Chris parks his huge car and surveys the glass-fronted night club.
Two huge bouncers are manning the doors. Chris walks into the interior of the nightclub.
He is greeted by the blast of high octane hip-life music. There is a main dancing floor and outer tables where revellers are sitting.
The dancing floor is filled with gyrating bodies, their flashy clothes and exposed bodies illuminated by the coloured hues of the dancing lights.
Curved staircases just near the entrance lead to upper terraces that overlook the dancing hall.
Chris runs up the staircase. He emerges on the upper terrace, and is greeted with subdued lights, cigarette smoke and a heavy mixture of sweat and perfume.
He hears his name being called, and after peering through the throng of bodies and tables he notices the beckoning hand of Steve Hollison at the far end.
Chris pushes his way to their table. There are three people around the table.
Steve is dressed in a white shirt and black slacks. His tie is undone. His arm is around the shoulders of a buxom black-haired young woman of around 30.
Her name is SANDRA ARTHUR, and she is Steve’s fiancée.
The third person is a young woman. She is very attractive. Her name is IRIS NAANA BONSU. She is 32, and is one of Elaine’s friends.
STEVE
Sit down, Loverboy, and take the weight off your feet.
Chris sits down next to Iris.
SANDRA
Where’s Elaine, Chris? Don’t tell me she didn’t come with you! She’s supposed to be bringing me a perfume!
STEVE
Is that all you women think of? Perfumes, clothes, money and sex?
IRIS
Watch it, Stevie! Women no longer take that kind of crap from chauvinistic maniacs like you.
CHRIS
Hey, you sound bitter. Sorry, Sandra, darling. Elaine left me alone tonight. She’s in Kumasi for a symposium.
IRIS
So, you’re all alone too, huh?
CHRIS
Hmm, that bitterness again. Don’t tell me you had a fight with Jack again, Iris.
IRIS
Actually, I sent the bastard packing.
STEVE
Hell, no.
SANDRA
Iris, what happened, darling?
CHRIS
Finally did it, huh?
IRIS
I went to his house yesterday ’cause a meeting I was supposed to attend was postponed. I went to his bedroom to rest. Woke up and heard funny sounds from the living-room. I walked in there, and guess what? That son of a goat thought I was tied up at the meeting, and he was shagging some old broad right there on the floor! That guy is crazy! She could’ve been his mother, can you believe that?
Her calmness breaks, and suddenly tears glisten on her lashes and fall down her cheeks.
SANDRA
Oh, you poor, poor dear!
STEVE
I’ve always known that guy was too slick to be real. I never liked that camel. Hell…
CHRIS
Check it, Steve. Girl ain’t in the mood for any of your damn drivel, man.
Sandra reaches for Iris. Wordlessly the two women reach out for each other and embrace.
Chris and Steve exchange glances, and wordlessly they both stand up.
They make their way to the magnificent bar at the end of the terrace.
They pull out tall stools and sit down. A bar attendant approaches them with a wooden smile on his face.
STEVE
A bottle of the best wine you’ve got, please.
BARTENDER
Ice bucket as usual, Mr. Hollison?
STEVE
Yes, please. A bottle of scotch too, please. Have them sent to Table Seven.
BARTENDER
Yes, Sir, Mr. Hollison.
STEVE
Tell, me, bro. Are you going to attend Effe’s wedding? Checked up on the old raccoon she’s going to marry. Guy seems to be swimming in real dough, man!
The bartender presents the bill. Chris takes out his wallet, glances at the bill, and then extracts two notes from his wallet.
CHRIS
Keep the change.
The bartender murmurs his thanks and walks away to attend to other customers.
CHRIS
Old Rupert? He’s damn rich, and he’s going to be my boss, more or less, in South Africa. And yes, I’ll attend that wedding. Tried to get out, as I told you, but no juice.
STEVE
Listen, old boy, you know what I think? I think this is the time for you to get out of there!
CHRIS
What’re you talking about? Elaine barked up the same tree last night. I’m good, yes, and I know it. But I still need more exposure, the kind that Slash Designs can give me. It is not time to go solo yet.
STEVE
What are you talking about? Hell, man, your designs are holding Slash above the stormy waters, for Christ’s sake! Without you Slash will flounder like a fish out of water. You’ve got to take the chance, man. Marry Elaine, get out of Slash, and go solo!
