Part 32: link
“We should pick a wedding date,” Arthur tells her over dinner. Gwen has made them homemade samaki and chips.
“Got anything in mind?” she asks, actually surprised that he brought it up before herself.
“Well, we could elope this weekend if that’s what wewe want,” he says, taking a bite of fish. “But somehow I don’t think your father would be too keen on that.”
“Nor Morgana.”
“Ah yes, her as well. Would October be too soon?”
“This October?” I appreciate his eagerness, but clearly he knows nothing about planning a wedding. “Arthur, we have to see if the church is available, find a hall, flowers, food, cake, not to mention that I have to find a dress…”
“Guinevere,” he interrupts her. “My father called me this morning. He’s offered the house for the wedding and reception. Leah has offered to cook everything. Don’t worry; she will have plenty of help, trust me. So if that’s agreeable to you, that’s three things to kuvuka, msalaba off the list. Four, if she does the cake as well.”
Gwen stares at him. Seriously? “Seriously?”
“Yes. I don’t know what wewe did to him, but Father just loves you. Not that I can blame him.”
She pictures an autumn wedding in the garden, yellow and machungwa, chungwa leaves gently falling, sunlight filtered through the treetops, Arthur and Merlin and Elliot all handsome in their morning suits.
“I think that would be lovely,” she snaps out of her daydream to look at him. “I’d better check with my father, though. He might feel as though he’s been pushed aside.”
“Of course, go right ahead,” he says.
Gwen wanders away to call her father and Arthur smiles down at his plate. I’m going to get fat eating her cooking.
After several minutes, Arthur begins to feel as though he’s being watched. He put his fork down and slowly turns around in his seat. Uh oh.
“You…” Gwen says, glowering at him. “You… men!” she says, as if ‘men’ was a curse word.
Arthur feigns innocence.
“Your father already spoke with my father! They’ve got the whole thing practically planned already! And wewe knew all about this! I will not have my wedding hijacked kwa a trio of...” she stops, scowling, searching for the correct word. “…NEANDERTHALS!”
“Guinevere…” he starts.
“Don’t ‘Guinevere’ me. It’s not going to work this time. Honestly, I cannot take my eyes off of any of wewe for a minute, can I? I suppose Elliot has seen the florist already?” She puts her hands on her hips and glowers at him.
“Gwen.” He stands, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Nothing’s set in stone. I promise. Yes, they’re a little over-ambitious. Yes, I did know that they talked already, and I should have said, but wewe scurried away before I got the chance.”
He runs his hands down her arms and takes her hands. “They’re behaving like a couple of schoolboys, they’re so excited. But I told them both that wewe would have the absolute last word about everything. I threatened the wrath of Morgana to be visited down upon them and everything. Sobered your father up right quick, that.”
Gwen cannot help but laugh. “He does get a little indulgent when it comes to me,” she admits.
“Of course he does. I don’t blame him.” He strokes the backs of her hands with his thumbs. Leaning down, he kisses her. “So pick a date, then.”
Sighing, she looks at the calendar in her phone. “October 20,” she finally says.
“Done.”
“So that gives us just over two months.”
“Not a problem.”
“Hope it wont’t be.” She leans up and kisses him, intending it to be a quick kiss. Arthur has other ideas and pulls her into his embrace, kissing her ardently, hands caressing her back, one hand roving down to her rear for a squeeze.
“Arthur,” she warns him, smiling, “I’d like to finish my dinner.”
He sighs. “If wewe must.” They sit and she picks up her fork.
THURSDAY
“Tonight, Morgana? I don't know...” Gwen says into the phone.
“Gwen, what's the problem? Arthur’s at work, right?”
“Yes, but...”
“So come on.”
Gwen hesitates.
“Look. He wants to see you. He needs to see you. Surely wewe realize this.”
“Of course. But...”
Morgana sighs. “If Arthur calls, just tell him you’re shopping with me.”
“That could work, I guess...”
“So put your shoes on and drive that little fanny of yours out here.”
“Fine.”
FRIDAY
Arthur enters the maktaba and sees an unfamiliar face behind the counter. No sign of Gwen, so he walks up to the desk.
“Hello, can I help you?” the woman says. She is tall, cute, with thick brown hair, large blue eyes, and a shallow dimple in her chin.
