From Pasta to Pigfoot (30 page)

Feeling a little self-conscious about wearing denims in such a luxurious hotel, Faye unconsciously slowed down causing Rocky, who was walking behind her, to almost run into her. He held her shoulders briefly to steady her and she mumbled a garbled ‘Sorry' before shooting off to catch up with Amma. They walked into the hotel restaurant and Faye was struck by the number of smartly dressed men and elegantly attired women occupying the tables. With a pang, she thought of the contrast they presented to the many young people she had seen on the roadside hawking dog chains, batteries and other merchandise.

A waiter showed them to a table and took their order for drinks. Faye asked for a glass of wine, while the others opted for soft drinks and, in Stuart's case, a beer. From where she was sitting, Faye could see the hotel swimming pool and brightly coloured sun loungers and canopies.

‘Amma, we should have brought our swimsuits and gone swimming after lunch,' she teased.

‘Sooner you than me!' Amma sipped her ginger ale and gave a sigh of contentment. ‘If you want to swim, go ahead; I'm quite happy to relax on a lounger and leave the energetic stuff to you.'

Stuart took a long drink of his beer and sighed in satisfaction. ‘I just love Ghanaian beer!' He looked at his glass appreciatively before he set it down.

‘You just love anything Ghanaian,' Rocky said dryly, causing his boss to chuckle in agreement.

‘So, Faye,' Stuart said. ‘How are you enjoying your holiday? Baaba tells me you're breaking hearts all over the city.'

Faye choked on her wine. She cleared her throat delicately before trying to speak. ‘Baaba is talking rubbish!' she protested. ‘I don't know where she got that idea from.'

She didn't dare to look at Rocky. Stuart, on the other hand, showed no such inhibitions. ‘Is that not right, Rock old man?' he asked innocently. ‘Well, then, I must have got it wrong.'

Amma had cheered up remarkably since leaving the house and was enjoying herself hugely. She waved at an attractive young woman who had finished her meal and was leaving with an older well-dressed man.

‘That's Patricia Wilberforce,' she said in a low voice. ‘Rocky, do you know her? She was a couple of years ahead of me at University.'

Rocky looked discreetly at the woman in question while Stuart turned himself around to see who Amma was talking about.

‘No,' he said finally, ‘I don't think I know her – although the man she's with looks familiar.' He turned to Stuart, a crease furrowing his forehead. ‘Isn't he one of the guys from that plastics company we were trying to raise finance for last year?'

Stuart peered at the man and shrugged helplessly. ‘He could be, Rocky, but I can't remember, to be honest – you know I'm hopeless with faces.'

He winked at the ladies, taking another sip of his drink. ‘Not a very good quality for a banker, I can assure you,' he said cheerily. ‘That's why Rock here is going places, unlike some of us who are just happy to have a good job, a nice house, a great woman and lots of cold beer!'

He turned to Amma. ‘Talking of great women, how's Baaba today? Isn't she just terrific?'

Rocky rolled his eyes in exasperation before suggesting that they walk over to the lunch buffet. The food was set up on a large circular table in the middle of the room and included a wide array of cold meats and salads, as well as a variety of continental and local dishes. Stuart, to noone's surprise, headed directly for the Ghanaian food and heaped his plate with fluffy white rice and a hot beef and vegetable stew. Amma's appetite had returned with her spirits and she filled her plate happily. Faye, on the other hand, was still feeling jittery around Rocky and settled for some cold cuts and salad before returning to the table. The others were already seated and as soon as she had taken her place, they started to eat.

A loud drawl cut through the contented silence like a knife.

‘Rocky, darling, there you are!' Clarissa towered over their table, her long legs shown to their full advantage by a short white lace skirt. Her glossy hair hung straight and cascaded down her bare shoulders and over a fitted pink cropped top with a thin halter strap. Her lips, carefully made up in a matching shade of pink, were curved into a smile, which quickly faded when she recognised Faye.

‘Oh, hello,' she said shortly. She flashed a pearly smile at Amma and Stuart, who simply nodded back, his smile disappearing for the first time since they had left the office.

