Chapter Seven

The day before the burial ceremony dawned bright and clear. Edward, with a thoughtful gesture, had granted Bola and Teni the day off to finalize the preparations for the following day's celebration. It was a glorious Friday, the weather, a perfect complement to the anticipation in the air.

 Janet, Bola, and Teni were en-route from the bustling market, their car laden with groceries and supplies for the upcoming event. Teni's SUV headed towards Bola's mother's house, where hired cooks were already preparing the feast. Their next stop was the hairdresser's salon. Teni was behind the wheel.

 "Teni, do you ever talk to your friend about her love life?" Janet initiated the conversation, her gaze fixed on her cousin in the passenger seat.

 "Sometimes," Teni replied, glancing in the rear-view mirror to gauge the distance of the car behind before smoothly overtaking a truck.

 "I keep telling her she needs to open herself up to love again, but she seems so guarded," Janet continued, her eyes on Bola, who had turned to face her in the back. She wasn't concerned about Bola's reaction.

 "She'll find love when the time is right. I think she prefers for love to find her, rather than actively searching," Teni said, turning right towards the salon.

 "But she's not even giving it a chance. That's my point," Janet insisted, looking at Bola again.

 "What do you mean?" Teni asked.

 "She's turning down perfectly good men!" Janet exclaimed, her tone serious.

 "How many perfectly good men that I've rejected do you actually know?" Bola retorted, giving her cousin a sharp look and a dismissive hiss.

 "I can think of at least four," Janet said with a knowing smile, catching Teni's amusement in the rear-view mirror.

 "Name them. Since you've appointed yourself my personal relationship auditor," Bola said, a hint of laughter in her voice.

 "Well, there was the gym guy. You said his muscles were intimidating, that he seemed like the type to resort to violence over a minor disagreement. Then the handsome policeman who stopped us that time. He asked you out, and you completely shut him down. You claimed dating a policeman is out of the question because he could be killed in the line of duty, and you don't want to be a young widow. And who can forget the beach guy last year? You said… you said…" Janet trailed off, struggling to recall Bola's exact reasoning.

 "I can't quite remember the excuse for him. Oh! And then there's the big one: Edward, your very own Editor-in-Chief, asked you out recently! And you blew that too! You said you can't stand dating your boss, that his act of commanding being enough to raise the dead." Janet burst into laughter, and Teni couldn't help but join in. But as Janet continued, Teni interjected, the mention of Edward catching her off guard.

 "Wait! Edward asked you out, and you didn't tell me? Bola!" Teni exclaimed, turning briefly to look at her friend.

 "She hasn't told you? He asked her just yesterday," Janet chimed in, sounding rather pleased with her gossip, and Bola playfully swatted her cousin's arm.

 "Since when did you become such a busybody?" Bola laughed.

 "Sharing information about you, to someone like Teni does doesn't qualify as gossip my dear," Janet giggled.

 "Don't mind her, Teni. I was going to tell you today. I knew you'd say I should give him a chance, and honestly, I don't want to," Bola said with a smile.

 "Edward is a genuinely nice man, Bola. Please, just consider it," Teni urged as she began to pull over in front of the salon.

 "See? What did I tell you?" Bola turned to Janet, a triumphant look on her face.

 "Edward is handsome, doesn't play games, and is well-established. What more could you want?" Teni asked, opening her car door but remaining seated.

 "I can't date my boss, Teni! I'd feel like a lowly private under General Edward's command," Bola laughed, and soon Teni and Janet were laughing again too.

 "Edward's leadership style isn't that intense," Teni said, clutching her stomach, which was now aching from laughter. "So, what did you actually tell him?" Teni asked, her curiosity piqued.

 "I lied that I was already seeing someone," Bola confessed.

 "Oh, Bola! That's a bit much. You really do need to find love again, like Janet said," Teni said, finally stepping out of the car, followed by Janet and Bola.

 "Janet, should we orchestrate a chance encounter with a charming eligible bachelor?" Teni winked at Janet.

 "I think it's high time," Janet replied with a conspiratorial smile.

 "It's a plan then. Operation Find Bola a Boyfriend is officially underway," Teni declared, taking Janet's hand as the three of them walked towards the entrance of the hairdresser's shop.

 "I hope you two realize that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," Bola called after them, shaking her head with a smile.

 "We shall see," Janet retorted, giving her cousin a playful glare as they headed towards the waiting area.

 The last light of the day was fading as the ladies left the hairdresser's. The sun was retreating in the western sky, its gradual descent promising the arrival of the night.

 Inside the salon, each woman had her hair styled to her liking, a fact evident in their buoyant spirits as they emerged. Bola felt a quiet satisfaction; her recommendation had been well justified.

