Confrontations
Love; The Nigerian Way - Chapter 10
OLUCHI
Dinner was awkward for lack of a better word and if I had any doubt that Mummy had overheard our conversation, this resolved it. She was over explaining, chatting animatedly and overall, just too excited whereas me and Jeozi were quiet, or I was quiet and she was engaging him in conversation. I didn't miss the look he sent my way occasionally.
"It was nice to meet you Ma, I better get going since it's already late." He was already standing up, and Mummy looked like she was about to say something, but I interrupted.
"Mummy, I'll just see him off. I'll be back." She swallowed her next words and bid him goodnight.
As soon as we were out of the door, he turned to me, "Are you okay, Oluchi?"
"Yeah, why?" I avoided his eyes.
"For one, you're not looking at me, and you were quiet through dinner, dinner that you barely touched, and you've still not answered my question."
I felt like I was between a rock and a hard place. If I went back inside, I just knew what was waiting for me, and with Jeozi, well...
"Can you just forget that question, just for now. I'll get back to you with it in time, please." He reluctantly nodded, and we elapsed into a comfortable silence. He didn't look so eager to leave anymore."So… you've met my mom?"
He laughed, it was so unexpected that I found myself smiling. "If anything, I'm glad that I have someone on my side."
I gaped at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"You know what I mean," he was giving me the stare, the one that said you know what I mean unless if you're pretending not to. I don't have to say the words. I looked away.
"It's all in your head, but whatever helps you sleep at night."
He shrugged, then looked at me meaningfully. "Am I making you uncomfortable, Oluchi and please, be honest with me."
"No," I was as sure of my answer as I was of my name. I knew he was asking because if I said yes, he was going to back away and the thought of that was just... no. "No, you're not, I think I'm just overthinking things, but I'll soon set my head right."
"I think you should tell her then," he gestured to my apartment where I knew Mummy was peeping.
"Tell her what?"
"My family; I know that's what you're overthinking, but honestly, there's no need. I was going to say if it helps you feel better then you should tell her, but whether you think it's going to or not, it's will eventually come out. Why not get ahead of it?"
I thanked God there and then that I was not a cartoon character because hearts would have been in my eyes. He was perfect.
"What about you? Are you ready for that? Telling my mom means she'd most likely tell your mom the next time they see themselves which will be soon, I'm sure of this because my mom would make sure of it, and you'll be the topic of their conversation. Are you ready for what that would mean?"
"Ever since I told you, it doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore, so I don't mind. There's nothing my family would do that they've not done before, and being in a whole different state makes it easy."
I didn't know what to say to that, I didn't like that he had surrendered himself to the fact that things might be worse than they are, and I'll potentially be the cause of it. Of all the men in Nigeria, Oluchi, this was the one you chose to like?
I ignored the voice in my head. "Thank you for this Gabriel, I don't take it lightly, and I'm sorry that I might potentially make things worse for you."
"First of all, I don't think I like you calling me Gabriel and there's nothing you're going to make worse for me. I knew that it would one day come out, and I'm not mad that it's you."
"Thank you," We both saw the curtains to my apartment shift at the same time.
"Let me not keep you anymore and Oluchi?" He held my shoulders, and was staring me in the eye. God, Mummy wasn't going to let me sleep this night.
"Yeah," his hands were a bit distracting and I didn't know if he was aware that they were there, but I could barely focus.
"If anything about me bothers you, talk to me about it. I'd rather you hurt my feelings anytime than you stay away from me. I don't like the way it makes me feel."
Was there a more perfect man than this? One who would communicate better than this? "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, goodnight and let me know how telling your mom goes." I nodded and the moment he pulled away, I immediately wished he didn't. I really needed to pray about this. I watched him drive off before I turned to go back and the curtains to my apartment shifted again. I was in for a night.
Why are you avoiding talking to Me about something that matters this much to you? I froze in my tracks at the voice. It wasn't the first time I had heard Him, but it was the first time in years He was this clear.
I felt the conviction and immediately repented, "I'm sorry God, I'm sorry Father, I just, I don't know what You'll say and trusting You with this feels scary."
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. The words sounded familiar, but I couldn't place them. I was going to research this when I got inside.
"Oluchi, you've been keeping things from me," was the first thing my mother said the moment I opened the door.
"At least allow me enter inside first, Mummy before you harass me."
"Harass you? You've not seen harassment oo. Why do you have a boyfriend I know nothing about?"
