Ada bustled about as she hurried to meet up to expectations and perhaps exceed them. She could now hear Jasper, her husband of three months, rush into the kitchen, but she was too occupied to turn around.

"Sweetheart, they just called," he said, almost breathlessly. "I think they will soon get to the bus stop."

"No problem," Ada nodded as she increased her speed. "I'll be ready before they get here."

"Okay. Let me go and pick them."

Her husband hurried out, leaving her to finish her work in the kitchen. This would be the first visit of his family members to their house and first impression would have to be good. That was why Ada was striving to ensure that the food would be charmingly palatable (and served quickly too). Whatever impression they would get today would be the one that would stick in their minds. She regretted not having enough time to plan things properly as they had only announced their unexpected visit a few hours ago, but there was no use crying over spilled milk. She would try to do as much as she could with the little time she had.

******

Pooh! Pooh! The familiar sound of her husband's car horn blared outside and Ada almost had a coronary. She was almost done but not done. Oh Lord! She prayed they brought enough luggage that would slow down their movement into the house. Just one thing was left: the seasoning. She hurried over to the shelves opposite and in the process, bumped her knee against the heavy stool. She groaned in pain and clutched her knee. In anger, she delivered a kick to the offending object which bagged her another shot of pain to her toe. Oh God not today, she thought as she left the stool alone and limped to the shelf to retrieve the seasoning. Limping back, she quickly applied it to the food, stirred it and picked up her phone. She turned on the stopwatch and watched as the seconds dragged by. In all her life, the seconds had never moved so slow! After what felt like a lifetime, it became a minute and then two. She could now hear the voices of several people in the living room. She wrung her hands in panic and turned the heat to the highest. Picking up the phone again, she counted the seconds in sync with the stopwatch.

"What are you doing?", Jasper rushed in, staring wide-eyed at her. "Is the food ready yet?"

"No no no," Ada replied, still focused on the stopwatch. "Almost ready. Just few minutes left."

"Oh God. Like how many minutes?"

"Just two minutes thirty two seconds. Go and put on the TV for them so they'll be occupied."

"Yes yes yes, that's a very good idea."

He rushed back to the living room and Ada went back to her food once again. It was ready now, but serving it was another story. Moving as quickly as her injured leg would allow her, she dove to the cupboard and filed out as many plates as possible, but then she had no idea how many people were to be served. Picking up her phone again, she called her husband. He did not answer. She gnashed her teeth and swore beneath her breath, having half a mind to fling one of the glass plates at the door. But that would only worsen things and she dared not go to the living room for any kind of census. Just when she was about to try again, he rushed in.

"What is it? What is it? Is it ready?"

"Yes na, but how many people will I serve for?"

"Ehh.. four. Wait, I think it's five. Ehh.. wait, I'm coming."

He rushed out again and she almost fainted. Oh, how would her husband of all people be the one to stand in the way of her making a good first impression, albeit unintentionally? She resolved not to wait for him. Setting out four plates, she proceeded to serve.

The sounds of laughter from the sitting room increased Ada's hope levels as she rounded up with the serving. Just then, her husband rushed in again.

"Where have you been?", she asked half angrily. "So how many are they?"

"Four. Just four."

"Okay. I've finished serving... Oh God, look at me! I'm sweating like Christmas pig. Come, rush to our room and bring my perfume. Fast fast fast."

"Okay okay."

He rushed out again, leaving her to wash and dry her face and neck. After that, she waited for his return. She was beginning to pace impatiently back and forth, but her injured leg gave her a painful reminder. She had to settle for staying still. She couldn't go to place the food in the dining room and return again for the perfume. It would be outright stupid and disrespectful since they would surely see her from the living room. It must be from kitchen to dining and from there to living room, nothing else.

"This one, abi?", her husband asked breathlessly as he rushed in yet again, holding a small bottle of perfume.

"Oh no," she groaned. "This is my work perfume na. Don't you know my guests perfume? Abeg give me, give me."

She snatched it from him and expertly applied it on her body while he watched impatiently. When she was done, she handed it back to him, quickly rearranged her clothes and picked up the tray of food with a sigh. The journey was just about to begin. But to her surprise, her husband began spraying the perfume all around the covered plates of food.

"Ah ah, what are you doing?", she asked in alarm.

"I want it to smell fine na."

"Oh God, Jasper you have left the village, but the village has not left you. Please leave the way lemme pass abeg."

She brushed past him and went straight to the dining room. She placed the tray on the dining table and arranged four chairs around it. Her husband was now coming towards her and she discreetly signaled him to go get some juice and water. Fortunately, he understood and hurried off on the errand while she set the table. To her immense relief, he soon returned with the juice and water. But she quickly discovered that there were no glass tumblers in sight.

