Chapter 2 (Extract)

Next up, I walk into the kitchen for the major part of the plan; the irresistible meal. I start cooking. I also start with the end in mind. I know what the end product will be; a delightful meal. I only wish it wouldn’t turn out to be a recipe for disaster.

I’m making my specialty which also happens to be a West African delight; jollof rice. I thought jollof rice meant the joy of rice. Speaking of rice; I begin with its preparation. As it boils in to a taste bud buffet, I make my stew. I’d already boiled and spiced up my chicken since it is essential to the success of my plan. I soften the chicken by boiling to make sure all the spices and pepper would sink in. I fry the chicken pieces in olive oil. After some minutes I have some golden brown chicken pieces. The KFC bird would be jealous. As my stew comes to a completion I add it to the rice and mix it uniformly by stirring. Maame, my kid sister, was also doing her own “stirring.” She was staring at me. I quickly drove her away. I sprinkle salt in the food and then moved on to make salad as I watch my creation take shape. I make vegetable salad next. Cucumbers, carrots, lettuces, cabbages, tomatoes, onions, cauliflower and peas all play an important role in my salad. I mix all these ingredients with mayonnaise. I look left, I look right, I look forward, and I look back. When I’m sure no one is looking I sprinkle my dad’s favorite wine on the chicken.

It’s almost noon. I can tell because I’m hungry. I presume those in my household are too. I’m going to make this hunger worse. At exactly noon, I take the fan from the hall quietly so I don’t distract Maame from her cartoons. I place the standing fun in the kitchen near the stove. I fix the fan in position. I open the windows leading to the hall. I take off the saucepan’s lid and set the fan on high. The mouth watering hunger invoking smell penetrated and diffused through the house. I set the dining table in anticipation. Hmmm… I’m smiling again. The food smells irresistible. I’m not just smiling about that; it’s a memorable feeling when everything you’ve planned comes together. I managed to get my mother to purchase most of these vital ingredients on the previous weekend. I’d done everything I set out to do. I really had the smile of accomplishment.

My smile got even wider when my little sister came back into the kitchen. She looked as sad as a hungry puppy dog. She quietly said; “Aseye, I’m hungry. Please I want some.”

“The food will be ready soon, Maame. Wait a few moments,” I said then winked. I was actually having fun.

The fact is that the food was already ready. I just wanted the process of diffusion to be complete. My mom entered the kitchen. Think fast Aseye, she’ll discover the plan. I dived towards the fan with the speed of light. Okay, I’m exaggerating but I quickly put the fan on rotate. I didn’t want it to seem I’d intentionally place the fan there. For an excuse I could say the kitchen is hot. We African woman always labor in front of the stove can’t we have little luxuries like fans?

My mother’s eyes were on me. I could feel the contraction of the ciliary muscles of her eyeball. Her lenses were growing bigger and I was the object in her full scope of vision. She I knew I was up to something. As to what exactly I was up to, I doubt she’d know. But I’m sure we both knew she’d soon find out. Tick Tock. I smiled again. To her knowledge, Aseye would never go out of her means to do something good and expect nothing in return. She was right. But my mother had had enough experience in life to give the benefit of doubt. She knew people could and can change. I wondered if she thought her oldest daughter had.

It took over me. I couldn’t help it. When my father and brother also entered the kitchen my face lit up. I was smiling like a kid in a candy store. Wait, I smiled more than Charlie when he went to the chocolate factory. My plan was working perfectly, no errors, yet. Something always goes wrong with a plan.

“Darling, what’s that delicious smell?” my dad asked no one in particular.

“Dad, forget the smell. I want food!” my big brother, Kweku, said.

“Me too,” little Maame seconded.

“Let’s all go in to the dining room. Aseye did a good job setting the table. I’m sure Aseye would serve us soon,” my mother suggested. They all slowly walked in the dining room. My mom was the last. She looked at me and winked. She then smiled and joined the rest. I thought; Aseye did a good job setting the table. How did she know I set the table? Why did she wink at me? Why was she smiling? Was I imagining stuff or was my mom just teasing me? Clearly, she was on to me. See All