Barbara says with a happy smile.

Sitting at Table 15, Effe and Ira look across at them with conflicting emotions.

With them is Rupert Henderson who is eating beef noodles.

Effe recognizes Barbara, the prison officer who seems to be so besotted with Chris. She sees Barbara hugging Junior, and she sees the way Chris looks so happy and comfortable in her presence, and she feels a sudden blast of insane jealousy which she tries unsuccessfully to curb.

Ira is furious.

She has not seen Chris and Barbara together since that terrible night. She has assumed Chris has cut all ties with the mad girl, but evidently, judging by the way they are behaving, they are still in contact with each other.

Rupert looks at her sudden tense face, and he experiences a mild bout of jealousy himself. It is true Ira had convinced him that there is nothing between her and that Chris boy, and that there will be nothing between them, but he just cannot shake off the feeling that all is not as it seems.

After a moment, Victor Nyenku emerges and looks for Chris. He quickly approaches Chris and leans down.

"Problem, sir. We're sold out!" Victor says, his expression betraying his concern.

Chris gets to his feet, and he struggles to keep his face straight.

"Sold out?"

"Completely! And there's still a queue. What we gonna do?" Victor replies with a grin.

"Well, has the technician finished installing the Public Announcement System?" Chris asks.

"Yes, sir. I heard him testing it a couple of times."

"Right. Send one of the boys to make an announcement that we're temporarily out. Next orders will start in forty minutes. Then come to the kitchen. We gotta cook!"

"Yes, Chef!" Victor said happily.

Chris and Jon Fii embrace again, and then he hurries towards the kitchen.

Barbara calls his name, and he stops. She comes towards him and stops in front of him, and she smiles sadly at him.

"I'm really sorry, Chris. I'm sorry for attacking you," she says tenderly. "I don't know what came over me. You're the only man my heart has ever craved, and still craves. You'll have to be patient with me. I know you love Effe. I've accepted it, and I won't try to hurt that relationship. It's just that, if you're angry with me, I feel this pain in my heart. I can't eat, I can't breathe, I can't think straight. I'm constantly in pain. But when you're fine with me, it is the only time I feel happy. Please don't push me away, Chris, please. You know this love thing is new for me. Please, I'm begging you, just be my friend."

Chris stares at her, and he cannot doubt her sincerity. His anger towards her slowly dissipates, and he reaches out for her, and he hugs her.

She puts her arms around him and hugs him tightly.

"It's okay, Barbara."

"Thank you, Chris. I love you so much," she says, her voice muffled against his chest.

He breaks from her and moves quickly out of sight.

Barbara smiles, and then sees that Junior is suddenly standing by her side, and he is looking quite grim.

"Hey, what's it, little man?" she asks with concern.

"Do you really, really, really want to be my friend, Auntie Barbara?"

"Yes, more than anything, my dear," Barbara says excitedly.

"Then you shouldn't do that huggy-huggy thing and that face-licking things with my Daddy. I want my Mommy to do that with my Daddy. Remember I told you that at the beach?"

Barbara laughs heartily at that, and then she embraces Junior.

"I promise, Junior. I won't do that!"

Junior smiles, takes her hand, and they walk back to Jon Fii. Effe gets to her feet.

"Ef? Where to?" Ira asks, surprised.

"To get my son. I'm beginning to dislike that Barbara girl big time!" Effe says icily.

"Let him be, Ef. Sit down. He's okay. You'll embarrass him."

Effe looks at her sister, and as she sits down again slowly, she has a slight frown on her face. Something is happening. In the past, she and Ira had always been on the same frequency, the same wavelength. They had that common instincts that is so peculiar in twins.

But lately, it seems she and Ira are operating on different angles, no more converging but almost as if they are always on parallels. That closeness is somehow strained, and Effe just can't place a finger on what is happening.

Lately, she has been feeling a bad vibration, some level of animosity from her twin sister. She knows Ira has always defended Chris, but that had never come between them. Nowadays, there is almost a slow wall building up between them, and Effe does not like it one bit.