TÓDÙN

27

      
                     ~TÓDÙN~

Still, with the cup in my and the bag in another, I watched as Kunle and Remilekun changed their direction and walked to a woman who signalled to them. The woman in a royal blue iro and buba looked so much like her mom and the only difference was that her face was firm and without layers of foundations like other women. She threw her hand around Remilekun and eyed Kunle from head to toe, probably accessing his son-in-law.

"Todun right?" I heard my name being called by a voice that wasn't so familiar. I looked away from them and came face to face with Funsho.

"Oh, hi Funsho...it has been a while." I dropped the cup on the tray of a waiter and shook his outstretched hand.

"Yes, it has." He nodded his head and licked his lower lip. "And by the way, you look beautiful." He added.

"Thank you," I muttered and twisted my face in a smile then waved to Akorede who held tight unto Tamilore's hand, even though the latter seemed not to be comfortable with it.

"Nifemi, have I told you that you are the most beautiful girl in this gathering?" Funsho said moving closer to blushing Nifemi.

"It is obvious..." She replied with a smile.

"Yea, obvious because this place is filled up with older women with wrinkling faces." Tamilore cut in with a cynical smile on her face.

"Ahn...ahn, killjoy." Nifemi stomped her leg on the floor and grumbled. Cutting my mind and eyes away from the people I was with and expecting to see Remilekun and Kunle somewhere near, I looked around only to discover they have disappeared among the crowd.

"Where are those two love birds?" Nifemi asked no one in particular and tried looking around the room by tilting her head from one side to another.

"Why should we worry they aren't kids." Funsho replied and tucked her hand under his armpit. They aren't kids my foot, kids shouldn't be underestimated, I thought as I joined the conversation between Tamilore and Akorede to take my mind off anything.

After a while of chattering and mumbling among the visitors a man in his white Buba and shoro, a Yoruba attire worn by men, exquisitely decorated by its black embroidery both in the neck area and at his wrists told everyone to settle down for the business of the day. He started by explaining that the party wasn't the first of its kind in that same venue but that a little spice up has been added to the present one because it happens to be the birthday of the host and it got the crowd clapping as they all walked around trying to settle down in their seats.

I sat down beside Funsho as the man who now referred to himself as the master of ceremonies held tight to the mic as he announced for the entering of the celebrant and host. He snapped his finger and a huge door which I didn't notice until that instant, opened revealing Remilekun standing at the right side of her Mum, in a different attire from the one she wore earlier and the woman who looked like her Mum stood at the left side. They all paraded the same type of smile as they made their way into the gathering. Where is Kunle? I asked myself as he didn't appear from the same door.

Remilekun walked towards us as she exchanged pleasantries with people. She had a wide smile on her face and bent slightly as people waved to her. Everything the MC said was unknown to us as we were engulfed  in our own world.

"And here is the boy." Funsho announced aloud making him earn glares from the women that sat around. I looked around and saw Kunle approach from the crowd. Where was he all this time, I asked myself as he moved to Remilekun and held her hand in his making me look away before I will break into a fit of cough.