The Summer Recall : Kuukua

 

School is finally over for the year. It’s finally summer. I can’t believe I have 3 months of summer holidays. This was going to be the best summer ever. Latifah, called me to tell me she is spending her summer in Atlanta. I can’t wait to see her. It's been a year since I saw her. She came to Atlanta last year to finally meet De-Shane and we all got together to spend time together. I remember how much fun the three of us had together.

 Latifah and I met during summer school when we were in Ghana. We were both struggling with math and our mothers registered us to have private lessons with the same math teacher. The first day we met I knew she was going to be my friend forever. We hit it off,  instant friends. After summer school ended,  and school resumed we kept in touch for a short while. Eventually, the school year got hectic and communication fell off.  When I graduated high school, I tried to get in touch with Tee but I got word she had already left school and had moved to the UK. A mutual friend reconnected us and it was as if no time had passed. We caught on like a house on fire. Although she and I are very different we don't let our differences hold back our friendship. Surprisingly, we are like puzzle pieces, very different but fit perfectly together.  I was excited to see her but I held onto a secret that I’m afraid if she found out our friendship would end. It scared me whenever it crossed my mind. I know she is lovely, but even the loveliest of people would not be that forgiving. Anyway, I brush the thought aside picked up my packed bags and headed to the station to catch the greyhound bus home.

I lay on my couch lazily, watching "Girlfriends" my landline rings. “Hello...”I say into the phone. “ Yo yo yo Kuukie  what's up in the A?" Only one person calls me Kuukie. “Teeeeeeeeeee please tell me you are in Atlanta and not in London? I say. “Of course, I’m in Atlanta, girl you know how much long-distance costs I won’t be calling you if I wasn’t” Trust Latifah to always bring up the cost of everything. “I’m so excited to be in town" Latifah continued without giving me a chance to speak. “FYI July 4th weekend I hope you do not have plans there is a huge July 4th party in Maryland, I just spoke to my cousin Kojo. He said he and his boys were having a “hello to summer Party since most people are coming in from Ghana and all over the world to spend the summer in Maryland. are you rolling with me?” Latifah asked without catching her breath. I thought for a moment, that Atlanta and Maryland are not exactly neighbours. It's at least 6 hours from Atlanta. Before I could ask Tee spoke. "I'm sure you are wondering how we will get there and also where would we live?" "Don't worry I've got all of that covered, one of my friends from Uni lives in this huge house in Potomac Maryland. Her parents are super wealthy and they will be in New York for the summer so she has offered up her place for us to stay at her place for the July 4th weekend. I also noticed Greyhound goes to Maryland from here so maybe we could get a student fare ticket and go to Maryland" I knew Tifa’s cousin Kojo and he and his boys were known for throwing the biggest and best parties in the Ghanaian community in Maryland Getting an invitation was a privilege. I also loved going to Maryland on July 4th. I thought for a moment and then I responded “Girl you know you don’t have to ask me twice. Anyway, do you think it would be ok if I invited a few of my friends? Will your friend mind if we all stayed at her place? I mean if it's not a big deal?  “ I asked hoping she would say yes. “Why of course, she responded. She already told me I can come down with friends since I mentioned that I was in the US because of friends". I smiled and made a mental note to call Maame right after I get off the phone with Tee.

By the way, do you know if Dee is in town yet? I tried calling him but no response. I was hoping to invite him to the party? Tifa asked me. Ohh boy I was dreading that question, I spoke to De-Shane last night when he came in. He told me he was in Atlanta with his new girlfriend Marsha. I know she was in town hoping to recreate the time she spent with Dee the year before. When she came last year they were just so perfect together. I don’t know why they haven't hooked up. Every time I brought up the possibility of them hooking up she would stop me and said they were just friends.  Those two are stubborn. Why can't they see that they are the perfect match? I opted not to tell her. It’s up to him to share that with her not me. “Ummm yeah, we spoke last night”. I heard her sigh, that sigh did not sound like a good sigh. She responded barely audibly, ‘oh he hasn’t called me yet.” I quickly came up with an answer that would help her feel better. “Ohhh yeah I had asked him to bring me some goodies that are only sold in Canada and I just called him to find out when I could pick up the stuff. You know with it being food and stuff ". "Ohhh right", she said, well I guess he will call me when he gets the chance.”
"By the way, do you know if he came with his girlfriend"?  I cringed when she asked that question. “To be honest, (although I was just about to lie) we didn’t’ get into the nitty gritty. I had to rush off the phone because my brother had to use the phone so I kept the conversation quick.” “Yeah sure,” Tifa said slowly. I quickly changed the topic, I couldn’t bear to talk about De-Shane anymore. Every time his name was brought up my heart dropped. I just couldn’t bear to share what I was holding a secret.  “By the way,” I said cheerfully, I have nothing to wear to this party and I want to look super hot, do you have any idea what you are wearing?” We chatted a for while and made a plan to meet up the next day to go shopping for this party. As soon as I got off the phone with Tifa, I quickly called my girl Maame I had to let her know Kojo and the boys were throwing their annual summer party.