 Meanwhile, the groceries and cooking ingredients they had purchased were eagerly awaited by the cooks. These tireless individuals would work through the night, preparing for the next day's party.

 This celebration was a novel experience for Teni, her two years in Africa having yielded nothing quite like it. Initially perplexed, she gained understanding through Bola's patient explanation. It wasn't the death itself being commemorated, but the life lived. In Africa, a person who died leaving children was believed to have achieved a fulfilling life, one worthy of joyous remembrance. This insight sparked Teni's growing anticipation for the burial ceremony.

Knowing she wouldn't be home due to the ongoing preparations, Teni couldn't leave her dog, Bella, alone overnight. Consequently, her first task that morning had been dropping Bella off at Jim's. Bella was now in the care of Clarus, Jim's gateman, who also looked after his master's two other dogs. Bella would remain there until the day after the party, when Teni would retrieve her.

 "Is Jim coming to the party?" Bola asked, turning to Teni, whose hands remained steady on the steering wheel.

 "Why wouldn't he, when he bought the clothes for the ceremony?" Teni replied, glancing briefly at Bola before refocusing on the road. Sometimes, she had a habit of answering questions with questions, a trait Bola had pointed out in the past.

 "He didn't show up at my mum's birthday party. Said he had a duty call," Bola said, turning to check on Janet in the back seat. Janet had fallen asleep, her head resting against the car frame, explaining her silence.

 "Well, he promised not to miss this one. Let's hope there are no emergency calls this time," Teni said, turning onto the street leading to Bola's mother's residence.

 "Janet has dozed off," Bola noted.

 "All the excitement of the day must have finally caught up with her," Teni smiled.

 "Definitely," Bola agreed.

 "Thank goodness we're finally here," Teni said as she drove through the gates of the party venue and pulled to a stop.

The compound had already undergone a transformation. It looked nothing like it had looked that morning. The DJ had arrived, his large speakers and equipment positioned in the left corner of the veranda, filling the air with music that rivalled the volume of a disco.

 Tents now stood at the front of the house, and decorations were underway. Colourful balloons and ribbons adorned the canopies' pillars and the house itself. Large photographs of the deceased hung at the entrances of the tents, bearing the inscription, "Adieu Mama." The front of the building had clearly been freshly painted, giving it a vibrant facelift.

 As Teni surveyed the scene, she noticed cooks busy at work in the far end of the premises, behind the building. Large pots simmered on gas burners, and the savoury aroma of seasoned meat permeated the air.

 Shortly after Teni parked, the cooks spotted their arrival. Three of them emerged from behind the building to collect the groceries Bola and her team had bought at the market.

 "Mummy, welcome!" Mary exclaimed, running out of the house to greet her mother, who was still in the car. Seeing her daughter, Bola quickly opened the car door and embraced her.

 Janet had also woken up, courtesy of the energetic DJ. She got out of the car, picked up her bag, and started towards the house, looking as though she intended to resume her nap. Spotting her, Mary ran to join her, and they began chatting as they walked.

 "Janet," Teni called out, turning to her friend who was already some distance away, but Janet couldn't hear her over the loud music.

 "Your phone is ringing," Bola alerted Teni.

 "Thanks," Teni said, picking up the phone. "Hello, Jim." She hadn't yet gotten out of the car.

 "How has it been?" Jim asked.

 "Awesome. We've just arrived at the party venue from the market. Are you coming for the party tomorrow?" Teni rested her head on the steering wheel, feeling the day's weariness.

 "Definitely, I will," Jim replied.

 "Bola won't be happy if you don't," Teni said, knowing her friend had asked about Jim out of concern he might not attend.

 Bola, who had gotten out of the car but was leaning against the front door, turned and smiled at her friend.

 "I can't afford to miss this one like I missed the birthday party," Jim said, well aware of Bola's disappointment at his absence then.

 "That's great then. I'll expect you," Teni responded.

 "I love you," Jim said, as was his custom.

 "I love you too, see you tomorrow," Teni replied, ending the call.

 Exhausted, Teni got out of the car, grabbed her bag, locked the doors, and headed into the house with Bola. After Bola left her in the living room, Teni found a bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep within minutes.

…

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Saturday, the day of Bola's mother's burial ceremony and the subsequent celebration, everyone hired to contribute to the event's success was up early. Each person diligently put the finishing touches on their assigned tasks.

 Despite the West African heat that could sometimes be oppressive, the morning air felt promising, hinting at a pleasant day. All plans remained on track, and every arrangement seemed perfect.

 The cooks, having worked through the night, had completed all their preparations before dawn. Similarly, the decorators had finished their work, transforming the simple tent frames into beautiful shelters.

