SANKOFA CIRCLE:
A CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL STORY
My dad had a horrible sense of humour.
Imagine for a moment that your father made a unique golden bracelet which he described as his greatest creation. But instead of giving it to his daughter, or his wife or his son, he placed it as a bet in a competition between his business partner and best friend. The wager was between me and my worst enemy, Justin, that the one who gets married first gets the bracelet as a wedding present.
I had completely forgotten about it until I received a WhatsApp notification and I opened it to see a photo of Justin's wedding invitation to my best friend, Audrey Marfo. I thought it was a joke for a while until I asked Audrey when she came to pick her niece from school.
"Yeah, sorry." Audrey said with her innocent face but I didn't believe her.
"But I thought you said-" Karen said but then Audrey covered her mouth to silence her.
"Clara, I'm really sorry, I really thought I told you. But I have to go and I'll text you later. Love you." Audrey said before she ran dragging Karen along like I was some kind of demon hot their tail.
Right now, I'm upset at the fact that she is getting married, or the fact that she intentionally didn't tell me, or the fact that she didn't even make me, her best friend, her bridesmaid. But rather the fact that she was marrying my childhood rival who would get my father's bracelet as a wedding gift.
I wanted to scream my lungs out but I was still on school grounds so I took a deep breath and walked calmly into the washroom and into one of the stalls before I screamed for the whole world to know the atrocity that was taking place.
I still remember the first time I saw Clara and smiled. Our families were close so we had known each other since we were babies but it was the day she tried to operate the merry-go-round on her own in school that first amused me. We weren't allowed to play in the Kindergarten playground once we entered primary and Clara had been a complete menace throwing a tantrum about every single day. Her mother had asked me to help find her during our school's Nine Lessons and Carol's programme since she had vanished after she finished playing her role of Angel Gabriel in the drama. From her constant tantrums, I knew the only place she would be was the playground but I didn't expect to be impressed. She single-handedly turned the merry-go-round before jumping onto the seats, screaming out of pure joy. She was just too stubborn. "Don't you hear you are too old for a merry-go-round. Your mummy is looking for you." I said catching one of the seats to bring her ride but she smiled like someone who had won the greatest competition of their life. "I'm not too old for the merry-go-round. I'm too old to be pushed on the merry-go-round." she said before she began to play with her angel wings flapping them as if they would magically start flying. I remember how I held on to my toy sword wondering why my heart felt weird as the noisy Clara looked like a real angel. "Thank you. Why did you run away?" I heard her mother's voice and I turned to see her mom and mine at the entrance of the playground. "I didn't run away." Clara said and I moved towards my mom to leave since my job was done. "Clara's knight in shiny armor." my mom had teased like she always did but felt different at the moment and I did not like it one bit. "I'm Clara's Knight in armor. I am a Herod soldier." I protested as my cheeks felt warm. "You want to kill baby Jesus and you think you go to heaven." Clara said and pushed me forward and it was always infuriating when she always tried to attack me. "It is acting, o. Why are you so stupid?" I said wanting to argue as we normally did. "Justin, how many times have I told you not to use words like that?" my mom said but that was the only thing my mind could come up with. "His brain is a bola." Clara said, receiving a well deserved knock from her mom. "Ouch." "But I will not be surprised if they both get married in future." my mom said and during times like those, i just couldn't fathom how my mom's mind worked. Like in the present, when she tried to send out fake wedding invitations announcing my marriage to Clara but then luckily I found out during the process and changed the name to her brother's ex-girlfriend and her best friend, Audrey, just to see Clara's reaction. The last time we met in person, she had blackmailed me with a childhood picture to allow Audrey to do her National Service in our design house and this was a good payback. There is nothing Clara fears more than losing her father's Sankofa Circle bracelet and I could already feel presence getting closer. Just like I did during my Corona stay with her family. She hadn't been in contact with her family for years but then on her birthday, it felt like she was close so my heart felt quenched of its dry hunger when she appeared in the living room like a ray of light. I opened the original invitation my mom had designed, feeling her presence coming nearer so I didn't lift my head when my office flew open. "JUSTIN!!! HOW DARE YOU?!" Clara screamed and I smiled.