"Oh God, Jasper where is the glass that they would use to drink it?", she muttered beneath her breath to avoid being overheard by the guests.

"Oh oh oh. Sorry. I'm coming."

"Please be fast."

She proceeded to put a pack of juice and a bottle of water beside each plate, adjusting the plates unnecessarily in an effort to buy time. Jasper soon arrived with the tumblers. She placed them close to the plates, but suddenly, her eye caught sight of a dark speck in one of the tumblers and by the way, they were all very dry.

"Did you remember to wash them?", she asked, dreading the answer.

"Oh I forgot," he murmured, scratching his head.

"Oh God, Jasper you will not kill me," she moaned in frustration.

He rounded up the tumblers and hurried off again. She would have liked to go with him and fix everything herself, but it would look as if she was confused and unprepared, so she remained where she was, adjusting the plates and the chairs with a calm face, but with a wildly pounding heart behind her chest.

At last, everything was set. Ada breathed a sigh of relief as she ran her eye over the table again and saw that everything was in its place. Plate number one was not exactly on the same line with number two, but it would have to be left that way. Enough time had been wasted already. Smoothening her dress, she took a deep breath and stepped with trepidation into the living room towards her in-laws, walking slowly to hide her limp. This was the great moment!

As Jasper had said, there were four of them, three men and a woman. All were well over middle age except the woman who looked forty-something-ish, but still she was old enough to be Ada's mother. Jasper was an orphan, having lost both parents before he turned twenty, so these were some of the people who represented the figures of father and mother in addition to being older relatives. Ada started from the oldest, a white bearded old man who was conveniently seated first from the left. She knelt and greeted and welcomed each of them, just the way they would expect it from a good daughter-in-law.

"Do you remember me?", the lone woman in the group asked as Ada greeted her.

"N.. no ma," she stuttered.

She really had no recollection of the woman, and the look on the woman's face was one that made Ada wonder what answer would be best regardless of the truth.

"I'm your husband's auntie. The one he introduced to you that first day when you came to the village."

"Oh okay! I.. um.. I'm glad to see you again, ma. You're welcome, ma."

"No problem. Where has your husband gone to?"

"Oh he went upstairs to check up on something. He'll soon be down."

"You people have very nice programmes here o," one of the men cut in. "I like this particular..."

"Wait wait," another one broke in, sniffing the air and looking around like an animal in search of a mate. "I'm perceiving one sweet aroma like that. Is your kitchen so close?"

Ada smiled, glad that the aroma of her food had won their approval.

"It's the dining room, sir," she curtsied ever so lightly. "The food is ready. I have just served it."

They all got to their feet, smiling and chuckling affably. Even the oldest man did not require the assistance which he made use of to sit down in the first place. Before Ada could rush to his aid, he was on his feet clacking his walking stick on the floor and asking her to lead the way to where the food was situated. She obeyed and they followed behind, making various comments on how certain aromas could make someone go hungry and how long journeys always caused people to be famished.

Sighting the table and plates. they didn't need to be told where the dining room was. They rushed in and took their seats, laughing merrily. On opening the plates, their eyes went wide with delight and it was all they could do not to salivate.

"Ah uncles, auntie," Jasper called as he rushed down the stairs. "I hope you're enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh yes, oh yes," one of them replied. "This food smells good and I'm sure it will taste good too."

The rest nodded their approval, unable to speak as their mouths were already stuffed full. Ada watched with relief as they attacked the food, but she noticed that her husband had his coat on his arm. She eyed him questioningly, but he did not catch it.

"I'm glad to hear that. Ehh.. please excuse me for some time. I have to hurry out for an important meeting. I'll see you again when I get back."

"Hmmm," they all nodded, some waving him off, the rest having their hands occupied by their meats. Jasper rushed past and gave his wife a quick kiss, not giving her a chance to ask any questions. But Ada would have none of that. One glance at her in-laws to ensure that they were still well-absorbed, she ran after her husband and caught up with him as he stepped out of the threshold.

"Jasper, where are you going?"

"Sorry, I'm in a hurry. There's a meeting, I forgot about it until just now. I'm already late."

"So you'll leave me here alone with your people?", she pouted, hands on her waist.

"Just entertain them na. I'll be back before long."

"How do I entertain them? What if they don't like the entertainment? They are your people, you are the one that knows them."

"Don't worry, don't worry. Just.. you know.. entertain them anyhow. I'll be back soon."

With that, he hurried off to his car and jumped in. Ada went back in, unhappy at being left alone to entertain their guests. She was not short of ideas, but she was scared of making mistakes. She had gone through the hardest phase, partly with Jasper's help, but it was not over yet. She had to keep up the tempo and make sure they remained happy.

After excusing herself from their presence, Ada went to the kitchen to make some form of dessert for them. She imagined it would make them happier just in case the main course did not satisfy them.