Bola awoke at 6 am to the sound of the bedside alarm. After a brief prayer, feeling refreshed and ready for the day's activities, she turned to see Teni still asleep beside her in her late mother's bed.

 "Teni, it's morning," she said, gently tapping Teni's hip.

 Teni stirred, taking a deep breath as she emerged from sleep. She yawned and smiled.

 "Good morning," Bola greeted her and headed for the bathroom door a few steps away.

 "Good morning, dear," Teni replied. She immediately felt the urge to use the bathroom but waited for her friend to finish. They needed to begin preparing for the church service promptly to avoid arriving late. Following the service, the deceased's body would be taken to the cemetery for burial. The church service was scheduled to begin at 9 am and last for an hour.

 Teni could hear the sound of Bola showering. "Bola, please hurry," Teni called from the bedroom.

 "What is it?" Bola replied from under the water.

 "I need to use the bathroom," Teni said.

 "Almost done, please," Bola responded, finishing her shower and wrapping herself in a towel.

 "If I hadn't woken you up, would you have wet the bed?" Bola teased from inside the bathroom.

 "Please hurry and let me use the bathroom," Teni replied, ignoring her friend's playful question, though she found it amusing.

 "Where did you put my gele?" Teni pronounced the Yoruba word perfectly, knowing it meant headgear in the local language. Despite being Yoruba, she could barely speak a sentence in the language, having grown up in the US without the opportunity to learn from her father.

 "It's in the wardrobe," Bola said, emerging from the bathroom into the bedroom.

 Seeing Bola, Teni momentarily forgot about the headgear and hurried towards the bathroom, a move that made Bola laugh. Bola walked to the wardrobe and retrieved the gele Teni had asked for.

 "You're such a clown sometimes," Bola said, placing the headgear on the bed. Just then, her phone beeped. It was a text from the makeup artist, informing her of her arrival and wait in the living room.

 As soon as Teni finished in the bathroom, she came out and went to the bedside, picking up the gele, which had been expertly styled by a professional chosen by Bola. She placed it on her head and turned to the mirror on the wardrobe door to assess how it looked. It felt unfamiliar, as it was her first time wearing such a headpiece. She knew she would need to learn how to wear it now that she was engaged to an African man, as it would undoubtedly be part of her traditional attire for her wedding to Jim.

 "That looks good on you," Bola said, walking behind her friend with the towel still wrapped around her. She adjusted the gele slightly for a better fit.

 "I feel a bit uncomfortable," Teni admitted, turning her head from side to side to see her reflection from different angles.

 "You'll get used to it. It's not much different from Western women's hats, just larger in appearance. Unless hats make you uncomfortable too?" Bola walked back to the makeup mirror, sat down, applied lotion to her body, and used roll-on deodorant. Then, she picked up her phone and called the makeup artist waiting in the living room into the bedroom.

 "I'll be back," Teni said, heading for the door to try on her outfit for the occasion in the room where Janet and Mary were sleeping.

 "I'll need your opinion on the makeup when they're done," Bola called after Teni, who was already leaving the room.

 At the door, Teni encountered the makeup artists entering. "Call me when they're finished," Teni replied as she left.

Janet and Mary were already dressed and ready for the church service when Teni entered their room. She found Janet kneeling, buckling Mary's shoes. Everyone's outfit was made from the same Ankara fabric, what the locals called Aso Ebi.

 "Good morning," Teni greeted Janet and Mary.

 "Good morning," Janet responded.

 "Mary, you look sweet," Teni said, bending down to kiss Mary's cheek.

 "Thank you, ma," Mary replied, smiling and blushing as she admired her dress.

 "The church service starts at nine, you should hurry," Janet reminded Teni.

 "I've come to bathe and get dressed too," Teni said, placing the gele on the bed and removing her t-shirt and shorts before entering the bathroom.

 "We're going to the other room. And I must say, that headgear looked lovely on you," Janet announced, picking up her handbag and taking Mary's hand to leave for the room where Bola was being attended to by the makeup artists.

 "Thanks, I'll join you when I'm done," Teni replied, stepping into the bathroom for a cold shower.

 Teni made quick work of bathing and dressing. Her preference for minimal makeup – usually just lipstick and powder – streamlined her routine. She possessed a natural beauty that needed little enhancement.

 Standing before the mirror, she admired how the Aso Ebi flattered her figure. The tailor had skilfully crafted the fabric into a gown that flowed perfectly to her feet, accentuating every curve. The heavy, rhythmic beat of the DJ's music pulsed from outside.

 "Your phone was ringing, ma," Mary said, entering the room with Teni's bag. The ringing had stopped moments before.