"Mummy you've started. Boyfriend from where? And you heard the way we spoke. Was there anything to indicate that he was my boyfriend?"
I took my plate to the kitchen. I needed strength for this conversation.
"Yes actually, many things. That talk in your room, the way he kept on looking at you throughout dinner, and how you were looking at him outside just now. I thank God that you're capable of feeling things for a man oo because I was scared with how adamant you were against marriage, but this, I don't have any problems again, but I'm just wondering when you would have said something."
I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. The fact that Mummy picked up on these things made me hope that none of my neighbours decided to be nosy this evening.
"Mummy, there's nothing to tell."
"Nothing to tell and he was holding you like that?"
"Mummy?!"
"Don't talk to me like that oo, if anybody has the right to be talking like that, it's me. So if I didn't come to this Abuja now that's how you'd have sprung this up on me. How long has this been going on?"
"Mummy, I promise you, Gabriel is just a friend and we met like two months ago. It's nothing."
She was staring at me, trying to gauge if I was saying the truth. "And how did you meet?" This was it, the moment where I told her everything and hope she didn't overreact.
"Mummy, I need you to not be dramatic if I tell you, just listen to me, and let me tell you everything." She eyed me suspiciously.
"Go on,"
I sighed. “He's Ahamefuna's brother."
She looked confused. "What do you mean he's Ahamefuna's brother. Which Ahamefuna are you talking about?"
"The one you know Mummy, the Duru's."
She sat down on my kitchen stool. "Explain, because I'm not understanding anything you're saying."
"So Mummy remember when I was coming back to Abuja and you sent me to their house on the pretense of giving Mrs Duru something? That was where I met him..." I explained the rest of the story to her and everything concerning his family dynamics that I was aware of. I kept the personal details to myself. There was no need for her to know all that.
"So you mean to tell me that all this while that we've known Chisimdi and her husband, they've been hiding this thing from us… and from our mutual friends?" For her to use Mrs Duru's first name made me know just how serious this was.
I nodded, "And the moment you found out about this, you didn't tell us why?"
"Mummy is that really what's important right now?"
"Yes apparently, because this wasn't news that you were meant to keep except if you were hiding something."
I rubbed my forehead to ease the building tension. "Mummy, Jeozi told me that in confidence. I wasn't about to tell you anything because I was not supposed to."
"Jeozi?"
I would have been red was I fairer in complexion. "Jeozichukwu is his Igbo name."
A hint of a smile filled her face before it disappeared. "And why are you telling me now?"
"Because he told me to just now, when we were outside."
"That's the only reason you're telling me now?"
"Mummy how would it have looked if I told you that I like the brother of the boy that you and Daddy wanted me to marry. It doesn't paint a good picture."
"Oh, so now you like the boy, he's no longer your friend?" Did I say that out loud? Ground, now would be the best time.
"Mummy, we're diverting from the conversation. He told me to tell you and that's what I did."
She was silent for a while, and I let her take it all in as I washed the plates. "So why did they never tell us about him, or any of our friends for that matter?"
"I don't know. He thinks it's because shortly after they adopted him, Mrs Duru got pregnant with Ahamefuna and after that, she didn't want him but it's not making sense to me. They could have easily given him up for adoption again if they didn't want him but they let him be there, so I don't know honestly."
"Your father needs to know about this." She was already standing up.
"Mummy wait first!"
"Ehen, what is it?"
"Mummy you know how I just explained to you that he didn't have the best upbringing?" She nodded. "If you tell Daddy now, there's a high chance of him talking to uncle Mazi about it and then, it'll just come back to him, and he's already had it hard. Just wait, let's figure out a better way to work it out."
"And you say he's not your boyfriend."
"What?"
"See how you're protecting him like he's not a grown man, and you say he's not your boyfriend. Oluchi, I gave birth to you so if anyone knows you, it's me. Also, he wouldn't have told you to tell me without thinking it through. I'm sure he knows what's going to come out of it."
"Mummy please, just wait till you get back to Lagos at least. I'm sure when you and Daddy talk about it you'll know how to approach it better."
"I'm not making any promises," she sat back down on the stool. "So tell me, how is he? How does he treat you?"
"Mummy?!?!" But I couldn't help the smile that filled my face. Somehow, telling my mom about it made me feel lighter and it didn't feel like such a big deal anymore.
Love in the air. By the way, I got a confirmation from your write-up. Thank you, Ma. God bless you more 🙏❤️🌹