LA, LA, LALIANA

CHAPTER 1

                       It was a sure splendid Friday evening. Beni Bayo was up and down and all over the place checking to see everything was all right for the grand opening of his new restaurant. Asante restaurant was it's name. That was one of the many mega investments Beni had made. Beni Bayo was quite a successful business man with wealth as expansive as the ocean.
                      That night Beni Bayo was all clad in a designer red velvet tuxedo. Generally he was an attractive man in his early thirties . Blessed with height and physique, the thing that was most striking about him was that his eyes each bore different colours in the iris. His left eye was green and his right eye was black.
                   By thirty minutes past nine in the evening, everything in the restaurant was set. The doors were finally opened and the very distinguished guests of which most of them were close prominent allies of Beni came, elegantly filling up the place.
                        Laliana was in the ladies cloakroom. She was looking at herself in the bathroom window .Laliana had on a sleeveless white velvet dress that really complemented her chocolate skin complexion. She had a pretty face with natural long eyelashes with only a tiny ounce of makeup. Her exposed graceful arms and legs from her knees downwards were well moisturized and glowing like the stars that shined across the sky that night. Her hair was modest and tied to a neat bun.
                 "Laliana, your husband is waiting for you... look absolutely dashing! " Nara, her sister in law and best friend exclaimed the minute she walked into the cloakroom."Thanks, you too," Laliana replied shyly while also acknowledging her friend's look. Nara was Beni Bayo's younger sister . She had had on a long tight blue dress with sleeves and a pair of five inch black high heels. She had on more make up than Laliana.
                       Tension creeped up Laliana's spine, the more she continued to look at her reflection. "What's wrong sis, are you nervous?" Nara asked, noticing Laliana's hands shaking as she had them on the washroom sink counter top. Laliana then gave out a weak sigh,"I don't think white is a suitable colour for me," she said. "Nonsense! White looks good on you, in fact every colour looks good on you!"  "But what if..." She whispered while facing the back of her dress ," I mess up!" "Give me your phone," Nara requested while opening her hand. Laliana took out a smartphone that had a pink Minnie Mouse phone case from her silver colour purse, unlocked it and slowly handed it to Nara.
                         Nara scrolled the phone for a short while, "The app says your periods just ended two weeks ago, there's little to no possibility that you will get them any time soon..." "You know I have a problem and..." "and you will be okay, so let's just go," Nara concluded while practically dragging Laliana out of the washroom.
                    Laliana was escorted by Nara to her husband who stood at the second floor of the building which was the VIP section. Laliana could see Beni staring down with a slender champagne glass that contained of course, champagne in his left hand. An aura of dominance could be seen surrounding him. His face lit up the second his eyes landed on Laliana.
                         "You look amazing, ua langu (my flower)," Beni said as soon as Laliana and Nara reached where he was. Laliana unhooked her arm from Nara and hooked it to Beni's. "Thanks for escorting my wife," Beni appreciated his sister. "Anything for my brother and his very beautiful partner," Nara said then went downstairs to join the other guests in enjoying the restaurant's services.
                      Laliana gawked awkwardly upon getting close to a bird's eye view of the restaurant. Asante restaurant appeared more than an upclass eatery. It looked like a place where the legendary god's would reside in. From the outside, the place mimicked the architecture of a big ancient Arabian castle with neon lights adorning it with its alternate flashing . On the inside, the place was in all ways, fantastic. Nairobi city had surely earned itself a new scenic landmark. Sure Laliana had already seen the restaurant before but when it was still under construction. Now that it was done, she was left speechless.
                         Everything in that restaurant was either gold or beared a light shade of blue. From the silk table cloths covering the deep brown mahogany tables to the artistically painted walls and even the cutlery and plates and glasses, all of them had both or one of the colours. Very smartly dressed waiters and waitresses hovered up and down the restaurant attending to the several people in there who ordered from the diverse menu. The executive chefs expertise could be acknowledged even more by the aroma of cooked delicacies which formed a soothing harmony for the nose.
                         Laliana did not realise that her mouth was still open until she felt her husband gently lift her chin to close it. "  Boss everything is ready," a man dressed in a black overall and appeared to be in his mid forties said to Beni whilst handing Beni a wireless microphone. "I hope you are ready," Beni told Laliana as he took the microphone. He repeatedly pat the top of the microphone on purpose just to get everyone's attention, those behind him at the VIP section to those occupying the tables below him at the regular section. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to welcome you to the grand opening of the Asante restaurant..."
                       Laliana's arm was still hooked to Beni's when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. The pain lasted only for a few seconds which almost seemed like an eternity to Laliana. She tried so hard to keep a straight face as Beni was still talking so as to not cause any unnecessary attention and she successfully did that. Laliana decided to slowly unhook her arm from Beni . She quickly sat at the nearest empty chair not caring who was at that table at that time.
                              Beni's speech lasted about thirty minutes. "So let's celebrate!" He finished with a high note. Almost immediately the song Malaika by Miriam Makeba could be heard being played. Laliana's heart beat with excitement as soon as she heard her favourite song being played. Beni literally ran up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright love?" He asked with a concerned tone. Maya looked straight into Beni's eyes and gave a wide grin, "Let's dance!" She said with glittering eyes.
                              Beni took Laliana's right hand and slowly lifted her up. The couple started twirling around with their hands clasped together tight. Everyone suddenly froze from their activities and only the music and the couple's feet while dancing could be heard. Nara hurriedly ran towards Beni and Laliana's direction with a black shawl in her left hand. Laliana and Beni  abruptly stopped their dancing when Nara roughly tied the dark shawl around Laliana's waist. That was when Laliana realised what just happened. She messed up!

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