The Start Of Something New

Just as Carly asked, Theresa was at the said junction when she got there. Intuitively, the latter waved with a smile on seeing her cousin approaching. Carly returned her smile, rushing over to her.

"Did you wait for long?" She inquired, settling in the front passengers seat while she pulled the seat belt over her chest.

"No," Theresa muttered, kicking the engine to live. "Where do you want to go first? I'll be your chauffeur." she tersely added.

Carly giggled, playing along. "To the Embassy please~"

"Ai, ai captain..." Theresa joked, setting the car into motion.

From the Osu Klottey district, they headed southeast toward the Independence Avenue and exited the roundabout onto the Independence Avenue. Though it was yet afternoon, the normal Accra sun was high up. Hitting it's rays hard on the surface of the earth with it's members up and going on their various activities.

They continued onto the Liberation Road. The drive found them stuck in few traffic jams.

The street hawkers passing every now and then, announcing their prescenes and hoping to make some sales from the cars waiting in traffic. On seeing a water seller passing by, Carly rolls down the glass. Gesturing her over.

"A bottle of water please." She said. The seller tilts slightly and picks the bottle- handling it over. Carly takes it and made payments for it as she took another one for Theresa.

They were by now, almost a drive away from the Jubilee House. Soon, they turned right onto the Jawaharlal Nehru and turned right again onto Fifth Avenue Ext.

The Embassy was stretched on the left of their current location. Carly briefly closes her eyes, offering a short prayer to whatever God she believes in for the best as the car pulled to a stop. Theresa glanced at her wondering why she hadn't yet stepped out and a smile intuitively spread across herself on seeing what's keeping her cousin.

"Amen," The word rasped Carly's ears on opening her eyes only to see Theresa's gaze on her smiling from ear to ear. "Here before you forget anything." she added, handing over the file to her.

The former took it with a smile and clicks the door open, throwing her legs out of the car in the process. "Good luck~" Theresa calls after her. She raises her hand over her head in a wave without looking back.

Unlike Carly, Theresa was not so crazy about Asian stuffs but she supports her whole hearted the best way she could. To the point of even surprising her with her favorite Kpop idol merch on her birthday. It was something she was dying to have and that really made her day.

After several hours of waiting outside, Carly finally showed up. Theresa was watching a Nigerian movie on her phone when a knock rasped her side of the window. Her gaze deftly went to her and a smile spread her face as she unlocks the car.

Carly walks over to her side of the seat and glides in. "Were you able to meet the lady Agnes asked you to find?" Theresa asked the moment she settled in.

It was well around 2 pm when Carly checked from the car. She had not had anything since morning and she was farmished.

"Yes, everything will be ready in a week." Carly snapped. " Drive over to the Gold Coast Restaurant and Cocktail Bar," she points to the shop which was not far away from the embassy. "Kojo said we should meet him there."

The car was already in motion by the time she ended her statement. "When is he set to leave?" Theresa asked.

"Probably by the close of the week. I heard his came earlier." She brief her while Theresa nods her response. Her gaze deeply focused on the driveway to the car park as they drove into the forecourt of the restaurant. Lurking out for an empty spot.

"This place should be perfect." she murmurs on seeing a vacant spot. Turning the wheels, she tries to make a neat parking without mistakes. She glances through the mirror on her side while she urges Carly to do same- assisting her from her side. "Are we okay?"

"Yes," Carly snapped the moment the tires rested in the perfect position. "We're good." she threw a glance at Theresa.

With this said, they both sauntered out of the car and headed in. This Restaurant had alway been Kojo favourite place so they were familiar to it's environs. If Carly could keep counts, they had been there not less than six times. Probably more or less. Just a rough guess.

They are well known in the area for their rich Ghanaian foods and awesome live band. A few walk in and they spotted him somewhere in the center of well designed and decorated interior.

It was a three seater table which made it more convienent. "Did we keep you waiting?" Theresa asked as they took their seats.

"Not at all. I just got here. I was even about to make a cocktail order but since you're here it will be right to go ahead and order our foods." He said, signalling the waiter over. "Did you girls got everything done?" He turned to them.

Instinctively, they nodded. "I heard you're leaving by the close of the week." Theresa asked for confirmation.

Kojo glanced at Carly with a smile, knowing where Theresa got her gist from. Carly giggles, aware of the reason behind Kojo's look. "You know I can't keep secrets." she pointed.

A laugh breaks off from him. "But I didn't say anything?" he tersely added.

It was then, that the waiter madean appearance. "You guys should place your order." Kojo urged the ladies.

"I'll go with a plate of waakye with shito and some sliced plaintain. Accompanying it with meat, and salad. " Carly voiced, ordering her favourite among the least of the Ghanaian delicacies she knew.

Theresa settled for jollof rice with meat, garnish with some salad, cream and tomato ketch up while Kojo went in for fufu. They went on with their conversation. In a twinkle of an eye, the waiter surfaces once again with their food. Without wasting time, they dug in.

_______

The next day followed up with Carly getting the rest of her documents ready. Be it certificate or other important files. And so it continued the rest of the passing week.

As promised, she received her Visa and passport and flight ticket on Friday.The same day Kojo left. With the heavens on her side, she sure wasn't ready to screw things up. As quickly as she could, she put in place the few things she could gather.

Cloths, snacks and few groceries as well as the little skin care products she had. At least the ones to keep her for few days or weeks.

Monday was around the corner and sure, she had to be set. I mean all set. And that includes her looks. With Theresa's help, she booked an appointment with her hair stylist a day to the Dday.

Which was Sunday evening. Due to her natural hair looks, she opted for a protective braids to keep her hair from damage for the weeks which she will be busy until when she could land a good salon.

Anticipation took the best of her , the night drove by longer than she expected. There was one thing she was surely going to miss and that will be her mother's cooking.