Taking Chances – Episode 31

****EPISODE 31****

 

‘You feeling the music!’ Brenda screamed excitedly over the deafening sound of the music. The glass she held protested the careless wave of the hand holding it up high and a drop of its content hit the table

 

where Daisy and Brenda sat. But Brenda was far from caring.

 

Daisy smiled nervously at her friend, her eyes darting around the dimly lit and suffocating club house for the umpteenth time. Her mind telling her that she had no business here whatsoever.

 

It wasn’t like she was a novice at this things, its just that Mama had

 

weaned her out of the habit, courtesy of the weekends she’d always spent with her back then in Boston, now Daisy felt like a square in a peg hole.

 

‘Please, be lively for a sec! This is not a mourning house or

 

something!’ Brenda scolded dropping the glass of wine on the table. Her friends lack-lustre mood was really irritating her.

 

‘Am lively’ Daisy frowned and drained the content of her cup, settling it down, she smiled another weak attempt at bravery. All her initial excitement obviously, was fast draining

 

‘Okay! I know just what you need to get into the mood’ Brenda said excitedly, stood up and danced towards the bar.

 

Daisy eyes trailed her friend’s move till the bodies of dancers few steps away, shielded her. Then she shifted her attention to the Smirnoff ice on their table. ‘Oh well’ she said resignedly, and poured herself another glass full.

 

Her nurse instinct prompted her on the dangers inherent in over

 

indulging, but Daisy ignored it, she desperately needed something to shake her off this depressing mood that annoyed her so. Had she totally lost the sense of fun? She wondered angrily.

 

Minutes later Daisy’s gaze was on Brenda, she stood with one hand on her waist, the other brandishing a bottle of Amarula wine, her pose like that of a Model and she was smiling confidently at Daisy. Daisy returned the smile.

 

‘Luck has finally caught up with us!’ she screamed still on that pose. ‘Some

 

handsome dude, who’s being to Theresa’s school for the gent, bought me this so effortless, and he promised more from where this came from!’ she completed slumping into her seat.

 

Daisy smiled, dressed like that, she knew Brenda could just as well call it a walk over to obtain whatever she wanted from this guys ogling at them ever since. She personally wasn’t interested in playing charming on them.

 

Why?

 

She was unhappily married to the man of her dreams, and she’d rather deal with him than any other unnamed guy even if he didn’t seem to appreciate her love.

 

‘So you gonna snap out of it or what?’ Brenda asked while she busied with un-capping the wine.

 

‘Give me just a little more time’ Daisy replied smiling.

 

Pop!

 

The cap flew open and the wine bubbled out. Daisy clapped now and Brenda poured some into their cups, happy that her friend was finally warming up. Just then Iyanya’s ‘your waist’ track filtered into the air and the

 

atmosphere changed, previous dancer shifted into another gear of dance step, while those seated rushed to the dance floor to go begin the business of waste shaking. ‘That dee jay is killing me!’ Brenda screamed excitedly. ‘Hurry up with the drink, lets go strut our stuff, and teach them dude the real deal!’

 

Daisy nodded and smiled, she wasn’t a big fan of Nigerian music, but with hit track like this, she really didn’t have other choices!

 

She wriggled her legs to the rhythm now. If Brenda wanted her to dance, then dance she would. All she needed was a push, hopefully this would do the trick. Daisy thought and drank generously from her wine.

 

The girls chattered on and on for the next couple of minutes, gearing up for the imminent dance, when a male form towered over their table.

 

 

‘What’s the probability of meeting two lovely ladies on a lovely Friday at Ojez night club?’ the voice patronized.

 

Their heads raised to see a guy smiling broadly at them. One face registered recognition, the other sized the man from feet to head, before putting on a disgusted and bored look.

 

‘Hi’ Daisy said smiling.

 

‘Hello, tis a surprise to meet you here’ the male replied.

 

‘You too, uhm…uhm’ she was grappling with his name.

 

‘Ade’ the guy supplied.

 

‘Yeah Mr. Ade Daisy said grinning foolishly, she hadn’t actually known his name, but she sure knew who he was.

 

‘I see you girls are having a great time’ Ade said, his attention directed at Brenda.

 

‘Yeah, surprisingly we are’ Daisy said and drained the wine from her cup.

 

‘Yeah a great time we had, till you appeared’ Brenda said drily.

