During one of our monthly chamas, I suggested we go on a girls’ trip. We all needed a break from our disastrous lives. We had gone through different things, breakups, a pregnancy scare and a job loss, so I wanted the year to end on a good note. I thought spending some time with the girls at an exotic resort would do us some good.
After the breakup, I went into a dark place that got everybody worried about me. Danny and I had grown so close that I didn’t know how to move on without him. My life went off-course after years of pure bliss.
I’d go from work to home, raid my fridge for any comfort food and re-watch The Fault In Our Stars until I fell asleep. This was my routine for three months until one day, I woke up to a text from him saying how stupid he was to let me go.
“Damn right, he’s stupid.” My best friend added after I told her what had happened.
“Should I meet him?” I asked her and she replied yes.
We met two days later at the same restaurant we had our first date. It was his genius idea to woo me back. However, the sparks weren’t there anymore. All this time I thought I wouldn’t get over him, one look at him and I snapped back to reality.
“Hi beautiful.” He said getting up to hug him which I met half-heartedly.
“I’m busy. What’s this about?” I replied. You couldn’t tell that I was crying for 3 months straight by the way I was acting. In fact, I had gained a little weight from all that binge eating and I was filling up my clothes really well.
“I just want to talk. I miss you.”
“You do, now?” I asked sarcastically. “I don’t miss you, though, and don’t ever text me again. Here’s that space you needed.”
Finally, I could say I had moved on and for once in a very long time, I was excited about life again.
We got to the hotel late in the evening, exhausted but looking forward to the vacation. Once the attendants showed us the rooms, I was ready to call it a night but the girls had other plans. According to them, a girls’ trip is supposed to be wild.
For me, I hung back that night. What was the point of going out if I was going to be a buzzkill? I scrolled through my Instagram watching their stories till I fell asleep. It seemed like coming to the Coast was a great idea because the girls partied the whole night.
Nobody could sleep once they came back to the rooms. Eventually, they did and we knew peace but they were up again at 9 AM for breakfast. And they had endless stories.
“Lyn, you missed a party last night. Weh.” One of them said. Their energy levels both surprised and irked me.
“The guys here… Wacha tu.” Another one added. “Girls’ trip itakupita kwa kitanda.”
She did have a point. I had already spotted a few fine men at breakfast. However, I wasn’t very interested in finding someone; not on holiday and much less, not a fling. Everybody knew I was the relationship kind of girl.
“Morning ladies.” One man said as he went to the buffet table.
“Morning.” They replied in unison and then looked at me as if to confirm I had seen him. It was hilarious watching the ladies, some married with kids swoon over men who were not theirs.
The day went on great. We took boat rides, went site seeing then spent the rest of the day by the beach. Most of the girls went back to their hotel rooms to catch up on lost sleep time while me and the only other girl who didn’t go out laid on the beach and enjoyed the sun.
“This is my idea of a girls’ trip,” I said to her adjusting my bikini.
“Yea. This is fun. We should go out with them, though. Just to check out what they said we missed.”
“I know exactly what we missed. The same thing that’s everywhere in Nairobi. Besides, I don’t think the quality of men here is exactly what I’m looking for.”
I was wearing glasses so I didn’t notice there was someone standing behind us the whole time.
“Ouch, that’s mean. I didn’t think you were mean.” I heard someone say behind us and we both turned at the same time.
It was a tall, built guy in beach shorts. He must have been one of the guys the girls were gushing about because he had looks that could kill. He was still staring at me and I didn’t know what to do.
“Do I know you?” I asked the only way I knew how to when I felt cornered, with a little attitude.
“No. but I saw you at breakfast. You were seated with a group of girls.”
Yup. That was me. It was hard not to spot six gorgeous girls. Additionally, they made sure that you saw them with their loud bursts of laughter that filled the room.
“And…” My guard was still up.
“I’m Dan, by the way.” That name still sends shocks through my spine to this day. The other girl and I looked at each other and chuckled.
“Is my name funny?” he continued.
“No. I just don’t have a very good history with Dans.” I answered a little nicer.
“Wow, I’m really on the wrong end of the stick. And here I thought I could make your girls’ trip more memorable.”
“You have. I won’t forget the day I took a trip to avoid Dan and then the first guy who talks to me happens to be called Dan.”
“Am I really the first guy to talk to you?”
I didn’t answer him since I felt slightly embarrassed.
“You didn’t go to the party last night? Apparently, the place was packed with beautiful women. I thought you were one of them.”
“You didn’t go either, I see.” And there was my smile.
I spent hours with the new Dan that day. We moved from the beach to the bar, got some biting and a few cocktails and talked about our lives. Each moment I spent with him felt like magic. He was incredibly gentle, warm and caring. I couldn’t believe I felt that way about someone I had just met a few hours ago, worse of all, on a girls’ trip. How cliché of me. But he had a way of making me feel safe and comfortable.
They were also here on holiday with a group of friends. No matter how many times we parted ways and said our goodbyes or goodnights, we always ended up in the same place again.
“This is my last night here.” He said handing me a drink.
“I think we should make it more memorable,” I replied smiling suggestively.
The night grew older and we grew drunker. It was one of the best nights I ever had in my entire year. Dan and I said our final goodbyes that night hoping we’d meet again when we returned to Nairobi. Of course, we did. I’d be crazy to let all that chemistry go to waste.
Right now, we’re five months into dating and I owe it all to that girls’ trip. My advice, get out of your comfort zone and live a little.
More stories in The Singlehood Series:
How I Found Love In An Unexpected Place
The Unexpected Love Of My Life
A Lunch Date Brought Me Back To Life After A Messy Divorce
A Kenyan Love Story: Love Song Part 1 – A Dream Turns Into A Nightmare
Sweet Cakes Will Not Get You Love Or Keep You Warm At Night (Part 1)
Rescue Me!! When Your Past Comes Back To Haunt You At The Workplace & Other Scary Ex Stories
The One Where A Fling Helped Her Heal
Sexy Cinderella It’s Almost Midnight: An African Love Story – A Maid In The City
I Am Our Man’s Better Woman – They Tried To Outdo Each Other To Win A Man’s Love
