Bigger than Love 24

 
Chichi and I set up her car ready to drive me to the airport. It is Valentine’s Day tomorrow and I am hoping to start a whole new life in England when I land. I have not been lucky in love so far. Oh wait, it would be true to say I have not been in lucky in love, work or family. My father is very upset that I have decided to leave early but I am a walking talking bombshell and it would be best for everyone if I left.

‘What about Mutale? Are you not breaking his heart by leaving him just like that? Mimi says Bana Chola is adamant that you are not going anywhere. Ati munza kwatila’ Chichi giggles

‘Yes but Bana Chola is a little too mysterious for my liking really. I have no idea why she just can’t say whether Mutiz is meant for me or not and we all can avoid this drama!’

‘Yes but you have to be honest that since she told you about your dreams about your brother, you have not had those dreams since! And now we know that Ryan in actual fact is the one who has been hindering you from your love. Bana Chola said the guy who really loves you is there but balamutitikisha! That did not necessarily mean Ryan, I think she meant Mutale because if you think about it, Mutale has always been there but Ryan has always been in the way!’ Chichi says throwing my handbag into her car with so much flair you would have thought she was posing for a commercial.

‘Chichi listen, if Mutale was the one, he would have made a move by now the minute he found out that Ryan and I were done but he has not so I am going home. Wherever that is.’ My mother has been adamant that I head on back to the UK and set my priorities straight by pursuing a masters in law. Forget these boys and come home and heal. I wish she would have come home and been there for me rather than saying ‘you get what you wish for’ when I lost Lubuto. I quickly snap out of that thought. I cannot start with the waterworks. We have only 3 hours before departure, I must focus on the trip ahead.

My father, and brother come to the car to wish bid me farewell. Daddy gives me a hug and I think for a moment he might cry. Awww it is awkward seeing the soft side of daddy when it emanates but it is lovely to see that it exists. I have my leather high heeled boots on so they making me almost as tall as him. ‘I am glad you are going in a car young lady because those leggings would be a treat for the vendors. You know they strip women in this country’ daddy warns much to Chichi’s amusement.

‘Sorry dad, I insisted that she wears this outfit because there is somewhere we have to stop over on the way to the airport. Her top is long enough she will be fine!’ Chichi mocks my father. My father adores her so much she can get away with murder around her.

‘Oho so where are you two stopping off then?’

‘It is a surprise so I have not told her yet’. Typical Chichi, she has always been so secretive about everything. I don’t care as long as she gets me to the airport in good time for check in which really only gives her an hour for gallivanting.

After saying our goodbyes to everyone we set off for the airport. We joke about everything that has been happening and as usual she gives me a telling off for hanging around Ryan for so long. According to her I have the worst taste in men except for one. Between her mockery tone and the blaze music that she insists on playing in her car, I fall asleep and tell Chichi to wake me up once we get to the airport.

We must have been driving for ages because when I open my eyes, it is 3pm! Chichi ignores that I am awake and continues to drive on. Is she insane? Only Chichi would pull a stunt like this and wait, we are not even on the road to the airport!!There is hardly any sign of life but mainly what appears to be farmland! By now I am obviously fuming but Chichi seems too relaxed that if were a snake she would probably know how to tame me!

‘Lanie, I just don’t think you should go back having had a rubbish holiday so I took the liberty of changing your flight with your agent. So don’t worry you haven’t lost any money, I paid the balance for changing your flight. I just didn’t want to tell your father that I was in fact hijacking you because we would have had to start asking for permission and blah blah blah. Besides I have an awesome surprise for you and I promise when you see it you will love me forever’ she turns and gives me a cheeky smile.

I am so pissed off that the rest of the way to wherever we are going, I refuse to speak to her. I think it is very cheeky that she has tricked me like this. People are waiting for me in England and now I will have to let them down yet again. Oh, I bet she has done that already! I take out my phone and check my log list. Yes she has contacted my mother an hour ago. I shake my head at her but not at all surprised that she pulled this stunt.

The car goes around the hills in the spirals of beautiful scenic views. Signs of Lake Kariba appear and I am filled with excitement. I cannot contain myself that I forget how mad I am at Chichi that I allow a big smile to betray me. She is something else I swear. I now cannot wait to get to our destination.

‘What is the occasion? You are not a lesbian are you? Trying to keep me for yourself on Valentines day?’ I tease but secretly hope this is not the case.