Arthur blinks, a little surprised at the American accent coming out of her mouth. “Yes, I’m looking for Gwen. Is she free?”
“I believe she’s out in the main stacks somewhere.” She pauses, contemplating him for a moment. “Are you... Arthur?”
“Um, yes. Forgive me, but wewe seem to have me at a disadvantage,” he says, puzzled.
“We haven’t met, don’t worry. I just got back from a vacation back home. I’m Autumn.” She holds out her hand.
'Vacation.’ Definitely American, he thinks as she shakes her hand. “Pleased to meet you. Are wewe another summer worker?”
“Nope, I’m here all the time. Well, except for the past few weeks,” she corrects herself, laughing.
“Well, it was very nice meeting you.”
“Yes, wewe too. Go find Gwen.” She smiles at him as he walks away. Lucky girl.
He passes the information desk, waving at the sweet little old lady volunteers working there. They smile warmly and wave back at him.
Looking down each aisle, he spots her in the last aisle, near the back. Aha.
She is facing away from him, so he creeps up behind her, wraps his arms around her waist, and whispers into her ear, “What do wewe say we go back to your office for a little ‘special treatment?’” He kisses her neck.
Gwen laughs, clamping her hand over her mouth, and turns in his arms. “You know I can’t do that. Not during business hours, anyway.”
He grins and kisses her. “It was worth a try. I knew the answer anyway.”
“On your way home, then?”
“Actually going to stop kwa the gym first, I think.”
They walk towards the lobby together. “Make sure wewe get some lunch in there somewhere.”
“Yes, dear,” he teases her, and she laughs.
SATURDAY
Arthur rolls over, and his arm flops onto an empty mattress. Damn. He was hoping for a little affection this morning. Especially when memories of the awali night’s activities come flooding back. He listens for any sound. Shower? No. Kitchen? No. Telly? No. She wasn’t working today, was she?
He sits up gingerly and checks the calendar in his phone. They spent yesterday evening on the exciting task of putting both their work schedules into their phones. Not working today. Where is she?
Arthur knows she can be as quiet as a mouse, so he gets up and carefully pulls on his shorts.
He walks out to the rest of the flat, finding it deserted. He looks down at himself and says, “Sorry, pal.”
He sees a note on the table. Had to run an errand. Back soon. Love, G.
Errand?
She returns an saa later, and he is waiting for her in the living room. “Errand?”
She jumps, surprised. She had been looking at her phone when she walked in the room. “Oh! Yes, just an errand to run this morning.” She walks over and kisses him hello, and he briefly forgets his puzzlement.
“I missed wewe this morning,” he tells her.
“Sorry, I should have mentioned it last night. I hate being away when you’re home,” she puts her hand on his cheek.
“What was it?” he asks as she sets her mfuko wa fedha, mfuko down. She swipes her phone on for a second, pokes a few things, then sets it down.
“What was what?”
She’s distracted this morning… “The errand.”
“Oh. That. My father wanted to meet me for breakfast,” she says quickly, then walks down the hall without looking at him.
Alone in their bedroom, she heaves a sigh. Bugger. This is zaidi difficult than I thought it would be.
I suppose he’s entitled to see his daughter alone, Arthur thinks, still standing in the living room. But why am I suspicious? She’s not usually that flighty, that’s why. He pushes the name Lance away, refusing to let himself get unnecessarily jealous. He’s in America anyway. Right? Right? You’re being insane, man. She went to see her father. Do not let your insecurities get the better of you.
His eyes drift to her phone. No. Don’t even think it. Then he hears the bathroom door close, and with a muttered, “Damn it,” he walks to her phone, picks it up and looks through the text messages. None there but his. hivi karibuni calls? Morgana, and a number with no name attached. The toilet flushes and he quickly pokes the home button, turns the screen off, and sets it down exactly where he found it and sits on the couch.
STOP BEING PARANOID, ARTHUR, he practically yells at himself. Then he remembers he poking around on her phone before she set it down.
Get a grip, woman, Gwen tells herself as she walks back to the living room. She curls up in Arthur’s lap, resting her head on his shoulder. He brings his arms around her, wondering what she’s going to say next.
“What shall we do today?” she finally asks.
“What would wewe like to do?”
She looks up at him and kisses him. “I would like to rearrange the furniture in here.”
Arthur laughs loudly, not expecting that answer.
