An Unwanted Partridge on a Stereo

Adaora tapped her fingers on the table to calm herself down. She had woken up in a good mood, and her mum wasn't going to change that with her impulsive decisions. For Pete's sake, wasn't she aware that the holiday was the time she used in organising her business and ensuring that everything was in place for the new year?

She read the contents of the card again. She had earlier on reluctantly agreed with her parents that she would represent them at the wedding ceremony of one of their business partners. She had made the decision regardless of the fact that her mother once attempted matchmaking her and the affluent Yoruba young man whose striking facial features didn't match his ill-mannered personality. It had taken an hour in his presence to call it a never-never situation.

Based on their agreement, the wedding had before that day been in Banana island, in one of those luxurious hotels whose security didn't allow people into their gates during events, unless their faces were recognised from the screen or magazine. Now, the content of the card she had in her palms was that the venue of the wedding had been moved to America, a change accompanied by a brief and impolite, "Our apologies for the inconveniences."

Typical of Tayo to carry his obnoxiousness of others' feelings to his wedding. Who for God's sake made that kind of change three days prior to their event?

Another thought, that little doubt that Tayo's senselessness would have got to that degree spurred her to turn the card around. There, at the back of the regal platinum card was the date the change had been made, and to her surprise, it was dated to the nineteenth day of November, the previous month.

Well well, she thought, pulling out a note her mother had written and slipped into it. It was as she had started suspecting; her mum had in her elegant writing apologised for sending it late, while letting her know that it had been intentional because she wanted to catch Adaora off guard so that she wouldn't in her words "have any reason to back out."

"Why didn't you wake me up when she came? You must have known she was up to something." Adaora started as soon as she dropped the card on the table with a slight thud, looking up to face a scared looking Yemi.

"She ehh, she told me not to wake you up." Her voice had dropped to a whisper, and Adaora shut her eyes for a moment. After all, it wasn't the younger woman's fault that her mother had once again acted of her own volition without consulting her.

"It's okay. Return to what you were doing."

Yemi needn't be told twice. She quickly took hold of the opportunity and virtually tiptoed away from her angry boss' presence. Adaora's erratic mood whenever she was angry wasn't news among the members of her staff, both household and office employees.

Her ringtone went off then in the pocket of the robe, had she forgotten to change that ringtone which announced to everyone that she was using an i-phone? And for God's sake, had the volume always been this loud?

She dug her fingers into the lace material of the robe and pulled out her phone, heaving a deep sigh when she saw it was Darego.

Darego had often made jokes about Adaora being a Grinch, always being in a bad mood during the festive season, and no matter how many times Adaora had explained that she didn't hate the festive period, but simply found people's methods of its celebration repelling, Darego had continued to taunt her with it.

Although her best friend couldn't see her, she forced a smile to her lips before swiping on the screen, forcing an excitement into her voice. The last thing she needed to put finishing touches to her foul mood was her best friend's jibe.

"Hey Dare!" She employed a false high-pitched tone, hoping that her best friend wouldn't catch on.

"Hia, did you drink something bad?" Typical of Darego. But she couldn't blame her; Adaora wasn't the type that screamed 'Hey girlfriend' or 'hi babes.' She found such things mushy, and she didn't like them cheesy.

"No, just felt like saying that. What's up? Why did you call?"

Darego laughed at the other end at the sudden plummet in her tone. "Ehee, this is the Adaora I know. Good morning to you too, Grinch."

Adaora shook her head in surrender; her friend was incorrigible. She was never going to stop calling her that.

"Yeah, good morning."

She heard the door click close on Darego's side, before her friend continued. "So, what's happening? Why do you sound this way? Or are you just hating the holiday?"

Puffing out a deep breath, Adaora reclined in the tall seat carved out of the finest and smoothest sweet smelling wood and decided to let it out. There was no use keeping her foul mood to herself anyway; Darego had seen... Or rather in this case, heard through her.

"It's my mother. She has done another one."

Darego laughed, a deep taunting laughter, and Adaora was highly tempted to hang up on her. "You know how much I love that drama queen mother of yours. What did she do this time, tried to hook you up with one Malaysian guy that returned for Christmas?" Her laughter kept getting in between her words. Good friend of mine, Adaora thought to herself, mockingly.

"No. Not bugging me about marriage this time. You remember that I was supposed to attend Tayo's wedding in Banana island abi?"

Darego coincided with her. "Yes, I remember. That douche bag right?"

"Exactly. The venue was moved to America since last month, and my mother intentionally kept it from me until this morning, saying she didn't want me to back out."

"It's because she knows her daughter. Anyway, that's why you are angry?"

Adaora opened the second envelope, taking out tickets to the flight, and a four-day stay in a hotel room booked in her name since the last three weeks. Good gracious, her mother had really been planning this for a long time.

"She knows what the holiday means to me..."

"Oh please, it means another time you can curse the government for increasing the price of everything because it affects your business, and you only tolerate it because you can work in your lonely upstairs office during that period without any human disturbing you."

Oh well, she couldn't have put it that way, but Darego was right.

"It's a time I am productive. Besides, why won't I complain about how the price of everything goes up during Christmas and Easter and every other holiday, eh? Do you celebrate the birth of Jesus by making things impossible for the poor?"

Darego yawned, a yawn Adaora was sure had been deliberate.

"Listen, Adaora, I agree with everything you've said. Like, I can't argue with you at all because there is no lie in your words. But then, who told you that even the poor don't find something that makes them happy during the season? You're just a Grinch, or perhaps, Grinchess."

Adaora laughed at her last word. "Is that even a word?"

"Yes dear, in my dictionary it is. Anyway, attend the wedding. What day does your flight leave?"

Adaora checked the ticket, gasping for a moment. "Darego! By two o'clock today! Oh God, my mother! And to think that she didn't give me any notice!"

Rather than sympathise with her, Darego laughed. "Go and prepare for your trip, you will need to remove that sponge Bob weavon you are carrying and make a proper hair you know, to pepper Tayo at the wedding."

Although her friend's words were funny, Adaora couldn't find it in her to laugh. She had to make her hair, she had documents to approve at the office and good Lord, she needed to pack. All before two o'clock. She would call Chugo Ejike and give her a piece of her mind once she got off the phone. Touching her hair, she sighed as she remembered how expensive she had purchased the human hair which the dealer had claimed was the original. She had paid a hundred thousand for the rubbish that had started tangling after only three weeks.

Fake products everywhere, she thought, wondering the hairstyle she would make.

"Ehee, let me tell you why I called before I hang up. It's obvious that your mind is no longer with me."

Adaora realised herself. "Sorry, Dare. Don't mind me, I'm just thinking of how to organise myself. What is it?"

"No problem. Okay, first of all, Kemi will still call you, so till she does, pretend as if you don't know okay?"

"Whenever Darego took on that conspiratory tone, something interesting was going to be revealed.

"Alright. So..."

"Kemi is getting married!"

Adaora was shocked at first, before the news registered in her head and sincere happiness for her thirty year old friend took over. "Awww, I'm happy for her. Please, who is she getting married to?"

Lowering her voice, Darego replied. "Didn't you know before? Tayo now. She's getting married to Tayo whose wedding you are going to attend."