"Tell me, will something happen to you if you open the door like a normal person." Justin said in his annoying accent and I took in a deep breath to calm my nerves before I went straight to my main agenda. "There is no way on any planet that I'm letting you get married before me." "It's not my fault, I got a bride before you could find someone who can tolerate you." "Oh please, it's obvious you are blackmailing my poor baby so that marriage will not take place in any lifetime. And I would have been married by now if you didn't deceive Raymond into believing there was something going on between us." I had met Raymond when I returned to Accra after the Covid-19 lockdown ended and we started dating immediately, but then Justin interfered by first claiming that Raymond was not being genuine. In the end Raymond got the wrong idea and broke up with the excuse of giving me space to chase my 'childhood love' and this year he got married to someone else. That could have been me if Justin had been such a prick. "If he was really interested in anything apart from your looks, he wouldn't have given up so easily. And you didn't like him either so you should rather be thanking me for saving you from a bad marriage." "Wow, then I'm also going to trash your wedding with Audrey to save you from a bad marriage." I said before snatching the invitation on the table to tear it into pieces but then he held my hand to snatch it back. I felt tingles and I tried to snatch both my hands and the card from his grip but then I pushed too hard and ended up falling backwards. Justin's hands caught my fall pulling me close to his chest and my lips wanted to betray me as my mind reminded me of the first time our lips touched during lockdown. We were caught by my mom before my mind started functioning again and this time it was my father's voice that saved me from making that same mistake. "Sorry, you should have closed the door." his voice said bring me back to reality and I pushed Justin to create space between us. "It's not what you think-" Justin said to explain but his father cut him short. "Don't bother, your mother has already informed me that you have even fixed a wedding date so congrats and make sure you go for counselling." "No, uncle. I'm not the one marrying him." I said to clarify and Justin tried to snatch the invitation again but I stretched my arm to prevent him from doing so. "Then which other Clara Benson is marrying my son." he said and raised the invitation to get evidence to show him that it wasn't me but then my hand froze when I saw my name. "It was supposed to be a prank." Justin said and that was worse. "No one is laughing," I said before sticking it onto his face and storming out of his office. As if he hadn't ruined my chances of getting into a relationship enough. After Raymond, I found it difficult finding someone else. The dates were boring. The guys were boring and with red flags I couldn't ignore with my eyes closed. And when they weren't red flags or boring, it just didn't feel right. My mom is convinced that I'm pushing men away because I have feelings for Justin but how can I like someone who finds his joy in making me miserable. "Clara, I've been meaning to talk to you. Did you see Justin?" Audrey said as ran towards me with excitement and I let out a sigh. "What did he use to blackmail you?" "Remember the night I was miserable after I broke up with your brother?" she said and I let out a sigh as I remembered seeing him holding his phone but I had been occupied trying to calm her down. "And also I didn't want you to make the same mistake I made and I lose someone who I genuinely love because of ego." she said and has been over a year but she still not over her breakup with Andy. "You know he did it as a prank right," "No, he did it to get you here. And I heard it was your moms that are arranging the marriage or something like that." Audrey said and right now I'm not just fed up with Justin but the whole institution of marriage that treats outsiders like anomalies. "I'm not sure I want to get married anymore." I said before I walked, mentally throwing away all my marriage dreams and desires.
I stared at the box still wondering how I was going to pull this off. How can I salvage a relationship I destroyed as a kid? Would things have been different if I had been honest about how pretty she looked when she asked? Would things have been different if I had used kindness to win her attention instead of pranks? Would things have been different if I had told her the truth of how proud I was of her whenever she persisted and won? Would things have been different if I had held her hand and stood by her whenever she was fighting alone? Would things have been different if I had told her how much I loved her and how much she meant to me? Now it's too late and it would be wrong to burden her further? I placed the box in my locker and I heard knocking on my door before my mom entered dressed for the Christmas party Clara's mom was organising. "Why aren't you dressed?" "I won't be able to attend. I have work to do." I created an excuse and my mom did not look pleased in the least. "Do you think I'm a fool, where is the ring?" "I already told it is for a client-" "Oh Lord, I don't have time for this. Sit down." she said before, sat on my bed and patted the space beside her. "You are not a child anymore so it's high time you man up and bring my daughter home." She said it was that easy. "Have you ever considered the probability that it isn't mutual?" "Yes, I'm surprised she still likes you after all you have put her through. As you are already aware at this point feelings are not enough to start a relationship, how much more sustain one. You have to grow and learn to be her friend not her foe. I'll tell you the truth right now, you are not the person Clara deserves and if you marry her, you are going to spend the rest of your life becoming someone she can tolerate and vice versa. But the earlier you stop being a coward the less painful it will be." "Is this supposed to be motivational?" "No, get dressed and let's go. I suffered to get your dad dressed so we need to leave before he turns on the TV." she said and that's when I noticed the TV remote in my mom's hand. "Darling, have you seen the TV remote?" I heard my dad's voice and my mom placed her finger on her lips to plead for silence before she left the remote on her bed and stepped out of my room. My parents' marriage isn't perfect but I couldn't point to a happier and more wholesome partnership on earth. So then how did I turn out like this with not a single romantical inclined bone in my body. I opened the locker and picked out the box to peep at the ring I had designed and crafted. Maybe I did have to stop being a coward.