CHRIS
I’ll do that, Steve, but not now. Look, Effe can go ahead and marry Rupert. I don’t give a damn. It is Elaine I love, now. It wouldn’t matter if Effe and I live in the same room. What I felt for her is gone, man, and she wouldn’t have that crazy effect on me anymore.
STEVE
What’s Elaine’s take on the matter? Is she game?
CHRIS
She’s not buying it. She doesn’t want me to go to the wedding. I wasn’t able to tell her that I couldn’t wiggle out of it. Somehow she doesn’t want to understand that between Effe and me, there can only be a feeling of deep hatred, at least from me!
STEVE
She’s worried, man. We all know how much you loved that girl and dotted on her! But she’s nothing but a money-grabbing crazy slut! She even tried to seduce me, your best friend! She’s trouble, and I don’t want you to get into her web again! Elaine is scared, man! She knows the kind of power that girl had over you.
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CHRIS
Effe didn’t break up with me! I broke off with her! Nobody knows just how poisonous Effe is! She tried to seduce you, but you don’t know half the atrocities she committed against me! Believe me, bro! She is dead to me!
STEVE
I hope so, Chris. I sincerely hope so. But you should be careful. I am happy to see you this confident. Alright, let’s join the girls. I hope poor old Iris is in control of herself now.
CHRIS
Poor girl. She likes to deny the fact but I think she really loved that Jack boy.
STEVE
Iris is like that. She gets the guys to fawn over her all the time. This is nothing new to her. By tomorrow she’ll be on top of the world again. But she’s hot, ain’t she?
CHRIS
Be careful what your dirty mouth spews forth, Romeo. Sandra will blind you if she hears you.
They both laugh and walk back to their table. Sandra and Iris are chatting quietly.
Steve reaches for the ice bucket and takes out the chilled bottle of wine.
He mixes the drinks expertly and hands a tumbler to each of them. The song changes to a slow, sweet ballad. Chris looks at Iris.
CHRIS
Wanna dance the blues away?
IRIS
Was wondering when you were going to ask. Let’s bond.
They both stand up. Chris walks to her chair and pulls it out so that she can come round the table.
IRIS
Chris. Always the perfect gentleman. Don’t you ever do anything wild and impromptu?
STEVE
Don’t tempt him, Iris, dear. That boy used to be a stud, a real lady killer, until a man-eater humbled him.
IRIS
She must have been some woman.
Chris says nothing. He walks with her to the dancing floor. She moulds herself into him, throwing her arms around his neck.
She buries her face against his neck.
CHRIS
Iris? Behave yourself.
IRIS
Chris, I have never hidden the fact that I find you awfully attractive. I have tried to seduce you on two occasions in the past, and you’ve always turned me down.
CHRIS
You’re my fiancée’s best friend, Iris. We shouldn’t forget that.
IRIS
God doesn’t make men like you anymore, Chris. Men who are absolutely committed, loyal, loving and very focused. Elaine is so lucky to have you.
CHRIS
You’ll find that kind of man eventually, Iris.
She extricates her arms from around his neck and puts them flat on his chest, spreading them tenderly along the length of his chest.
CHRIS
Iris?
IRIS:
Don’t worry, dear. I’m not going to gobble you up. I just feel sad, you know? Finding Jack in that situation just ripped my heart apart. I need you to be kind to me tonight, Chris. Just for a little while make me forget my pain, but I can also see pain in your eyes, Chris. What’s eating you?
Chris stops dancing and looks deeply into her eyes. She gasps, and her lips part.
IRIS
You know something, Chris? I think you need company more than I do tonight.
CHRIS:
That obvious?
IRIS
Yes it is. What do you say we leave those two lovebirds here and go somewhere quieter and more private?
CHRIS
Where precisely are you talking about?
IRIS
Don’t worry, Chris. I won’t try to seduce you again if that’s what you’re afraid of. My car broke down so I came by a taxi. You can take me home.
CHRIS
You promise no games?
IRIS
I promise, champ.
They both smile. They walk back to the table and find Steve kissing Sandra.
CHRIS
Hey break it up and find a room, you two.
IRIS
Listen, guys. Gotta turn in early tonight, and Chris offered to drop me off at home.
STEVE
Sure, sure, guys. You drive carefully, Chris.
CHRIS
I’m not drunk, you shallow-minded man!
IRIS
See you tomorrow, guys.
SANDRA
You take care, love. And live free, ok?
Chris and Iris head for the stairs, and disappear in the throng of bodies.