Part 34: link
“We should pick a wedding date,” Arthur tells her over dinner. Gwen has made them homemade samaki and chips.
“Got anything in mind?” she asks, actually surprised that he brought it up before herself.
“Well, we could elope this weekend if that’s what wewe want,” he says, taking a bite of fish. “But somehow I don’t think your father would be too keen on that.”
“Nor Morgana.”
“Ah yes, her as well. Would October be too soon?”
“This October?” I appreciate his eagerness, but clearly he knows nothing about planning a wedding. “Arthur, we have to see if the church is available, find a hall, flowers, food, cake, not to mention that I have to find a dress…”
“Guinevere,” he interrupts her. “My father called me this morning. He’s offered the house for the wedding and reception. Leah has offered to cook everything. Don’t worry; she will have plenty of help, trust me. So if that’s agreeable to you, that’s three things to kuvuka, msalaba off the list. Four, if she does the cake as well.”
Gwen stares at him. Seriously? “Seriously?”
“Yes. I don’t know what wewe did to him, but Father just loves you. Not that I can blame him.”
She pictures an autumn wedding in the garden, yellow and machungwa, chungwa leaves gently falling, sunlight filtered through the treetops, Arthur and Merlin and Elliot all handsome in their morning suits.
“I think that would be lovely,” she snaps out of her daydream to look at him. “I’d better check with my father, though. He might feel as though he’s been pushed aside.”
“Of course, go right ahead,” he says.
Gwen wanders away to call her father and Arthur smiles down at his plate. I’m going to get fat eating her cooking.
After several minutes, Arthur begins to feel as though he’s being watched. He put his fork down and slowly turns around in his seat. Uh oh.
“You…” Gwen says, glowering at him. “You… men!” she says, as if ‘men’ was a curse word.
Arthur feigns innocence.
“Your father already spoke with my father! They’ve got the whole thing practically planned already! And wewe knew all about this! I will not have my wedding hijacked kwa a trio of...” she stops, scowling, searching for the correct word. “…NEANDERTHALS!”
“Guinevere…” he starts.
“Don’t ‘Guinevere’ me. It’s not going to work this time. Honestly, I cannot take my eyes off of any of wewe for a minute, can I? I suppose Elliot has seen the florist already?” She puts her hands on her hips and glowers at him.
“Gwen.” He stands, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Nothing’s set in stone. I promise. Yes, they’re a little over-ambitious. Yes, I did know that they talked already, and I should have said, but wewe scurried away before I got the chance.”
He runs his hands down her arms and takes her hands. “They’re behaving like a couple of schoolboys, they’re so excited. But I told them both that wewe would have the absolute last word about everything. I threatened the wrath of Morgana to be visited down upon them and everything. Sobered your father up right quick, that.”
Gwen cannot help but laugh. “He does get a little indulgent when it comes to me,” she admits.
“Of course he does. I don’t blame him.” He strokes the backs of her hands with his thumbs. Leaning down, he kisses her. “So pick a date, then.”
Sighing, she looks at the calendar in her phone. “October 20,” she finally says.
“Done.”
“So that gives us just over two months.”
“Not a problem.”
“Hope it wont’t be.” She leans up and kisses him, intending it to be a quick kiss. Arthur has other ideas and pulls her into his embrace, kissing her ardently, hands caressing her back, one hand roving down to her rear for a squeeze.
“Arthur,” she warns him, smiling, “I’d like to finish my dinner.”
He sighs. “If wewe must.” They sit and she picks up her fork.
THURSDAY
“Tonight, Morgana? I don't know...” Gwen says into the phone.
“Gwen, what's the problem? Arthur’s at work, right?”
“Yes, but...”
“So come on.”
Gwen hesitates.
“Look. He wants to see you. He needs to see you. Surely wewe realize this.”
“Of course. But...”
Morgana sighs. “If Arthur calls, just tell him you’re shopping with me.”
“That could work, I guess...”
“So put your shoes on and drive that little fanny of yours out here.”
“Fine.”
FRIDAY
Arthur enters the maktaba and sees an unfamiliar face behind the counter. No sign of Gwen, so he walks up to the desk.
“Hello, can I help you?” the woman says. She is tall, cute, with thick brown hair, large blue eyes, and a shallow dimple in her chin.