‘Darling, I called your office and your secretary said that you and Stuart were on your way here for lunch. Of course, I didn't know that you had company,' she shot a venomous look at Faye, ‘so I thought I'd join you.'

Rocky took a sip of his drink before standing up. ‘Well, you can see it's not convenient since we're here with Faye and Amma,' he said politely. ‘I'll walk you back to your car and maybe we can have lunch another time.'

Clarissa's eyes narrowed angrily and she glared at the other occupants of the table, as if expecting them to protest on her behalf. But Amma, after a brief smile of greeting, had turned her attention back to her food, while Stuart had suddenly taken a great interest in the activities of the people swimming in the hotel pool. Faye simply kept her head down, hoping the other girl would leave.

Ignoring Rocky, who was waiting to see her off, Clarissa looked down at Faye's plate. ‘I see you're still having trouble eating our local food,' she commented spitefully. ‘Well, it's just as well you live abroad, isn't it? From the looks of things, you wouldn't be able to handle cooking
for our men here.' She patted Rocky's cheek affectionately. He stared back at her impassively for a moment before steering her firmly out of the restaurant.

‘Poor Rock,' Stuart chuckled, the smile back on his face. ‘I wouldn't let her bother you, love,' he said to Faye, his voice suddenly serious. ‘She just likes to make a nuisance of herself and muck people about, that's all.'

Suddenly, his face was suffused with colour as he bit into a hot chilli pepper in the stew.

‘Bloody hell!' He reached for his beer and took several swallows before loosening his collar and leaning back in his chair, his breathing heavy. Faye and Amma, who had been watching him anxiously, relaxed as his natural colour slowly returned, along with his cheeky grin.

‘That was a close call, eh?' he said, clearing his throat loudly. He gestured to a shapely waitress who came over instantly.

‘Let me have another beer, love.' His eyes followed her generous backside appreciatively as she walked off to fetch his order.

Baaba's got her hands full with this one
, Faye thought, biting back a smile.
Mind you, if anyone could handle him, it would be her
.

Rocky returned and took his seat, calmly finishing his meal before asking the ladies what their plans were for the rest of the day.

‘I've got to go to Auntie Amelia's dressmaker's this afternoon to collect the funeral outfit she's making me to take to Ntriso. Apparently, she's more reliable than the lady Amma uses,' Faye said. ‘Amma, where does this one live again?'

Amma put down her cutlery and wiped her mouth delicately in satisfaction.

‘Hmm? Oh, she lives in Dansoman but her workshop is in Lartebiokoshie. You remember we had to drive through that really busy roundabout when I took you to have your measurements taken?'

Faye shuddered at the memory. ‘How can I forget? It was so scary going round that roundabout that I had to keep my eyes closed! To be honest, I can't believe how anyone can drive here.' She tilted her glass and let the last drops of wine fall onto her tongue.

‘Tell me about it, love,' Stuart grimaced. ‘That's one thing I don't love about Ghana. I crashed two cars before the bank insisted on me using the driver!' He shook his head regretfully for a moment before turning back to Faye.

‘Are you looking forward to getting back home again?'

Faye blinked for a moment, unsure of what he meant, until it dawned on her that he was referring to London and not Labone. She sat thoughtfully for a moment and the others looked at her curiously.

Stuart coughed, still suffering from the after-effects of the chilli pepper, and the sound brought her back into the moment.

‘Oh, I'm sorry, Stuart,' she smiled in apology. ‘I didn't mean to go off into a daydream. It's just that I was trying to think where home was, and for the first time I didn't automatically think of London.'

Stuart nodded sagely. ‘I know what you mean, love. When I was in Liverpool last year on a visit, I kept saying ‘back home' when I was talking about Ghana. My family
didn't have a clue what I was going on about!

‘This place can get you like that. My brother came out here earlier this year for a visit and now he's got the bug too,' he chuckled. ‘He keeps going on at his company to send him out as their representative in Ghana – it doesn't seem to matter to him that they sell central heating radiators!'

They were still laughing as they left the restaurant and headed back to the car. Once they were back at the bank, Stuart said goodbye and left to prepare for a meeting. Rocky walked them over to Amma's car and held the passenger door open for Faye.

