Stowed Away

Designer wears were not for her, Eno had concluded. Or maybe they were not for people who barely earn enough to make ends meet. The designer bag and shoes she had bought for her younger sister’s wedding party drilled a hole in her account. She could not bring herself to look at the bank transactions. She had two choices: bring a fiancé to the wedding party or give off the illusion of a rich spinster. She just couldn’t stand people “whispering’ things in her hearing. Some even had the habit of walking up to her every family party and asking her why she still hasn’t brought a husband home at thirty-five, like her Aunt Louise. Maybe people would conclude that her wealth made men run away from her, that would be better than not being successful and not being married. She had been hell bent on proving that she was the rich spinster she wasn’t, her meagre salary couldn’t avoid a rental car so she had to make do with her 2010 Toyota Corolla. One might miss the dent if one didn’t look closely. She didn’t pay for the car either, her ex boyfriend did, or she did, in a way. Her last relationship was so exhausting that she might as well have paid for the car, if stress and exhaustion were to be calculated into some currency. If there was one lesson, life had thrown at her, it would be to not live an expensive life, if one wasn’t, well expensive. She had bought a house for which she paid in instalments. She didn’t know what she was thinking then. She had just got a modelling gig then, she expected it to be huge. Had had her lifestyle prepared to fit in the Olives gig. Turned out more popular people could just put a call across and get whatever gig they felt like. Eno used to dream when she was little, stare straight at the walls, and dream of winning an international beauty pageant contest. It was all she dreamed about when she was little, now she couldn't even dream of a better future. She got her first modelling gig as a child. Twelve, and almost the height of her mother. A photographer had reached out to her parents after church one day, and explained that he needed a child model, and she was perfect for the role. Maybe twelve year old would have said something if the clocks were reset to that particular point in time. Maybe she would have asked the photographer if things could go awry in the future. The question would have been met with frowns, but at least, she would have felt like she was prepared for it. Someone knocked at the door and invited them self in. Eno did not have to look to know who it was. The intruder walked around the room, ran her hands along the dressing table before she finally sat down. She tucked her robe between her thighs and crossed her feet at the ankles demurely. It was not unusual. Pauline always did things that way. This time felt a little different. Pauline’s wedding was the next day and Eno didn’t think she would be one to have wedding blues. Pauline was in her night dress. Probably one of the many see-through night dresses and negligees she had bought for her honeymoon. Her hair was tucked beneath a satin cap. Few strands peeked out. She still had her makeup on – the one for the Engagement party, and her artificial lashes brushed her cheeks when she blinked. “Hey,” Eno said, thrusting her chin forward. “What is the bride-to be doing in my room late this night?” “Nothing,” she said, her hands swept at the stray strands of hair; futilely trying to tuck them under her satin headwear. “Wedding blues?” Eno suggested. “Oh, please.” Pauline threw her head back and rolled her eyes. “Just…” Pauline poured herself a glass of water and sipped slowly. “I noticed that you left early. Did something happen?” Eno had left the engagement party, hoping that Pauline or anyone wouldn’t notice. Pauline was surrounded by her friends, and no one was looking her way. Seb, who was supposed to be her plus one, flirted all night with a voluptuous Bimbo, one of the bridesmaids. When Davido said, “When I look into your eyes, all I see is your waist,” he was talking about Bimbo. “Nothing happened, really. I just wanted to get some rest.” “Are you sure?” Pauline asked, her eyebrows furrowing with concern. “I saw how your date was all over Bimbo. Eno flicked her wrists dismissively. “Ah, that’s nothing.” “Let me guess, he’s one of those guys you hire for things like this? Like the guy from the Lake party, that got so high that he decided to striptease?” Eno made an effort to glare, but spluttered into a laughing fit, her hand slapping at her thighs, as though it was deserving of some punishment. “You remember that? It was crazy. In my defense, I told him to snot whatever the hell he wanted to snot before the party, but he didn’t.” “So, he’s one of those guys, then?” “Yes, he is. But have you seen Bimbo? With the mad figure eight shape, the big bunda, and skin like milk. I don’t blame Seb, honestly.” “Don’t say that, Eno,” Pauline said, her laughter, an octave lower. “You brought him here for a reason, he shouldn’t have done that to you.” “Enough about me and Seb. What’s up with you? How are you feeling about tomorrow?” Pauline sighed. She picked a vial of perfume, sprayed it, and sniffed at it. The subtle, citrusy smell spread through the air. “Isn’t this Boadicea?” “Yes, it’s Boadicea.” Out of the many expensive things she had bought for the wedding, the Boadicea perfume was one of it. She could have gone for something cheaper, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away. Maybe she would keep the bottle around even after using all of it, a reminder to never be that stupid anymore. Pauline sighed again. “You know, sometimes, I ask myself what I’m still doing with him. If I would want to spend my life with him. Kenneth is just… Kenneth. Do you know how many years passed before I got him to propose to me? Seven years, Eno. Seven. If we exclude the on and off thing we had for five years.” Eno moved to the edge of the bed. “But, seriously, I still don’t understand,” she said. “Do you have to marry him if you don’t see a future with him?” Pauline shook her head slowly and swallowed. “It doesn’t work that way.” “What doesn’t work that way?” she asked. “Okay. Let’s drop that. What about Cassidy? Prudence? Geraldine?” she grabbed each finger furiously. “That guy is messed up, and we both know it.” “Eno – ” “Marriage doesn’t work that way, Pauline. Even relationships can’t. He cheats, you break it off. You don’t see a future with him, you show him the way out. Isn’t that how it should be?” “I have to marry him, Eno.” “You keep saying that, Pauline, and I’m yet to figure out why.” “I’m not changing my mind, Eno. One, because it’s too late. Also, I didn’t change it months ago, and I’m certainly not going it now.” She could almost hear the part that Pauline had not spoken – now that her wedding was the next day. But that wasn’t enough reason. She wondered if Francis had something to do with her sister being that way. Pauline had explained how things were to her when they had just started dating, and she had given her the most sensible option she could think of. “Break it off, he is not worth it,” she had told her. But Pauline had probably decided he was worth it, or something was wrong somewhere. A feeling gnawed at her. Kenneth couldn’t, wouldn’t abuse her, would he? A sigh broke Into her thoughts. “Eno, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine.” Her tone suggested that she would not like to be prodded any further. Eno regarded her for a while. “He doesn’t hit you, does he?” Pauline tensed. “No. No, he doesn’t.” The room was silent, save the ticking of a clock. “And you understand you can break it off if you want, right?” Pauline looked smaller six feet- something stature. “I do.” Eno gave a small nod and looked away. “Right.” A small noise of committal sounded in Pauline’s throat. They both fell silent again. Pauline cleared her throat eons later. “I actually came here to ask you if you would want to go out. I discovered a nice restaurant a stone’s throw from here. Opens 24 hours” Eno managed a dry smile. It might as well have been plastered to her face. Keeping it up was as much struggle as prodding for answers was. “Reese’s?” she asked. “I didn’t know it’s now open.” “It has been open for a while now.” Eno smiled genuinely. She resisted the urge to touch her hurting cheek. “Yeah, you would know.” Pauline laughed. “Let’s go get stuffed.”