Let's Elope

The Search Begins

The smile slowly disappeared from Dara's face.

"I'm sorry? Could you please repeat that?"

The woman on the other end of the phone spoke gently, with that careful professionalism people use when they don't want to alarm you.

"We've been unable to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Tobi to the resort, Miss Dara."

Dara sat up straighter.

"What do you mean?"

"They haven't arrived. Our team has been waiting."

Dara's eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. 7:42 p.m.

"But their flight left last night. It was supposed to land today."

"Yes, ma'am. It landed as scheduled this afternoon at 1:35 p.m. Malé time. Our airport representative waited at the arrivals hall. The speedboat transfer waited at the jetty. Unfortunately, neither guest arrived."

Yesterday evening, under the fairy lights at Royal Gardens Event Centre, Dara had watched Ada try not to cry while Auntie Amaka fussed over her bouquet. Yesterday evening, at exactly 6:15 p.m., she had watched the decorated black SUV pull away, ribbons fluttering, Tobi's hand waving from the back window.

Their flight was 11:30 p.m. last night. A long flight with a layover in Doha. It was supposed to land this afternoon in Maldives. The landing time made sense. Why they were not on the boat did not.

"Have you tried calling them?" Dara asked. Her voice was suddenly small.

"Several times, ma'am. Both numbers are unavailable."

That was when the fear began. Not loudly. Not dramatically. Quietly, like a shadow creeping into the room.

"Thank you for calling me. Please keep the villa for them. If I hear anything, I will call you immediately."

"Of course. We are keeping everything ready."

The call ended.

Dara remained standing, phone still pressed to her ear. She didn't move.

The door opened. Femi walked in holding a nylon bag.

"Chief Bridesmaid, I come bearing puff-puff for—" He stopped when he saw her face. "Dara? What is it?"

She slowly lowered the phone.

"The resort called. They're not there. The flight landed this afternoon in Malé but they never came for the boat. Both phones are off."

Femi stared.

"Both?"

Dara nodded. Femi immediately dialled Tobi. Straight to voicemail. Ada. Same.

"Let's call the airline. Now."

He put the phone on speaker. After hold music, a customer care officer answered. Femi gave the booking reference that only he and Dara knew — because only he and Dara knew about the secret elope.

"Yes, booking confirmed for Mr. and Mrs. Tobi. Flight departed Lagos 11:30 p.m. yesterday, arrived Malé 1:35 p.m. today. No delays."

Femi looked at Dara. "Can you please check boarding status? Did they scan their boarding passes in Lagos?"

Typing. A pause that felt too long.

"According to our system, sir, the two passengers checked in online but did not board the flight in Lagos. Their seats were empty."

The room went silent except for the hum of the fridge.

"They never left Lagos," Dara whispered.

Femi ended the call. His hands were shaking. He called the car company number his cousin had given them for the airport drop.

A tired manager answered.

"Mr. Bayo? Yes, that driver. He left for Royal Gardens yesterday at 4 p.m. for an airport drop for a wedding couple. He never returned. His GPS last pinged at 6:12 p.m. yesterday, very close to Royal Gardens. His wife has been calling us since midnight. We thought he ran away with the car."

Dara's knees gave way. She sat on the cold floor.

"Femi... they disappeared between Royal Gardens and the airport. Right after they waved at us at 6:15 yesterday."

Femi knelt beside her.

"Listen to me. We have to call their parents. But we cannot mention the resort or the flight. Only you and I knew they were flying to Maldives last night. Tobi made us promise not to tell anyone. If we tell her mother now that a resort in Maldives is calling, she will ask why we kept it secret and panic more. For now, we just say we can't reach them since they left the reception."

Dara wiped her tears and nodded.

The first call went to Ada's mother. She answered laughing.

"Good evening, my daughter. Has our bride finally remembered she has a mother?"

"Ma, good evening. Please... have you heard from Ada since yesterday evening after they left Royal Gardens?"

A small pause.

"No. Why would I? They left for their honeymoon, they said they wanted privacy for the first day. They said they would call when they settle. Is all well?"

Second call, Tobi's father. Same confusion.

"They left yesterday evening now. The wedding car took them. Why are you asking?"

Then Ada's father, who was sitting with Tobi's father, said the sentence that changed everything.

"Where is the wedding car? The decorated black SUV? Has anyone returned it? The company has been calling me since morning saying their driver and car are missing."

Femi took the phone from Dara.

"Sir, the company just told us the same thing. Their driver and car never came back from Royal Gardens since yesterday evening at 6:15. And we have not been able to reach Ada and Tobi since they left the venue yesterday."

Silence on the line. Then Ada's mother, who had been put on speaker, screamed.

"Where is my daughter?"

Within thirty minutes both families were at Royal Gardens. The event manager checked his log, confused.

Two weddings yesterday. Two black SUVs. One belonged to the other wedding — it returned at 7 p.m. The one booked for Ada and Tobi, driven by Mr. Bayo, left the premises at 6:15 p.m. yesterday with three people inside — bride, groom, driver — and never came back.

The police were called.

When the police arrived, Femi pulled the lead officer aside, away from the parents, and said quietly,

"Officer, there is something only we knew. They had a flight last night at 11:30 p.m. for their honeymoon. We checked with the airline. They never boarded. They never even got to the airport."

The officer's face changed.

A bride, a groom, and an innocent driver left a wedding reception yesterday evening at 6:15 p.m., waved goodbye to everyone they loved, and never arrived anywhere.

The search began.

And somewhere in the darkness, just a few kilometres from Royal Gardens, in a dusty warehouse that wasn't on any map, two newlyweds in their wedding clothes and a driver who was just doing his job were sitting on a cold floor, listening to footsteps outside, wondering if anyone had finally realized they never made it to the airport at all.