 

‘Do you know this dude, Daisy?’ she asked, not the least taken in by his pleasantry, irritation was what best described how she felt at the moment. ‘Yeah…’ a belch ‘…sorry’ a giggle ‘he is… no…was…the groom’s man’ Daisy completed. The wine was starting to take its toll on her.

 

‘Whatever’ Brenda replied waving her hands. ‘So can I join you girls?’ Ade queried ‘Sure…’

 

‘Not a chance!’ Brenda cut Daisy short. ‘Its a table for two, guys ain’t welcomed’

 

‘All guys or this guy?’ Ade replied

 

‘Doesn’t matter’ Brenda countered.

 

‘Maybe for Daisy here, but for you…’

 

‘Am perfect! Besides…’ Brenda sized him up again ‘… you’re not my kind of guy, so eva-po-rate!’ she completed cutting Ade off.

 

Ade was far from backing down, in fact, he was excited by her attitude, he was one to hit on, sassy, spoilt and arrogant females, and this female here sure reeled of it! Her intonation and kit-up was another, he loved the ‘wild’ classyness spelling all over her. obviously, she had no idea how irritating and obstinate he could be. He smiled.

 

‘I could try match up’ He challenged further.

 

‘We ain’t in a biz of match making here’

 

‘I still don’t mind’

 

‘Don’t hurt yourself over trying, cos you ain’t getting it dude’

 

 

‘A trail will convince you!’ Ade continued, standing there confidently like that was his only care in the world.

 

‘I don’t even give trails for convincing’

 

‘too bad, Cos you missing out sweet girl’ Ade said smiling. This was his kind of chick, he thought excitedly.

 

‘O please! Don’t call me sweet, cos I ain’t’ ‘That’s better, cos I love them bitter girls’

 

‘Okay! Its official’ Brenda shouted banging the table. ‘…you are a big pain in the ar.se’. Giving him a scornful look she stood up. ‘and be

 

gone before I return! If you want no trouble!’ she completed, hissed and walked away her head raised high in pride.

 

‘trouble is my middle name’ Ade chuckled to himself. Then turned his attention to the foolishly smiling Daisy.

 

Daisy had followed the verbal

 

war between them in amusement, downing more and more of the wine, her mind was in a haze now and her body felt weak, the loud music was doing wonders to her nerves and hitting unrelentingly at her head. Daisy couldn’t tell how she felt at the moment.

 

‘Your friend?’ Ade asked coming to sit at the just vacated chair. She was obviously drunk, he thought.

 

‘Yeah…’ Daisy giggled ‘…don’t let her attitude get to you’ a wave of her hand, ‘she gets like this when she wanna be on the defensive’ she completed, a funny smile playing on her face then made to pour another drink for herself.

 

‘Don’t you think you’ve had that enough?’ Ade asked.

 

‘Have I?’ Daisy asked foolishly and paused ‘just wanted to kill this nervousness’ she shrugged and continued with the wine. ‘besides I love its taste’ she blurted, then drank a volume, bringing down the cup to smile foolishly again at Ade.

 

Ade smiled back. He couldn’t possibly stop a grown woman from indulging herself, now could he?

 

‘Jide didn’t come?’ he asked casually.

 

The question immediately changed her countenance, to be replaced with a forlorn look. She twisted her lips and dropped the wine, her mind momentarily flashed back to the note she had dropped on the dining before leaving that evening. Her

 

 

eyes scanned the place for a clock, but saw none. Who would place a clock in a club? She wondered drily.

 

Daisy sighed, it became clear to her now what she felt.

 

Pain.

 

She exhaled deeply, her face betraying how she felt inside.

 

Ade noticed her changed expression, and found himself pitying her inspite of

 

himself. Here was a woman who very well loved his brash friend. But here she

 

was, probably doing this to spite Jide, or to prove a point to herself or satisfy her

 

friend’s whim. He wasn’t sure which.

 

‘What’s her name?’ he asked

 

wanting to change the topic.

 

‘Didn’t get that…’

 

‘Her name, your friend who just left…’ he was repeating when.

 

‘This is where you’ve been? couldn’t you tame your flirtatious nature even for a while!’ a female voice shouted angrily.

 

They both looked up to see a lady, standing by their table, visibly angry with hands on her hips.

 

Lady in red! Daisy’s antenna picked. Her elusive brain could never ever forget this particular person!

 

‘Grace am so sorry, I sighted some friends and decided to come say hi’ Ade said standing up.

 

To be continued………

 

By Oden Green

 

 

TAKING CHANCES