Page 34 of Endgame

Lara opens her mouth and I hold my finger up.

‘Nope. You promised,’ I remind her.

Lara folds her arms with a face like thunder and stares ahead. Peace. At last. I lean towards Sophia.

‘I heard about the baby. Congratulations. He’s going to be a fantastic father.’

I nod at Jasper as he steps up to stand beside Zachary.

‘He is.’ The absolute devotion that Sophia has on her face when she looks at Jasper and strokes her tummy makes me hope that Jasper is making it up to her.

The bridal march starts to play and we stand with the rest of the congregation. It’s only then that I notice the space has filled up with guests.

Isszy walks in looking like a beautiful woodland goddess in white, and is escorted by her father in richly coloured green and gold African robes that make him look like royalty; but Ariella is the one that takes my breath away. She’s wearing a simple, long, soft, green sleeveless dress as she walks behind Isszy and her father, straightening Isszy’s train and ensuring that she keeps up.

The whole ceremony has a beautiful serenity to it, and with every smile and laugh that escapes from Ariella I’m pulled in deeper. She’s happy. For the first time, I realise, in a very long time, Ariella is happy.

‘Thirty minutes are up. You have one silence left. Sophia is preggers?’ Lara whispers mid ceremony.

Without hesitation, I reward Lara’s commitment to her promise and whisper back, ‘Yes. And there’s a wedding next week. Aari isn’t invited.’

Lara’s eyes widen and her mouth opens in shock. ‘Shut the front door!’

A lady behind us shushes us.

We stay silent, but when Zachary and Isszy are pronounced man and wife, the whole venue erupts to the point that the pastor and registrar have to instruct Zachary to kiss his bride during a standing ovation. I see Ariella do a couple of cute little hops between the standing congregation as she laughs and claps for her brother and his new wife. Even Lara is beaming.

‘I want her back, Lara. I need your help.’

‘Here’s my help. Don’t tell me. Tell her. And get out of your own way, Caleb.’

We follow the couple out into a private garden within the palace grounds where champagne, canapés and photographers are waiting.

The atmosphere is vibrant and colourful, with guests wearing an equal mix of Western and Nigerian clothing. Everyone is talking, introducing themselves, making fast friends and finding out about each other. I join in, meeting new people and catching up with some of the guests I recognise from the engagement party. When I suddenly spot Dahlia, I go straight to her.

‘Congratulations, Dahlia. You look absolutely breathtaking.’

‘Caleb!’ She pulls me into a hug so warm only a mother could give it. ‘I must say you look very handsome.’ She puts me at arm’s length to look at me from head to toe. Before I can respond, Ariella’s gigi appears from behind her daughter.

‘Come here, young man, and keep an old widow company. If you call me “Grandma” like everyone else, you’re toast.’

‘You had a plus one. You should have brought MrRamon. I’m sure he’s hurt.’ Dahlia looks tickled.

‘Dee Dee, for the last time, MrRamon just helps around the house.’ Gigi laughs and winks at me in front of her daughter. ‘Dee Dee is very sensitive – she loved her father very much, but light bulbs don’t change themselves.’

I raise my palm and happily offer an invitation. She places her hand in mine and starts leading me away.

I mouth, ‘I LOVE HER’ to Dahlia and point at Gigi.

Dahlia laughs, shoos me away and walks into the crowd. I spend the rest of the wedding reception by Gigi’s side trading stories. I give her a sanitised version of my past and present and she reciprocates by telling me about her life, the challenges growing up in the South, a stubborn and flighty Dahlia, her own initial reservations about Dahlia and Hugh’s relationship andher worry for the quiet and shy Ariella. By the time I sit down to dinner with Lara, I feel the need to spend even more time with Gigi.

The Orangery has been converted into a dining space with lowlights and candelabra. I end up next to Sophia on a table of nine because Lara has created a problem for the catering staff and they’ve had to make an extra spot for her. We sit with friends of both Ariella and Jasper and are accepted quickly into the fold. The meal is sumptuous – until Lara finishes her dessert and steals mine. The speeches are brilliant. Isszy’s father gives the best one, reducing my table to tears. Jasper’s is a moving tribute to his brother and Zachary’s is drily hilarious. Isszy participates by throwing a bread roll at his head – which he successfully ducks – because he seems keen for us to know that her right little toe is so tiny, it looks like just a nail that he lovingly calls ‘the claw’. Isszy definitely has her hands full.

When the first and parent dances are over and the party starts, everyone rushes onto the dance floor. I excuse myself to dance with Gigi, only to see that she is already dancing with an older, distinguished-looking gentleman from Isszy’s family. He is very obviously flirting and she is giving him a run for his money. I’m enjoying their dance when I spot Dahlia leaving the dance floor and practically run over.

‘Nope. Not so fast, “Dee Dee”,’ I tease, grabbing her hand.

‘Call me that again and I’ll have Hugh break both your knees,’ she joyfully threatens, then follows me.

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