Finding Love in Accra Episode 2: Like a Brother

“Kojo? ” His smile widened. “Ah. You remember. ” Unfortunately, I remembered everything. The oversized university shirts. The bicycle. The waakye he used to buy me. I did not remember these shoulders. “You two know each other? ” Emefa asked. “Yes,” I said. “From university. Kojo was like a brother to me. ” Why did I say that? Nobody had asked for our family tree. “A brother? ” He glanced at Emefa. “First I’m hearing of it. ” Emefa put down her fork. This was now more important than dinner. I laughed a little too loudly. “You know what I mean. ” “I’m not sure I do. ” He was enjoying this. The old Kojo would have looked down and smiled. This one held my gaze until I reached for a drink I wasn’t thirsty for. “So, how have you been? ” I asked. “Good. You? ” “Good too. ” A complete waste of English. I had several questions. Where had he been? Who was buying his shirts? And was somebody currently calling him baby ?

“You look well,” he said. “Well? ” His eyes moved over my face. “Beautiful, Lovia. ” “Oh. Thank you. ” Emefa suddenly needed to cough. Kojo glanced towards a table near the back. “I should get back. Enjoy your evening. ” That was it? No chair pulled out? No request for my number? Four years, and he was leaving me with enjoy your evening ? “You too,” I said, with the composure of a woman whose evening had not just developed a problem. He smiled and walked away. I watched him greet someone at his table. A woman. Of course there was a woman. “Your brother is fine,” Emefa said. “Please. ” “On your mother’s side or your father’s? ” “He was just a friend. ” “You should have said that before the naming ceremony. ” I picked up my fork. Across the room, the woman beside Kojo leaned towards him, showing him something on her phone. He laughed. I had questions about her too. “Do you think…