‘Since you've forgiven me, how about coming out with me for a drink this evening?' he murmured as she slid as gracefully as she could into the car.

Faye smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling. ‘That would be very nice,' she said primly. He laughed and closed her door before leaning through the window.

Looking at his sister, he went on, ‘and, before you ask, you and your boyfriend are
not
invited!' She stuck out her tongue at him, then smiled and thanked him for lunch. He waved and stood watching as she manoeuvred her way out of the car park and drove away.

Faye settled back in her seat with a deep, contented sigh. Amma glanced across at her and smiled, amused at the expression of pure bliss on her friend's face.

‘Now
who looks like the cat that got the cat food?' she laughed.

‘Cream,' Faye said automatically.

‘What?' Amma asked, baffled.

‘The cat that got the cream, not cat food – oh never
mind,' Faye said, laughing at the expression of complete incomprehension on Amma's face.

Amma shook her head in resignation. ‘I think I'll just stick to the expressions I know. Changing the subject, you're the only person who hasn't given me advice about Edwin and his travel plans. Do
you
also think I'm overreacting?'

‘No-o,' Faye said slowly, trying to imagine how she would feel in Amma's shoes. ‘I don't think you are. The two of you have been together for a while and you're obviously crazy about each other.' She paused for a moment before continuing. ‘But I do think that you need to give him a chance to tell you what he plans to do now and where you fit into it.'

She turned to face Amma. ‘That means
talking
to him and not cutting him off when he calls you.'

Amma sighed. She turned into the infamous ObetsebiLamptey Circle that took them to Lartebiokoshie and deftly negotiated the stream of tro-tro vans and taxis that sped around the busy roundabout with scant regard for other vehicles.

‘I suppose you're right,' she said reluctantly. ‘I'll call him when we get home. As you're going out with Rocky tonight, maybe Edwin and I can go for a drink and talk things through.' Having reached a decision, she cheered up again and they spent the rest of the drive laughing at Stuart's antics during lunch.

Miraculously, the dressmaker had actually finished making the funeral cloth and had it ready waiting for collection. Faye quickly tried on the long black skirt and
fitted top, twirling round in front of a long mirror with a deep crack running across it. The top was simply tailored and had short puffed sleeves and round black buttons down the front. After satisfying herself that everything fitted properly, the dressmaker folded up the garments and walked with them out to their car.

Back at home, Faye put her new outfit away and wandered down to the living room where Auntie Amelia was sitting on the sofa. Her aunt was engrossed in one of Amma's magazines and she looked up as Faye walked in.

‘Hello, my dear. Now just listen to the advice this silly magazine is giving to a young woman who's wondering if she should go to college. “College is a great place to meet men, not to mention picking up a degree.”' She threw the magazine aside in outrage. ‘No wonder Amma thinks the way she does about Edwin if she reads this kind of nonsense!'

Faye sat cross-legged in the leather armchair and smiled at the expression on the other woman's face.

‘I wouldn't worry about Amma, you know. She may be young but she has a lot more sense than many girls I know.' She paused and then added thoughtfully. ‘She really loves Edwin, Auntie Amelia, and maybe we should all be a bit more supportive.'

The older woman stared at her for a moment and then shook her head.

‘You are so much like Annie,' she said. She sighed deeply with a shrug of resignation. ‘You may be right, Faye. After all, I wasn't much older than she is now when I knew Fred was the man I wanted to marry.'

She glanced at Faye mischievously. ‘So what about you then, Missy? Do you know who you want to marry or are you still searching for the right man?'

Faye laughed at the skilful way the subject of the conversation had been twisted.

‘Now you sound just like Mrs Debrah! No, I'm still looking,' she added firmly.

Auntie Amelia looked sceptical for a moment, but held her peace. Standing up, she handed the offending magazine back to Faye.

‘I need to go and see to dinner, so I'll leave this for you,' she said. ‘Are you girls in tonight or is it just us old people?'

‘Rocky is taking me out for a drink and I think Amma's out with Edwin. I wouldn't bother with dinner for us; we both had a big lunch.'