I can't believe my brother might actually get married before me. "I'm happy for both of you but if you ever decide to break up again don't look for me because I have retired from being a pillow." "Yes, and you have to make me your maid of honour because you would never have met Andy if I didn't become Aunty Clara's favourite student." Karen said and sometimes I couldn't tell if I adored my mini-me or regretted my childhood. "Well, since he is my brother and I'm her best friend, I will be the maid of honour." "You are in the groom's family." kaaren said but I was not relenting to my mini-me. "And you are a child who should be studying for her BECE but here you are getting involved in adult matters." "Okay, calm down. We aren't at the marriage conversation yet." Andy said and he better not give her another reason to end their relationship. "Isn't that the end goal of dating or are you trying to play some merry-go-round games over here?" Karen said and I supported her completely. "Exactly, don't come and stress us if you aren't the endgame." "The term Endgame is kind of cringe now." Karen said and I was back to arguing with the mini-me. "And who decides what is cringe." "Common sense and sanity." "And which of these do you have?" I said and Karen jaw dropped announcing my victory. "Never challenge a master." "That was too mean." Karen said and I shook her by her shoulders before I went outside to get some air. I'm so glad it's Christmas and soon we will be saying goodbye to the year. "Inside is crowded." I heard Justin's voice but I ignored him and continued to stare into the night sky. I had managed to find some semblance of peace without him confusing me and I wasn't ready to lose that. "There are a lot of stars in the sky." he still tried and i turned around to return to the living room since he wasn't worth sacrificing my peace for. But then when I twisted the door knob, it refused to budge. I banged the door but no one came to my rescue to my complete horror. "I think my mom is behind that. Look, I know we haven't. How do I even say this?" "Maybe that's a sign that you shouldn't say anything at all." "Maybe but I still have a lot to let off my chest." he said but then he didn't say anything for a long while and I could feel my body tense with every passing second as his mouth continued to make slight movements. "Ohemaa, I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you even before I knew I was. Even though I don't deserve any chance with you, I would be the happiest man in the world if you gave me another chance." I blinked trying to process his confession but it felt so unreal. Did I actually wake up from bed or am I still dreaming? Because in which universe did Justin ever like me? The time I could remember was the lockdown kiss but it felt more like a glitch time than something that was grounded in reality. "When did I ever give you a chance?" "So many times. I could have been a friend, I could have been your first love but I chose to be your rival and I want to rectify that." "If this is a prank, stop it. There is no humour in this." He took out a small box from his pocket and my heart froze. "I'm not proposing marriage but will you give me a chance so that I can be a great marriage partner to you?" My mind entered into a dilemma unsure of my reply. A part of me wanted to scream 'yes' and jump into his arms but the other part was scared that this was a prank. "The box is empty. Nice try." I said but then he fell to his knees and opened the box revealing a beautiful golden ring with a symbol Sankofa circle with a diamond in the middle as the head and I couldn't control my legs as they became like spaghetti and I joined him on the ground. "Just say yes already. Ah!" I heard Karen's voice like my younger self urging me on and I smiled before staring at the man, the annoying child I couldn't stand as a child had grown into. "I'm giving you only one chance." I said with a smile. "And I'm going to make it worth it." he said s he slipped the ring on my finger and it felt so right. The front door opened as Justin helped me back to my feet and friends and family filed in to give us hugs and congrats. "Finally, we'll be family." Justin's mother said she joyfully hugged my mom who as usual looked unfazed but her smile said otherwise. Her eyes and smile spoke of how proud she was of me and her well wishes and I smiled back in gratitude.
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Interesting ❤️
I love the story very much.