Arthur blinks, a little surprised at the American accent coming out of her mouth. “Yes, I’m looking for Gwen. Is she free?”
“I believe she’s out in the main stacks somewhere.” She pauses, contemplating him for a moment. “Are you... Arthur?”
“Um, yes. Forgive me, but wewe seem to have me at a disadvantage,” he says, puzzled.
“We haven’t met, don’t worry. I just got back from a vacation back home. I’m Autumn.” She holds out her hand.
'Vacation.’ Definitely American, he thinks as she shakes her hand. “Pleased to meet you. Are wewe another summer worker?”
“Nope, I’m here all the time. Well, except for the past few weeks,” she corrects herself, laughing.
“Well, it was very nice meeting you.”
“Yes, wewe too. Go find Gwen.” She smiles at him as he walks away. Lucky girl.
He passes the information desk, waving at the sweet little old lady volunteers working there. They smile warmly and wave back at him.
Looking down each aisle, he spots her in the last aisle, near the back. Aha.
She is facing away from him, so he creeps up behind her, wraps his arms around her waist, and whispers into her ear, “What do wewe say we go back to your office for a little ‘special treatment?’” He kisses her neck.
Gwen laughs, clamping her hand over her mouth, and turns in his arms. “You know I can’t do that. Not during business hours, anyway.”
He grins and kisses her. “It was worth a try. I knew the answer anyway.”
“On your way home, then?”
“Actually going to stop kwa the gym first, I think.”
They walk towards the lobby together. “Make sure wewe get some lunch in there somewhere.”
“Yes, dear,” he teases her, and she laughs.
SATURDAY
Arthur rolls over, and his arm flops onto an empty mattress. Damn. He was hoping for a little affection this morning. Especially when memories of the awali night’s activities come flooding back. He listens for any sound. Shower? No. Kitchen? No. Telly? No. She wasn’t working today, was she?
He sits up gingerly and checks the calendar in his phone. They spent yesterday evening on the exciting task of putting both their work schedules into their phones. Not working today. Where is she?
Arthur knows she can be as quiet as a mouse, so he gets up and carefully pulls on his shorts.
He walks out to the rest of the flat, finding it deserted. He looks down at himself and says, “Sorry, pal.”
He sees a note on the table. Had to run an errand. Back soon. Love, G.
Errand?
She returns an saa later, and he is waiting for her in the living room. “Errand?”
She jumps, surprised. She had been looking at her phone when she walked in the room. “Oh! Yes, just an errand to run this morning.” She walks over and kisses him hello, and he briefly forgets his puzzlement.
“I missed wewe this morning,” he tells her.
“Sorry, I should have mentioned it last night. I hate being away when you’re home,” she puts her hand on his cheek.
“What was it?” he asks as she sets her mfuko wa fedha, mfuko down. She swipes her phone on for a second, pokes a few things, then sets it down.
“What was what?”
She’s distracted this morning… “The errand.”
“Oh. That. My father wanted to meet me for breakfast,” she says quickly, then walks down the hall without looking at him.
Alone in their bedroom, she heaves a sigh. Bugger. This is zaidi difficult than I thought it would be.
I suppose he’s entitled to see his daughter alone, Arthur thinks, still standing in the living room. But why am I suspicious? She’s not usually that flighty, that’s why. He pushes the name Lance away, refusing to let himself get unnecessarily jealous. He’s in America anyway. Right? Right? You’re being insane, man. She went to see her father. Do not let your insecurities get the better of you.
His eyes drift to her phone. No. Don’t even think it. Then he hears the bathroom door close, and with a muttered, “Damn it,” he walks to her phone, picks it up and looks through the text messages. None there but his. hivi karibuni calls? Morgana, and a number with no name attached. The toilet flushes and he quickly pokes the home button, turns the screen off, and sets it down exactly where he found it and sits on the couch.
STOP BEING PARANOID, ARTHUR, he practically yells at himself. Then he remembers he poking around on her phone before she set it down.
Get a grip, woman, Gwen tells herself as she walks back to the living room. She curls up in Arthur’s lap, resting her head on his shoulder. He brings his arms around her, wondering what she’s going to say next.
“What shall we do today?” she finally asks.
“What would wewe like to do?”
She looks up at him and kisses him. “I would like to rearrange the furniture in here.”
Arthur laughs loudly, not expecting that answer.
Part 34: link