 "Thank you, Mary. Just put it on the bed," Teni replied. "Could you help me with the zip, please?" She turned her back to Mary and bent her knees, making it easier for the child to reach. Mary stretched, almost standing on tiptoes, to pull the zipper up.

 "Perfect! Thanks," Teni winked at Mary.

 "You're welcome, ma," Mary responded politely and headed towards the door.

 "Mary, please close the door behind you," Teni requested, hoping to muffle the loud music.

 Her phone rang again. She picked it up from her bag. "Hello, Jim," she said.

 "Hello, I'm on my way. Are you there?" Jim watched the traffic light, waiting for it to turn green.

 "Yes, we're here. The service starts at nine, so we'll probably leave by eight-thirty."

 "Alright, I'll join you soon," Jim replied, accelerating as the light changed.

 No sooner had Teni placed her phone back on the bed than another call came in. It was her mother. "Hello, Mum," Teni said, settling back against the pillows.

 "How are you, Dolly?" Rhoda moved away from her bedroom, not wanting to disturb her sleeping husband and younger child. It was midnight in America.

 "I'm good, Mum. How are Andrew and my little sister?" Teni asked.

 "We're all fine too. Where are you?" Rhoda inquired, the loud music in the background prompting her question.

 "We're at the burial ceremony of my friend's mother," Teni explained.

 "The sound I hear is more like a celebration than a burial," Rhoda commented, sitting on her living room sofa.

 "It's going to be a big party, Mum. That's how it's done in Africa when older people pass away," Teni knew it sounded strange to her mother, as it had to her initially.

 "That's weird," Rhoda said.

 "Well, many of your society's norms seem strange to Africans too. For instance, they can't understand how a man could marry a man or a woman marry a woman. To them, it's insane," Teni countered.

 "Do you mean you support rejoicing over someone's death?" Rhoda asked.

 "It's our culture. It's not about celebrating the death itself, but appreciating the long life lived and the fact that the person left children," Teni explained the African burial customs for the elderly.

 "So you'll rejoice at my death and not mourn me?" Rhoda hoped her statement would highlight the perceived strangeness of the African tradition.

 "Of course, yes. I would rejoice that you had a fulfilled life. Would mourning bring you back?" Teni laughed. "Mum, don't forget I'm as American as you are," she continued to chuckle.

 "You're not, my dear! You're half American and half African, while I'm completely American," Rhoda laughed as well.

 "Well said. That means when you die, the African in me will celebrate your life, while the American in me will mourn your passing," Teni laughed again. Her laughter gave away her location to Jim, who had just arrived and was trying to find her. Hearing her, he paused at the bedroom door. He had tried calling, but her line was busy.

 Jim knocked gently and waited.

 "Come in," Teni said.

 Jim opened the door and entered. He looked handsome in the burial attire, the Aso Ebi suiting him well.

 "Mum, I've got to go. I love you. And sorry about your candidate's loss in the elections," Teni knew the defeat of the incumbent American president must have upset her mother.

 "Yeah, it's all good. Bye, I love you too. And you'll have to tell me all about this strange burial celebration when we next talk," Rhoda chuckled again.

 "Okay, Mum," Teni said, looking at her fiancé, who stood waiting for her to finish her call, looking sharp in his party outfit.

 "You look beautiful," Jim said, bending to kiss her.

 "Thanks, you look great too," Teni complimented him as he sat beside her on the bed, looking as fresh as morning dew.

 Teni sat up and touched his chin. "You've had your beard trimmed. It's quite short now," she observed, her hand still on his chin.

 "Yeah, you don't like it?" Jim asked.

 "I love it. You look even more like a gentleman now," Teni smiled.

 "How did I look before?" Jim wondered.

 "Like one of those Arab Jihadists," Teni joked.

 "But you never complained. I could have shaved it for you," Jim said, placing his hand over hers on his chin and kissing it.

 "I never complained because you liked it, and if it boosted your confidence, why should I? If it was okay for you, it was okay for me too," Teni said, looking into Jim's eyes, seeing only affection.

 "I love you," Jim leaned in and kissed her lips, and Teni responded with equal passion. They were in each other's arms when Bola burst into the room.

 "Oh! Sorry for intruding," Bola said, turning to leave.

 "Wait! Do you need me?" Teni asked, still in Jim's embrace.

 "I wanted your opinion on the makeup, and besides, it's time for church. Let's go. Save the kissing and smooching for after the burial," Bola giggled as she walked away.

 "The makeup looks great, girl, and I'll be right there after you," Teni replied, laughing.

 Bola's unexpected reply made both Teni and Jim laugh. They separated and stood up to join the others for the church service.