It was Maame Konadu’s birthday and the house was filled with well-wishers who had gone to celebrate with her right after church was over. It was some two months after the issue with Kutorkor’s supposed pregnancy. None of them had set their eyes on her ever since.

It was fufu and aponkye nkakra party and there was enough for everyone.

By 5:00 pm, everyone had left except Mary and Billy who had been the organisers of the party but the main attraction had been the adorable twins. He was about to leave when Mary entreated him to help her take the boys home.

When they got to her house and he wanted to leave, the boys started to cry so loudly that it pierced his heart to see them wail so. They both stopped crying when he went to them and placed them on his chest as he lay in bed waiting for them to fall asleep so he could leave.

Mary watched on, fascinated with the way they so bonded with their father.

”Ohh, they look so good together,” she said silently as she watched father and sons fall asleep before her very eyes.

She gently pried them from his arms and put them in their cots and went to have a refreshing bath to cool herself. She got back to find him lying in the middle of the bed. She had wanted to get him to wake up and leave but the clear sign of exhaustion on his face prevented her from doing so. She rather chose to lie on the very edge of the other side of the bed to not disturb him.

She woke up at midnight to see that she had strayed into his arms with her back against him.

”Hmmmmmm,” she purred as she enjoyed his closeness.

”I wonder what I was thinking when I let go of all this,” she mused sleepily and backed further into him.

He stirred and threw an arm across her, his palm touching her left breast, rubbing onto it a bit until he became aware of what he was doing and raised his arm away.

”Please don’t stop. It sweets me,” she said softly and drew his arm back to her, making little noises of arousal.

”Ohh, Mary” he said, his voice soaring with passion.

”I am sorry for treating you so selfishly, Billy.  Ohh please don’t stop,” she said breathing quickly with mounting passion as they proceeded to shed their clothes in that heated rediscovery of themselves.

***

Maame Konadu woke up quite early the next morning to send some of the birthday gifts that were much too many to Mary.

”What am I going to do with this many napkins and beverages and soft drinks at this advanced age of mine,” she said as she packaged them in a carrier bag.

She left, wanting to catch her before she left for work to not encounter Mena Aba her landlady.

She soon got to Mary’s flat and opened it with her own copy of the key when her soft knockings yielded no response.

”Abomination.  Abomination,” she screamed when she found Mary and Billy asleep in each other’s arms, both naked.

Her outraged outbursts woke them up and Mary quickly drew the duvet up to cover their nakedness.

”Eeiii. So it’s yɛngyae aware na yɛntwe mpena now?’ she said,  dropped the items on the table and marched out of the room before they could gather their senses.

”Don’t mind her. Is she not the one who has been on my case for a long time to take you back? So why should she stress so when it’s quite obvious we are back together,” Mary said to make him feel less embarrassed.

Billy only nodded and smiled.

”What do you say about you and I getting married in three months? Mary, would you marry me?” he proposed with no clothes on and with no ring.

”Yes, I will marry you, Billy Goat,” she said and flicked the duvet away from his body with a mischievous grin.

”What about another round?”

”Mɛpim wo!” he said and reached for her.

***

 It took about six months before the wedding took place.

First, Billy’s uncles had to come to Ohenemanso to represent his deceased parents for the customary marriage rites. After which a week later, the white wedding was scheduled to be held at the Catholic Church. 

Both Groom and Bride were parishioners of the same church so it was really a joyous occasion for all.

The day dawned bright and clear.

A proud Maame Konadu,  Mother of the Bride couldn’t hold herself together.  Her only daughter was getting married to the man they both loved and she looked queenly in her rich kente cloth as she looked at the handsome man waiting coolly at the altar for the arrival of the bride. Her eyes strayed to the fully packed Church Auditorium and smiled with satisfaction.

They didn’t have to wait for long. The pianist heralded the arrival of the Bride with an energetic rendition of the ‘Wedding March’ as she walked slowly but elegantly with Safoa following her as the bridesmaid to stand beside the groom.

Father Samuel,  a pious look on his face was the Officiating Minister. He had insisted to have that honour.

He led them through their vows and the exchange of rings with clockwise precision. It really was a happy occasion for all and after the taking of pictures, the programme got into high gear with a flamboyant reception at an ultra-modern Reception Centre.

The Chief of Mantsekrom and some of his Elders were sitting at the High Table. So were Maame Konadu and Mr Dorkenoo.

Safoa and Amerley were also there enjoying the assortment of drinks and food served.  Kofi and almost all Agric Department staff were there too, having a wonderful time in their own corner.

”Some people are lucky o. Imagine having all your Bush Allowances as part of the Bridal Team. All we need now is Kutorkor to complete the team,” he said with a cynical smile on his face.

Actually, Kutorkor was there. She sells pastries now as a means of survival and on seeing the large crowd had gone there intending to make sales but when she saw the variety of food available, she left without knowing that Billy was the Groom.

”Eeiii, the Bush Allowances have become the couples babysitters o,” Kofi exclaimed dramatically as he saw Safoa and Amerley dancing with the twins in their arms and got his colleagues laughing among themselves.

They enjoyed themselves to the max until the newlyweds announced their departure for the 5-star Hotel where they had taken a Suite to begin their married life in style.

THE END