To Survive

6: BERNA @ 20

(The night after Sabella's 22nd birthday)
Sabella was moving to her room in the hostel with
Sedem. They were climbing up the stairs when they met
up with Nicole. She had this smile on her face that was
meant for Sabella. Sabella smiled back at her. There was
something about her blonde nature that was loveable but
no man was going to pick her over Sabella and that
explained Kofi.
"How are you, Nicole?"
"I'm good. What about you?"
"Same here."
"How was your birthday yesterday? Did Kofi manage
to give you a gift?" her smile broadened. Sabella wishes she
could lie and proudly say o yes he gave me a bouquet and sent me out on a romantic date but that didn't
happen. She didn't even see him the whole day and he
didn't answer any of her calls and he didn't reply to her text
too. It was as if he intentionally disappeared that day.
Nicole tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
"I understand. I told you, right? Kofi Amoyaw is not
a romantic type of person. He doesn't even celebrate his
birthday to think of yours but then after that when he
needs you he'll call." and then as if planned Kofi called
Sabella that moment made Nicole laugh more. She
walked away and a part of Sabella wanted to punch her
but she was right. Kofi wasn't romantic. They'd dated for a
while now and the fanciest thing he had ever gotten her
was the ice cream by the park. Sedem moved to Sabella's
side after and Sabella hung up Kofi's call.
"I have hope in both of you and I don't care about who didn't give who a birthday gift. Think clearly. She still
likes him and she wants to destroy the both of you using
Kofi's weakness. It's up to you now to continue this
relationship with an open eye. Listen to what Kofi has to
say and we'll take it from there." Kofi called again and she
answered this time around.
"Hello," he said.
"Hello," she replied coldly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"I wanted to invite you out for dinner tonight."
"I'm not hungry but I'll make it. What restaurant?...o
sorry, what location? Is it your room or a fast food by the
park? Or you want us to have ice cream for dinner." Sedem
tapped her and opened her eyes but Sabella couldn't
help herself from being angry.
"So much for nothing. It's the Bocelli Restaurant and
we can talk about certain things."
"I'm sorry. What time?"
"An hour from now."
"I'll see if I can make it." he hung up the call and she
opened her mouth in shock.
"He hung up on me. How dare him?"
"Is this Sabella Ampate Lombardo? You allow a guy
to hang up on you and you're still dating him. This is the
first of your relationship that someone is really in control and it isn't you."
"We'll find out tonight."
"I'll advise you to stun him with your beauty. You'll need
it."
*
Nicole walked into the room of the boys and
surprisingly Kay was the only one there. He was wearing
his white shirt when she walked in, "The fact that you're a
member of the F10 Geng doesn't mean you can walk into
a boys' room without knocking."
"As if I haven't seen all your dicks before...Where is
everyone?"
"Don't tell me you haven't heard."
"Heard what?"
*
Sedem decided to keep Sabella company in the
Bocelli Restaurant and it felt odd to Sabella but she
allowed it. Anything to anger Kofi was accepted. She
parked at the restaurant and then got out of the car with
Sedem. The lights in the restaurant were off but Sabella
could spot a few candlelights.
"If he told me that it was a hot dark restaurant I'd
have told him to come to my room for dinner." Sedem
laughed. Sabella brushed her hair backward and then
coiled part of her hair to her right shoulder. She wore an
elegant red dress that Sedem approved of right after she'd
seen it. She screamed he'll give you his soul when he sees you in that dress. They both entered with Sedem taking
the lead. She ushered Sabella into the dark restaurant and
there was indeed a single candlelight on the center table
and that was where Kofi sat. She couldn't see anything else
in the restaurant apart from him. She could sense him
even though she could barely see him.
"Kofi," she said softly, and then the lights went on and
she was stunned by what she saw. The whole restaurant
was filled with her friends and loved ones. Even Eugene
was present and Sedem moved to sit by his side. She was
confused but then she smiled. "What is going on, Kofi?"
"I wanted to wish you a happy birthday plus you look
beautiful," he held her hand and brought her closer to the
centre table. One of the waiters brought in a burnt
cake and Sabella placed her hand to her face and laughed.
"You never fail to impress...happy birthday with a
burnt cake."
"I thought it was burnt too with no life so that's why I
chose it. At a point, we feel like there's nothing more we
can do but then the light shines through the burns and
through the dark. That light is always in us no matter how
dark it gets," he placed two fingers carefully into the cake
and pulled out an engagement ring and Sabella placed her
hand to her lips. He knelt right in front of her and tears
rushed down her eyes.
"I promised myself that on that day I'll kneel
down before a lady, I was not going to cry but this woman
spelled me," they all laughed as he wiped a tear off his
face, "Miss Sabella Ampate Lombardo, the jewel of the
Lombardo home, the only woman that managed to completely have me and bring me happiness that I
thought I'd never feel in my life, will you marry me?"
"Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!" they all began to scream
as they hit the table and stamped their feet happily. She
spotted Kay and all the members of the Bons
Geng. She turned back to Kofi delighted with what he'd
done. All their experiences from the previous months
flooded right through her brain prominently including the
night they met. Indeed, he was the one. A forgotten
birthday for a marriage proposal.
"Yes, I will marry you." everyone jumped around
happily as Kofi fixed the ring on Sabella's finger and then
kissed her. She smiled happily and he wiped the tears off
her face. "I love you, Kofi."
"I love you more."
*
Nicole parked opposite the Bocelli Restaurant and
witnessed it all herself. Kay told her about Kofi's plan to
propose to Sabella. Did he love her that much? Was it so
easy for him to forget about her? He watched how they
kissed and turned happily to their loved ones who were
gathered there and that is when it dawned on her that the
only man she loved was gone and never to be hers again.
*
Vawk rushed to the Acquah residence with her
trusted guard, Nutifafa, by her side. There were many
people at the Acquah residence but then they all parted
ways for her to get straight into Caleb and Eunice's
bedroom. Eunice lay in bed with a motherly smile drawn all over her face as she held onto her newborn child.
"It's a boy!" Vawk screamed happily and then lifted
the baby boy from her daughter's arms. Caleb sat happily
by his wife's side. Nutifafa just stared at them with disgust.
He wouldn't have been there if not for Vawk. He couldn't
stand the sight of the woman he had loved since his
teenage days bearing the son of his competitor, Caleb. He
faked a smile and then questioned.
"What is his name?" it came out colder than he
expected.
"We'll name him Gershun," Eunice replied.