Two days later, on Saturday morning, Kuukuwaa went to the riverside to wash her clothes. Most of the women and girls in the village usually came to the riverside on Saturdays to wash their dirty clothes.

Young men also went there on Saturdays.

It was a time of fun and for getting to know each other better.

It was a day for resting from the week’s hard work on the farms and from work, and the young people gathered around the edge of the River Densua to socialize.

Kobby insisted on Zack accompanying him to the riverside that day.

Kobby was recently having an interest in a sweet lady called Maame Yaa, the young daughter of one of the farmers. Apparently, Maame Yaa stayed in the city with an aunt where she was learning a vocation in an institution.

Maame Yaa came around only on vacations to visit her parents.

Zack, wearing faded black jeans and a white smock-like attire which he had found in one of the bags from the car, looked really handsome indeed.

As they meander their way through the path that led to the river, Zack stopped often to gaze with wonder at the cocoa trees and the rich vegetation.

“Ohhhhh! Hurry up and let’s go! They’ll leave the riverside soon and I need to speak to Yaa. Stop kicking over every plant, Zack! A snake might bite you!”

Eventually, they came out of the cocoa trees and saw the beautiful river.

It was spread out in majestic splendour in front of them, bubbling gently. Its banks were grassy and comfortable.

The women were spread out.

Some of the things they had already washed were spread out on the grass.

As Kobby and Zack made their way through, people gaze at Zack and spoke softly about him.

They smiled at him, and some even shook his hand.

Zack smiled back and waved to those who waved at him.

“Great people. They seem to like me a lot!”

“Man builds houses for stinking matter and he’s suddenly famous,” Kobby said, shaking his head.

Zack chuckled at that.

Kobby was looking around frantically for Maame Yaa.

Kuukuwaa, who was rinsing a batch of clothes, had been sitting with Maame Yaa.

She squeezed the water out of an exceptionally-huge cotton pair of shorts belonging to her father and became suddenly aware that Maame Yaa was staring fixedly at something behind her.

“And who’s that fabulous man with Kobby? Is he your patient, Kuuku?” Maame Yaw asked.

Kuukuwaa swivelled around and saw Zack from afar, and suddenly she froze.

She was aware that Maame Yaa and the other girls around were staring at her, but she did not care.

Kobby had noticed Yaa and he was hurrying over, leaving Zack to make his way slowly.

Kobby reached them and smiled down at Maame.

“Hello, Maame. Heard you came back two days ago, and you didn’t bother to look for me,” Kobby stated shyly.

Maame Yaa dragged her eyes off Zack with difficulty and smiled at Kobby.

“Hello, Kobby. I came looking for you yesterday, but your mother said you were at the site. Didn’t she tell you I came by?”

Kobby smiled and slowly sat on the grass beside her.

“No, she didn’t. She might’ve forgotten, Yaa. Wow. I’ve missed you!”

“Missed you too, Kobby,” she responded with a smile.

Zack had reached them now, but he had only eyes for Kuukuwaa, who stood up slowly and dropped the shorts into a pan near her feet.

She was staring at Zack, once again struck by the incredible good looks that set him apart, that told her he was not from this village. And this look scared her!

She was convinced once again that if he regained his memory nothing will make him stay.

Kukuwa picked up the pan which was filled with clothing ready for drying and walked away to dry them.

Zack, puzzled by her cold reception, and unaware of the conflicting emotions ravaging her, followed her slowly until he got to where she was spreading a trouser on the grass and dropping little stones on its edges to hold it down so that the wind will not blow it away.

She stood up slowly and faced him.

“I see you,” he stated tenderly.

Her lips trembled, and tears came to her eyes as she stared desperately at him.

She was wearing a black blouse and had tied a cloth around her middle.

He looked at her lovely calves, her smooth skin, the gentle swell of her hips and breasts, her incredibly curved gentle figure, her amazingly beautiful face, and his heart beat in earnest for her.

She looked at him.

“I see you,” she responded shakily.

“When I woke up, you were gone, Kuks. There was something I wanted to tell you.”

She looked at him, scared. There was something heavy underlying his voice, and for a moment it unsettled her as fear kicked around her heart.

Had he regained a part of his memory? Was that what this was about?

“What did you want to tell me, Zack?”

“It’s about the Princess. Your friend.”

“Princess Yaa? What about her?” she asked, confused.

“The last time I saw her she told me she would be hosting the Princess of Cherensua today at the palace. She ordered me to be present.”

Kuukuwaa gasped suddenly and her knees went weak almost immediately.

“She invited you? Dear Lord!” she uttered hoarsely. “Yes, she brings some of her friends over once in a while, but she never invites anybody, not even her closest friends in Densua. Why has she invited you?”

“I don’t know, Kuks, but her actions are scary!”

“I see. She wants you, doesn’t she?” she asked disconsolately. “She has set her eyes on you!”

“Just like her brother has set his eyes on you, Kuks!” he said sadly. “But I plan not to go.”

“It will be an insult not to go, Zack,” she said miserably. “She can make a lot of trouble for you if you don’t go.”

Zack nodded and his handsome face was incredibly unhappy.

“I thought as much. You and your infuriating customs. Well, then there’s only one thing to do, I guess.”

“What, Zack?”

“To make you mine. To make the whole village know that although I’ll attend her little party, my heart is already taken!”

“And how do you plan to make her know that?” she asked softly. “Are you going to tell her this evening?”

“No, my love. I want her to know before I go there this evening!”

Kuukuwaa gasped because she knew what he planned to do, and it scared her suddenly, and she took a step back. She shook her head frantically as fear pulsed through her whole being.

“No, no, no! Zack, please, my love, don’t!”

Two steps and Zack was with her. He pulled her into his arms, and when both his hands cupped her face, she was lost. She did not struggle as his lips descended on hers. She sighed with heat and a longing so fierce that her body trembled violently as she opened her lips and accepted his sweet kiss.

She, who had always been disgusted by a kiss, who had always told her friends she will never kiss nor allow a man to dip his silly thing into her little hole, was now lost. She kissed him back with a fervour that devoured her.

His hands squeezed her tightly.

All around the young men and women stopped what they were doing and stared with a mixture of shock and jealousy.

One of those watching was Kofi Amo, and he had a cruel look in his eyes as he watched.   Finally, Kuukuwaa found the strength to move back, and she shook her head numbly at him as tears slowly coursed down her cheeks.

“Oh, Kuks!” he cried in a passionate voice.

“You fool!” she cried with horror. “What have you done? Everybody is staring at us! This is bad! Oh, this is bad! What have you done now, Zack?”

“I just love you, Kuks. And if that is bad, then I don’t wanna be right, my love. I love you Kuks! I love you so much!”

Tears spilt down her face as she looked at him with love and wonder.

“Say it again, Zack! Please say it again!”

“I love you Kuks! I love you as no man has ever loved a woman!”

And with a little cry, she threw herself into his arms, and this time it was she who kissed him ardently!

And there were ominous stares on them, most filled with jealousy.

Follow my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Aaron.Ansah.A/

Join the Kleva Whatsapp Family: https://chat.whatsapp.com/F3PeBtycHsVLX8705Fgi0U