Page 19 of Choosing the Chief

She nods slowly. “OK. I respect that, but we’ll have to have that conversation one day Adom. I want to know everything about you.”

I lean over and kiss the tip of her nose. “That’s fine. But, right now I’m just going to hold you all night long and infuse the sweetest of dreams into your sleep.” I lie back and she drops her head on my chest.

“I don’t need to sleep for that. You’ve infused sweetness into my life. My life is the dream now.”

As her breathing slows, I think about her declaration. I realize more than ever that I need to be her dream. My grim realities will stay hidden until another day.

Chapter Eleven

Afterglow

Maya

When we wake from our night of lovemaking, I am deliriously happy.This could be our new normal.Adom and I both cherish our space and time alone. That is one thing we always had in common. We used to get together for drinks and bemoan the clinginess of lovers seeking long-term relationships. Neither one of us had the emotional capacity to handle such requests. But maybe we do with each other. Maybe it’s like math. Two negatives cancel, creating a baseline that is new and uncrowded by the weight of our past experiences and pessimism. You can build a relationship from nothing. You can’t build one from hurt, anger, unforgiveness, and spite.

I sneak out of bed and take a hot shower. I was actually looking forward to my bath last night, but what I got instead was much better. I wash my hair and decide not to blow it straight today. I don’t know what he has planned for us to do, but if it involves me stepping out into the African heat, straightening my hair is a waste of time. Plus, we have breakfast with Ella and Kofi this morning, and I want to surprise her with my curls.

I dry off and stride into the closet to get dressed. I pick a purple sundress along with gold hoops, necklaces, and sandals. Adom had clothes sent to the palace from home. He thinks of everything. As I finish getting dressed, I hear the shower running. Adom is preparing for the day.

I sit at the bedroom desk and pull a copy of Tayari Jones’An American Marriagefrom my purse. I’ve been toting it around intending to read it for a while. She’s a Spelman sister, so I know it’s good. After a very intriguing first chapter, Adom steps out of the closet in white linen pants and a green and blue African print T-shirt that grabs his chest in all the right places.He’s so damn fine.I can’t take it! His tall chocolate body is calling me to come close and I do. I put my book down and jump up from the desk into his arms. He chuckles and wraps me tight, kissing the top of my head.

“Good morning, princess. Did you sleep well? I missed your face when I opened my eyes this morning.”

I nod. “Yes, I slept very well. I decided to get a head start on getting dressed this morning. After last night, we might not let each other out of bed in time for breakfast. I didn’t want that.”

“Hmmm,” his deep voice echoes. “Very true. Let’s head down to the dining room now; I’m sure they are waiting.” He kisses me deeply before taking my hand and escorting me out of the room.

As we walk down the hall, I marvel at the artwork on the walls and sculptures highlighted in lit alcoves. I feel like I’m visiting a museum as we walk down the winding hallways. “Adom,” I ask, “does anyone still live here? I know Kofi and Ella are in Bonbiri. Does the palace just stay empty?”

“More often than not, yes,” Adom answers. “Kofi generally only uses the administrative offices on the top floor. I think he likes to keep home separate from work. However, there is always a full house staff here. So Kofi and Ella can stay here anytime they choose.”

I nod. I imagine living in a palace and the grandeur of it all. I know Ella is not interested in any of this. To her, a royal home of this magnitude is overwhelming. It would swallow her. I’m glad Kofi has a home that’s just for them. But I would thrive here. I can already envision the updates I would make so that it would feel more like a royal home and less like a museum.

Adom catches me daydreaming and interrupts my reverie. We stop at the entrance of the dining room. “You’re thinking of what it would be like to live here, aren’t you?” Damn! He knows me too well. “I know you would love nothing more than to put on a tiara daily and glide down these hallways.”

I laugh in agreement. “You know it! All I’m saying is, if you decide to finally accept your birthright, you should ask to live in the palace. I mean Kofi doesn’t want to, and all of this historical beauty is going to waste!”

He studies my face and runs the back of his knuckles across my cheek. “If I ever decide to live as a prince in Ghana, I will do my best to secure the palace as my home on one condition. You must promise to be my princess. I wouldn’t live here without you. You should marry me.”

I shrug off the comment.He’s joking. “Yeah, I’m not ever getting married, Adom, you know that. However, if you do decide to reign and talk Kofi into letting you live here, I will consider being your homey-lover-friend and palace mate for life! As long as I get to keep my tiara.”

He kisses my nose and chuckles. “I will buy you 11 more. You will have one for each month!”

I grin and give small claps of glee. “You spoil me rotten, Adom. Please don’t ever stop, because I love it.”

He wraps his arm around my waist and guides us into the dining room. “Oh, I know you do. Now just think of how I would spoil you if you were truly mine. If you were my wife.”

I’m thinking of a quick comeback when I see Ella sitting at the table devouring a plate full of bacon. I squeal and shake my head in playful derision “Ella, are you seriously going to sit there and eat an entire plate of fried pork?”

She snaps a piece of bacon in half with a bite. “Don’t judge me! I’m eating for two, and the baby likes bacon!”

I throw my hands up. “Exactly, and the baby needs to learn now that everything he likes is not good for him. Fried pork is not healthy for anyone. At least not an entire slab!” I look at Kofi with a stern look of reprimand. “Well, aren’t you going to say something? I let her come here and marry you under the impression you would make her go to the gym and keep the personal health regimen I had her on. Didn’t you get my email?”

He laughs. “You know Ella Jenkins does exactly what she wants to do. She almost took one of my fingers off for attempting to snatch the plate away.” Ella rolls her eyes in his direction and smirks.

“Don’t worry, Maya. The deal is she walks an extra two miles for that plate of bacon this afternoon. She must also drink an extra two quarts of water to flush out all the grease.”

Ella glares at Kofi and groans in resignation. “Why don’t you all just mind your business and let my baby and I eat in peace!” She snaps her head in the direction of Adom and me and arches her eyebrow. “You two are late! What has kept you in the palace bedrooms so late this morning…hmmm?”

---