9:30 a.m, Saturday,
December, 19th, 2015.
St. Polycarp's Cathedral,
Lagos-Island.
*********
Rivulets of tears, in hot streaming gushes. These tears occasionally run loose-whenever Kendy hears the priest pronounce those words.
"What God has joined together, suffer none to put asunder"
Kendy's hot tears. They came again yesterday as he watched Pete exchange marital vows with his newly betrothed. They had finished reciting their vows, so they hugged briefly. The hug lasted longer than necessary and when they broke it off, it left diverse countenance behind. Pete's, as well as his spouse-to-be's glowered like an angel's while Kendy's face twitched like a fiery ball. The hugged more, she, literally melting into his chest. Her milky laced- satin gown clung to her body and drew every contour in picturesque forms. She must have looked beautiful, even glamorous to the eyes of those that saw beauty in women. She must have even been desirous- by Pete's new standards. Their eyes twinkled- her's and Pete's- the fire of desire burning brightly in their sockets. Kendy could tell the passion steaming between them. He was close- sitting on the front pews of the church- and he could swear he saw the heat waves radiating off them.
Their hug was compulsive too. Impulsive at first- till the yearning in Pete's frame beckoned and transformed his emotional needs to a dire compulsive instinct, to reach out- though they waited for the priest's command: a signal, a kind of whistle to be blown by the umpire of nuptial matters- and kiss.
***
Kendy recalled the day Pete told him he had kissed a woman and was getting married. It was hard to comprehend. It was even harder to believe. Kendy had never kissed a woman before. He didn't have the chance to. He had loved Pete- only him- from the boarding house of their boys secondary college through the university. They had shared hostel bunks and later, beds. The beds had been shared literally and in the deep sense of the word. Kendy had learnt to loved him completely- even now he was getting ready to kiss his bride.
***
The priest gave them go ahead and Kendy's heart jumped over a cliff. He wanted to look away. He wanted to break gaze, but couldn't. He looked on believing that seeing Pete kiss her might finally set him straight. Set him free from the love he felt for Pete.
He sighed briefly as they locked unto each other. Pete kissed her so passionately, his lips completely enveloping hers. Those lips had kissed mine too, Kendy thought. The kiss didn't last for a day or two; it spanned almost a decade. Those lips where no more mine to kiss. Kendy's tears flourished in their thickening rivulets till the lady, who sat beside him- the nicely smelling one that wore big dangling trinkets and loud coloured heels- whose attempts at couquettry had not caught his fancy till that moment, reached out, took his hand, squeezing his palm lightly and muttered between sobs: "Don't cry, baby. Your time will come. Soon". Kendy looked at her, shook his head and smiled slightly. She didn't understand. There was his man- his lover of many years- kissing a woman and here he was longing for him. Here he was wishing he could stop the matrimonial service and remind Pete of what a waste of affection women were. He wanted to remind him of all the times they spent together. All the persecutions and stigma they suffered through college and university. He wanted to remind him of the joy they had felt when the US pronounced the LGBT law- and the hope they had that Nigeria might soon follow. Yet, he couldn't- even then, some moments back, when the priest had asked anybody who had anything against the union to say now, or remain silent forever. Kendy had remained silent.
***
He momentarily looked back at the lady by his side and asked coyly after her name. "Call me Betty", she had answered effeminately, hoping to please me. She was trendy by any fashion standard, yet Kendy was repulsed. Female couquettry didn't appeal to him; But, he had to pretend. It was clear she hoped to warm his heart into craving that brief moment, even beyond the wedding service.
***
Maybe he had to warmed up to a woman, for Pete was no more his. Pete had changed; he was very comfortable kissing a woman, even infront of him.
Kendy wiped the tears away. He had to effect a change too, for homosexuality had lost its taste in him. He had to get married soon, he thought as he squeezed back on the lady's palms and dragged her out.
**************END*********
©Poet Razon-Anny Justin.
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