‘No silly but like I said you will love me forever for this.’

Chichi finds a place to park and leads me to the most exotic houseboat I have ever set my eyes on. The boat is massive with three decks and dressed in glorious gloss of white. She looks an absolute angel and true to her name, she is a Southern Belle. Chichi and I skip happily towards the boat eager to get on board. We are chattering away so happily that I do not even bother look around at the other passengers waiting board.

‘So how long are we staying here for?’ I ask her enthusiastically.

‘No no no Lanie, it is how long are you staying for?’

‘What do you mean by that? Where are you going?’

‘Three is a crowd’ she says pointing behind me. ‘Say hello to your Valentine’. I turn to look at who she is pointing at and find Mutale standing behind me. He is dressed quite the dashing handsome gentleman in an actual suit complete with tie. He looks so handsome it puts the Southern Belle to shame. I put a hand to my mouth in an attempt to control my joyful squeak that is begging to escape me. I stay fixed to where I am but my hands are trembling and sweating so much that I have no idea what to do with them. I have not seen him in about a week and a half. It feels like forever. Mutale walks towards me with his signature single red rose in hand. Charming prat. He walks deliberately slow and I think it is just best for me to stay where I am and let him do all the work.

Chichi looks on shyly but gleefully. Mutale does not move his eyes from me for one second. He smoothly reaches me and says ‘Hey little bird, I thought I told you not to fly? Everything I say to you, I am confident you will say yes’. I love how his boyish face makes him appear so innocent yet sexy.

‘Have you missed me?’ he says in his cool, deep voice. I drop my hand to my waist and look at Chichi but he pulls my face back gently by my chin and raises my head to look at him. ‘Have you missed me?’

‘Yes’ I answer shyly but don’t lose eye contact.

‘You have known me forever right?’

‘Yes’

‘Do you think of me as much as I think of you?’

‘Yes’

‘Do you know that I love you?’ I look down but he lifts my chin up and repeats his question but I answer ‘maybe’. Then he leans in much closer and raises his right hand to give me his rose and whispers ‘can I be allowed to show you?’

‘Yes’ he gently lands on the runway and kisses me so sweetly, so romantically that the whole world around me disappears. It is everything I thought it would be. His tongue masterfully embraces mine fitting it like a lock and key. Ryan may have had me locked down but this man right here always held the master key. As he kisses me, I feel so warm, so at ease, so natural. It feels so right with Mutale. The white onlookers, clap away as though they were in on the plan all along. Their claps break our kiss but not our gaze into each other’s eyes.

‘I love you Lanie and I have loved you for the longest time. Every time I tried to show you, I was stopped because you belonged to him. From now on, will you let me love you the way God intended? We have known each other a lifetime and I do not want you to fly without me for one more sec, minute, hour or day. I have known you closer than anyone and you have become my best friend but…..’ Mutale digs into his trouser pocket and goes down on one knee. Oh my Lord he is not about to do what I think he is doing! I turn to Chichi for support but she in tears of joy clearly blown away by the spectacle. Cheeky cow knew he was going to do this! He takes out a box from my favourite Jewellers BeaverBrooks. That should have cost him an arm and a leg to get that delivered to Zambia! ‘Lanie the thought of you being miles away once again has haunted me since you got into the country. Ten years ago I let you go because you really liked my best friend. Ten years later, your heart was still misplaced. I want to give you this promise ring and promise me that one day you will do me the honour of being my wife. I know it is not an engagement ring but I would like you to know form the beginning that I am serious about you. I will cherish you the way I always have and with kisses like that, even better’. He opens it and exposes an 18ct white gold diamond ring. Bloody hell that is an expensive promise. It is perfect and of course I accept. My nails could have looked a little better but who cares with a ring like that eh?

Mutale gets up and kisses the daylights out of me once more. I would never have envisioned my holiday panning out this way. We say our goodbyes to Chichi and board the beautiful Southern Belle.

‘The next few days my darling hahaha darling, that sounds so British and posh ‘ Mutale says before continuing with his sentence ‘the next few days sweetheart will be filled with joy and happiness, watching the sunset together on this boat, wine and dine you, you don’t have to worry about clothes because Chichi and I went shopping. I just want you to relax the few days and let me look after you’.

‘Thank you Mutiz, you are an absolute gem’.

‘I love you Lanie. You don’t have to say it back yet but trust me, I am a patient man’.