Trying Love, Again

Chapter 24- --- Holy Matrimony

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"Tejumade, when will you get here?" My mother asked over the phone.

"I'm on my way mummy!" I said calmly.

My mother was on edge at the moment with all the wedding situation and I wasn't not going to be the one to push her past her breaking point.

"How can you not be here by now?"

"Mummy, you know how the city is with traffic. It's crazy." I stated firmly.

"Then you should have thought about that and left home much earlier." She said exasperatedly.

"Mummy, we're close. Do you want to say hi to Beth?" I asked intentionally, I wasn't ready for her wrath.

No matter how much larva she was erupting at me, I was certain it would subside once Bethel was on.

"Hello mummy! We're so sorry mummy. The traffic is hectic. But I promise we're close ma." Bethel assured her.

"Alright my dear. Get here safe, okay?" My mother bade.

How does Bethel do that? I need to take some lessons from her. Because the conversation would have gone south if I had continued it with my mother.

The traffic in the city was quite hectic than usual, it was as though everyone was getting married this Saturday.

Saturdays was basically designated for owambes in the country at large. As we drove through the streets of Lagos in the cab, we saw coterie of people robed in varieties of aso ebi attire (family clothe).

By my calculations, we were about a minute away from the location. The driver then subsequently took a detour into the parking garage to the venue.

When he was parked we made the necessary transactions and were out of the cab. Swiftly, we darted towards the entrance of an historic park and made our way through its hallway that led to a wide garden space.

It's a garden themed wedding. The couple had wanted to create a romantic, dreamy aesthetic that's reminiscent of a fairytale, one filled with plenty of fresh flowers, of course!

The cross-back wedding chairs were dressed up with a simple greenery garlands for an effortless and beautiful detail. They were a staple garden wedding trend in dark mahogany wood.

Thirty percent of the chairs were empty and I definitely knew why that was. It wasn't because invited guests had ditched on the event last minute, rather , most of the guests had gone ahead to the venue where the reception was to take place to save themselves a front row seat. This was a typical situation with African occasions.

Beth and I took one of the vacant seats behind my parents'. It was finally here. They day we have greatly anticipated.

I leant forward as I nudged on my mother's shoulder in an attempt to inform her of our arrival. She twirled her head to behold at mine.

"Thank goodness! About time." She stated.

"Hello mummy." I addressed, just as my father turned my towards me, "Hi daddy!"

"Hi baby,  how way your journey?" He asked just before acknowledging Beth's presence. "Hello Bethel. Thank you for being here with us."

"You're welcome, sir." Beth responses politely.

"The bride has just been summoned." My mother informed.

The wedding program has kicked off before we arrived. My brother Tiwalade was standing to the officiator's left, his grooms men assembled behind him.