Soon the engine hummed to life, he waved her goodbye and rode the waves. Her eyes were still glued to the boat. There was a huge on-coming wave approaching. Suddenly, he did a quick 360° with one hand on the steering while using the second hand to wave at her again. She smiled.
Just as he turned his face forward to look at the oncoming wave, he pumped his brakes at the exact timing. This made “Pretty Imperfect” to glide on the surface of the water slope. Propelled by hydro-kinetic force Charlie reached the apex and was flying in the air. The simmering summer sun reflected off the shiny surface of the boat. Sade smiled again.
She knew that he did this just for her sake. “Pretty Imperfect” was named after her. “I think that sums up who you are”, he said. “I love your pretty smile, your pretty face, your pretty shape as much as I love your awesome troublesome-ness”. He had this routine of doing tiny romantic things for her when she least expected.
Charlie has always been a happy guy. His enthusiasm and positive energy was what attracted Sade to him. On the other hand, Sade was a troubled soul looking for succor. Her father was absent for most of her life so she was raised by a single mother. There was always a difficulty for her relating with men. But Charlie changed all of that. He knew how to cheer her up. He knew the kinds of gifts that will go straight to her heart. Sometimes it seemed he knew her more than she understood herself
There was one big loophole. “Charlie wouldn’t commit”, she told Clara her best friend, an older woman whom Sade has found comfort in telling her life’s stories. “We have been dating for 4 years now. Is that not long enough?”.
“Charlie is a terrific guy and he knows what he’s doing. I think he will come around”, Clara tapped her shoulder.
“I’m no longer 16 you know.” She shrugged.
“Hey don’t talk like that. You are still a young pretty woman. Even if it’s not Charlie, someone else will find you”
“You are happy with your cute husband and 2 kids. I want that”. She bent low. Sadness filled her heart.
“Get in here you pouty honeypie”, Clara spread her arms and Sade hugged her. “You will be alright Sade. A gem like you will do so well in a family. Any man will be lucky to have you dearie”, she hugged her tighter.
“You know, since my mum passed, you have been more than a companion to me. My friend, my sister, my mother and now my shriek. I always wonder how you manage to be so strong. It not like you are not going through your own challenges.” They separated.
“Ehen! That’s my girl talking. That’s the Sade I know not that pouty sulking one a few minutes ago”, she tapped her on the nose. They both giggled. “And by the way I’m not your shriek because you are not crazy”. She paused to allow it sink into Sade.
“Have you tried this my new cheesecake? Come and have a taste! I know you will like it”.
“You know I can’t do without your cakes. A girl needs sugar sometimes”.
“Not sometimes. All the time…”, they both walked off into the kitchen while continuing the exchange of banter and laughter.
In the dream there was no Charlie. It was just her in a very dark room. She could feel creepy creatures crawling on the wall. She was being haunted by the ‘ghost’ of her father. A dark tall man without eyes walked towards her. The closer he came, the more breathless she became. “No! Ch---ar—lie! H-e-l-p me!” There was no Charlie in sight. The creature’s long skeleton-like fingers were now on her neck. “N—o—oh!”, she yelled. Suddenly, a loud horn infiltrated her ears. It was as if a train was coming to hit her. The creature disappeared. She awoke.
Drops of sweat sprinkled across her face and she felt a dryness in her throat. Just as she was stopping the beeping alarm clock from giving her a headache, Clara rushed into the room. She leased a part of her house to Sade.
“Oh no! You are running high temperature”, Clara said. “That must be why you are yelling in your dreams. Either that or you are just missing Charlie so badly”.
“Or both”, Sade hissed. “I haven’t heard from him for 3 days now”.
“Have you left a voicemail?”.
“Of course I did”. She hissed again.
“Sweetie come and take a cold shower. I may have to get you some paracetamol too”.
“No don’t worry about the para. I’m fine. My nightmares can make my body hot”.
“Quick! Go enter the shower now!”.
“Yes ma'am”. They laughed.
Sade felt a lot better after taking a cold shower and eating a large load of cheesecake. Now she was standing on the topmost floor beach-house overlooking the shore. From this vantage point, she could see everyone and everything going on in the ‘Praia Do Fort’ beach, Brazil.
