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I looked well and I saw that the person walking towards me was Mason. I was so dumbfounded and I just stared at him.
“Talk to me.” he said.
I hugged him so tight, “thanks for being here with me. I needed it badly.”
He held my left hand, “come with me.” he said
I obliged and I followed him, when we got to his car. He asked me what exactly was wrong with me
“Nightmares and I feel I may die in my sleep one day”
“Come here.” he said.
He hugged me and said so many soothing words that I cannot remember and all I know is that I felt better.
“You still have a lot to offer this world so death is not an option. I’ll take you home.”
Two minutes later, we got to my house and I thanked him. Before I stepped out I asked him if he had forgiven me. He nodded.
“Does this mean that…” my voice betrayed me, I could not complete the question.
“There is no longer us. You betrayed me and I cannot get over it. I told you I would always be there for you and I have kept my word.”
“I understand Mason. Thanks Good night.”
When I got to home, I saw Tare in the sitting room sleeping. I just went to my room; locked myself and cried myself to sleep. I ignored mom when she came to check up on me. The next day I went to the venue of the fashion show, Jayde had begun to bombard me with calls and I told her to calm down that I was on my way.
“Calm down Jayde, it is not yet 2pm. The rehearsal is scheduled to hold at 2. It is just 12:23pm. I will make it there on time. I am stuck in traffic.” I said.
I arrived on time and I was happy that I would not miss any part of the rehearsal. I was emotionally drained because of Mason Nikos.
“Labour pains over Emotional trauma.” I muttered
I was regretting why I wore heels, I felt so clumsy. I was feeling so awkward but I masked it. I was wearing a fitted cropped top and a pair of army green trousers that were a bit loose. My hair was tied into a knot; the sun was hot.
When I got inside the venue, I marveled at the beauty of the place. People were everywhere working; sound engineers, decorators, cleaners etc. I searched for Jayde and it was not long before I found her with a man whom I presumed was the sound engineer. I waited for her to finish her business with the man.
“This place is dashing Jayde, good job.” I said.
“It is not my doing but my team’s.”
Jayde was looking so stressed but she still looked beautiful. She was wearing a baseball cap, a pair of jeans shorts, a T-Shirt and a pair of timberland boots. Jayde told me that the sound engineer would soon be done. She took me back stage, the back stage manager was there addressing the models. When the back stage manager was done addressing the models, she came to say hi.
“Good job Lolu, history would be made tomorrow.” I said.
“Thanks Jessa. I am happy that you came by today.”
I had no idea of what the fashion Show title was but I kept seeing a phrase in every corner in the venue which read “artistic us.” As we left the back stage I asked Jayde the reason why she chose the theme.
“The reason is very simple, being artistic means being creative and ‘us’ simply means us.”
“Two powerful words, indeed you are artistic Jayde.”
The entertainment manager came to tell Jayde that the Sound engineer was through with what he was doing.
“Ok, then the show will kick start in 25 minutes.”
I used the time to survey the venue. Jayde had to leave me, “I will be right back.” she said to me. I started looking around and I was interrupted by someone, a female voice to be precise. I looked up to locate where the voice was coming from. I looked at the stage and saw Jayde.
“Hello everybody before the rehearsal kick starts, I’d like to share this poem with everyone. The title of my poem is my friend.
My friend, you brought Light.
Light to my life, there was no Night.
Your light overwhelmed the Night.
But you withdrew your light on day Eight
Day Eight of March
The day the Grim Reaper took you.
Return if Possible Lou”
I analyzed the poem; Lou was Dubem’s middle name. Dubem died on the 8th day of March. The poem was a tribute to Dubem, my knees were wobbly. I had to get a seat and sit. After Jayde finished her poem, three ballerinas came on stage. Two were dressed alike; they were wearing short blue dresses while the other was wearing a violet short dress and a black hood, she held a scythe on her left hand. Music started playing and I recognized the song, Afire Love by Ed Sheeran.
The two ballerinas were performing together, dancing. The third ballerina was at the background and she danced around with her scythe. The song was making me so emotional.
Towards the end of the song, the third ballerina with the scythe grabbed the second ballerina violently and dragged her away. The first ballerina could not get the second ballerina back and she was devastated, so she threw herself on the ground and rolled on the ground.
I felt a hand on my back, it was Jayde. I stood up and hugged her, she hugged me back.
“I really miss her Jayde, I feel like melting right now. It hurts badly.”
“Calm down Jessa, Dubem is in a better place and I am sure she would not want you to behave like this.”
Jayde took me away from the prying eyes. She took me outside and talked to me, she cheered me up. I smiled and hugged her, “we have a rehearsal to pilot.” She said. We went back to the venue and sat down, the show started in ten minutes. The music playing at the background was afro pop. There was a holographic image of the words ‘Dope Kultur’ I wondered what this collection was all about.