Soft breeze swayed the palm trees. Waves fought with the shore for supremacy. The white sand of the shore preserved the footprints of passersby. She could see the tourists in pairs. Walking hand in hand with bikini and swim trunks. Some were swimming, some were surfing. Some others were just sitting put in one place sipping their orange juice and enjoying a summer vacation in a distant place.
But not her. She decided to move to Brazil after mum died. This was were she met Clara. This was were she met Charlie. On the other hand, Brazil wasn’t Charlie’s home. He belonged to USA. New York to be precise. He travels a lot for his businesses and this usually left Sade lonely for weeks. He promised to change but has he? He hasn’t even made the major move. She awoke from her thoughts.
Just then she saw someone that caught her attention. Some guy was digging into the wet sand with his hand. There was a blonde girl beside him. They seemed to be chatty. She tapped his shoulder. He then placed a tiny red flag on that spot. Awww. Who knows what games they were playing? Oh she missed games with Charlie. It was happy couples like these that make her miss him so much.
The guy stood up and the girl did same too. They held each other, hand in hand and were walking away from the water. As they approached a nearby coconut tree Sade got the chance to see him well. No ! This cant be true. This isn’t ‘some guy’, Its Charlie. What’s he doing in this city? Is he back? And why is he with ‘some girl’?
She picked up her phone and dialed up Clara.
“Charlie is cheating on me.” She said almost with a tear.
“What!??” Clara exclaimed. She never expected this. “I don’t understand. How did you know?”.
“I just saw him now with some girl in the beach”. The tears were already beginning to flow down.
“I’m coming over there now.” The connection hung up.
She ran all the way from the house to come and meet her. She hugged Sade. Sade sobs.
“Tell me the whole story”, Sade then narrates what she had seen so far.
“I just don’t feel like going to him”.
“Oh dear. Pull yourself together. Point where he is let me go talk to him”. Sade pointed without looking. She followed her finger to meet the gaze of Charlie who immediately looked away.
“I have seen him.” She paused and took a deep breath. “You know what why don’t you go find out what it was he was digging over there before you saw him”. Clara walked away.
Sade managed to get herself up. “I have to know what’s in there”. One of the things that drew her attention to Charlie when he was hand-digging in the sand was that it was something she loved and Charlie knew it. They will sit for hours laughing, building sandcastles till it was dark. For him to be doing it with another woman, that was really hurtful.
She was already at the spot. First thing she noticed was that it was a castle of her favorite building in the world- ‘Taj Mahal’. She then pulled the red ribbon on the flag. Suddenly, confetti exploded from the sand-castle. Some landed on her. By the time they settled, she saw a note and opened it.
“Dip your hand inside the reception of your castle”.
She advanced her right hand. And came out with another note.
“Don’t give up yet. Go further”.
Now she had a visible smile on her face. But she still brought out another paper. This one was a beautified pink paper with flower designs and flying birds. Pink was Sade’s best colour.
“Sorry I have overlooked your for too long. I’m an idiot. How can I ignore my ‘Pretty Imperfect’? Please forgive me…I quit my job”.
Now Sade was all in tears but this time it wasn’t hurtful tears, it was all joy. She was so intrigued that she didn’t even notice that crowd gathering around her. ‘He quit his job to be with me?’ She continued reading.
“Open this card!”
Sade did so as quickly as her nerves would allow her to. By now Charlie was kneeling at her back with an open box containing a shiny diamond ring.
“Saderima Achan. WILL YOU MARRY ME?”
She turned to see Charlie. “Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!”. The tourists cheered. Many had already pulled out their cameras and filming. The rest used their phones. She ran into Charlie’s arms and they shared a passionate kiss. They still continued before someone interrupted.
“Hey Brother! That’s enough for one day,” ‘some girl’ said. She was actually hot and blonde.
“You guys should get a room”, Clara added. They all laughed. The new couple separated.
“Meet my Sister. Candice”, pointing at ‘some girl’. Sade actually saw the resemblance just now.
“Oh. I see. The same nose”. She chuckled. “Nice to meet you”, they hugged.
“As for you…”she pointed at Clara. “So you were in on this all along. I will kill you”, she started chasing Clara and they run along the beach.
THE END
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