After the rehearsal, I told Jayde about my observations and she noted them, I asked her if other designers were going to showcase the following day.
“Yes Jessa. There are three more designers unfortunately they are not here.”
“That is very wrong; you have to make them pay dearly.”
“The designers are just going to showcase accessories.”
“Ok.” I replied.
We left the venue very late because Jayde and the back stage manager had to address the models. Jayde and her team also had a meeting that lasted for 2 hours 30 minutes. After the meeting, on our way home, Jayde told me that so many corrections were made.
“I wish you came for the past rehearsals, you really made a huge impact on today’s rehearsals.”
“Thanks for the compliment. I just want to say a big thank you for the tribute you paid to Dubem. I love the poem, the ballerinas did a wonderful job, they portrayed raw emotions and it gave me goose pimples. It means a lot to me and I am so sure that Dubem would be very delighted.”
The D day finally arrived. We had breakfast and Tare left for the Day spa. Jayde, Mom and I left for the salon. Jayde and mom didn’t have the luxury of time to visit the Day spa. I had the luxury but I didn’t want to follow Tare because I knew the outcome would be disastrous.
Around 5pm, mom came to tell me that we were running late. I got downstairs late. Jayde was looking beautiful and so was Tare, mom looked like our elder sister. She looked so youthful. Tare’s gown was so skimpy, it was a pink gown and the back of the gown was bare. Her hair was made into a pony tail, she wore dangling earrings and a beautiful necklace, the necklace was huge. The necklace accentuated her bare neck because the gown’s neckline was very low.
Jayde was looking stunning in her half-sleeve cold-shoulder gown and she looked like a goddess in her gown. Her hair was let down and it was reaching her waist line. By the time we got to the venue I felt like going back. “Come on Jessa! It’s not like you are going for an exam. Just calm down, if anything goes wrong it won’t dent your name. You were the show producer, it’s in the past.” snapped Jayde.
I reluctantly left the car, when we were all set to enter the venue I turned to go back when Mom, Jayde and Tare were engrossed in a conversation. My phone rang, it was an unknown number calling, and I answered it out of curiosity.
“Hi Jessa.”
“Mason?”
“I am coming to get you.”
I was so happy that Mason eventually came, “I needed to see you” he said. “I just had to, I couldn’t go on again, being without you.”
“But I thought you were not coming. I thought we were done and…”
“I changed my mind.” he interuppted.
“I am so sorry for betraying your trust. I am sorry about Rene, it was an accident and I promise that it would never repeat itself. You were distant, you were pushing me away slowly and…”
“That’s enough. I forgive you, it never happened. The most important thing is that we love each other. Or don’t you love me?”
“I do Mason Nikos.” I replied.
“I just hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.” he said..
“There is nothing to forgive; I was the one at fault.”
Mason started fidgeting and I was getting so impatient.
“Jessa what I am about to tell you could end us.”
“Let me be the Judge of that.” I replied, there was a glint of anger in my voice now.
He swallowed hard, “I am a beta thalassemia patient and that is why I grew so distant when you came back from Kaduna, I wanted to break up with you because you didn’t and still don’t deserve me.” I ran off, I stopped to pull off my shoes and continued running. Tears filled my eyes. I felt as if I was teleported back in time when Dubem was about giving up the ghost. I fell down and continued crying, I felt a hand on my left shoulder. I jerked with fear.
“You startled me Mason.” I said.
He squatted next to me and whispered, “I am so sorry.” and he stood up and was about leaving.
“Sorry for keeping this away from me?” I asked
“I am sorry for not being the perfect man for you. I do not deserve you.”
“No, it is not your fault. I demand an apology from you for hiding this from me. This does not change anything about us.”
I hugged him and he stood still, I was expecting him to say something but he did not. I did not want to bug him with too many questions.
“I am sorry for running off; I do not want to lose anyone again. I am scared, I have not recovered from Dubem’s demise. I do not want history repeating itself. I love you.”
“I love you too.” he replied, he still stood still.
I wanted to ask so many questions but I restrained myself, this was not the time. I told Mason that we should go somewhere else, but I told him that we should go to the venue first.
“There is something I must do.” I said.
Before going to the venue, I cleaned my face with one of my numerous face wipes and applied a little make up because I did not want anyone to notice that I had been crying. Mason and I were punctual for the poem recitation and the performance.
The performance was way better than that of the previous day. We left immediately, through an alternate exit, we did not want anyone to know that we were leaving.
“Take me home Nikos.”
Written by Kezi Angela Patrick
