Chapter VIII
VIII
The weeks went by, and Mo and Golden Boy reverted to their usual programming.
If his mother cast a shadow over their relationship, they chose not to acknowledge it.
Mo hadn’t told her family what had happened the evening she met her boyfriend’s mother.
She was vague when they asked, saying his mother was pretty and she was sure they would get to know each other better in the future.
He accompanied her to Ebun’s graduation.
The secondary school grounds were full of rows of excited teens dressed in their graduation robes in front of the stage and their proud families seated behind them.
Aunty Kemi had saved a place for Mo and Kalu beside herself and Bunmi; and even Tolu showed up.
Mo watched as her brother and boyfriend exchanged a brief hug and patted each other on the back.
There was a little shade where they sat, below a few sparse trees at the back of the grounds.
Mo fiddled with the settings of her camera, trying to get the depth of field right—she had been given the role of unofficial photographer.
Golden Boy poked her ribs and she looked up in time to see Ebun take the stage.
She was head girl. Her mother and aunt looked as surprised as Mo felt.
How had none of them known this? Mo stood quickly and took several shots as she listened to Ebun encourage her peers to make the most of the opportunities they were given. Her heart swelled with pride.
“Ebun is killing it,” said Tolu.
“Still,” began Aunty Kemi, “A ò m? ?kan tí obìnrin ma dì kó tó gbélé ?k?.” Monife translated it to herself and then repeated it in English for Golden Boy’s benefit—“We do not know what a woman will become until she marries.” How Ebun would have hated her mother’s reaction to her accolades.
Ebun’s speech was followed by prizegiving, during which she was acknowledged twice. And then the principal spent the rest of the time taking advantage of the large audience by advertising the school’s achievements, while Bunmi muttered that she would never be so boastful about her own school.
Mo zoned out and squeezed the hand holding hers.
Golden Boy turned to her and smiled. Things between them were great.
He still showed up for her, still spent time with her, still spoke to her for hours on end.
And yet something had been dislodged when she met his mother, and she couldn’t figure out how to put it back in place.
The ceremony ended and Ebun found her way through the crowd to reach them.
“Congratulations, love,” Mo said. She remembered then that she hadn’t followed up with Ebun about asking her father for money. She had got caught up in her own drama. She gave her cousin a hug and wondered if she imagined the stiffness in Ebun’s body.
It was quickly decided that Tolu would drive the mothers home in the beat-up car and Ebun would ride with Mo and Golden Boy. They got to the vehicle as Oba jogged up to them, blue robes fluttering behind him.
“Can I hitch a ride?”
“Sure,” Golden Boy said, and Oba hustled into the back beside her cousin. Mo looked out of the window whilst Golden Boy chatted cheerfully.
“Are you excited about uni?” he asked Ebun.
“No.”
“No? Why?”
“It’s just more work.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” announced Oba. “More independence. A new environment. You make new friends…” Mo remembered that Oba would be leaving for the UK and furthering his education there. She squashed the envy that was threatening to rise.
“I’ve seen you talking to strangers…it ain’t pretty,” Ebun said.
Oba laughed along. “I’ll get better.”
“Meeting new people is just stressful j??.”
“What about guys?” asked Oba.
“What about them?”
“You’re not interested in dating?” asked Golden Boy. Mo twisted her body, to better hear what Ebun would say, but her cousin only sighed.
—
They dropped Oba off first, in front of a charming home that may have lacked the grandeur of Golden Boy’s house but was attractive in its own right.
When they arrived at the Falodun home, Ebun said a quick thanks, then jumped out of the car and disappeared up the drive.
Golden Boy turned off the engine and began to drum his fingers on the wheel.
Mo could tell there was something on his mind, so she waited.
“My mother has been going on about some chick.”
“What do you mean?”
“Try not to get mad, okay. I am being straight with you here…”
“Kalu, what do you mean?”
“She is the daughter of a friend of my mum’s. And they want us to meet.”
“You have a girlfriend.”
“I know.”
“Tell her no.”
“I have. Over and over. The woman is relentless.”
“What the fuck?”
“I know. It is messed up,” he said, turning to face her. “But look, I am just going to meet her so I can tell Mum that it’s a no-go area. And then she can get off my back.”
“And what if you’re into her?” pressed Mo.
“Monife, which part of ‘I love you’ don’t you understand? Tell me, so I can break it down for you.”
“What’s her name?”
“Amara.”
She stared at her feet, willing herself not to cry or punch him.
“Mo, look at me.” She reluctantly looked up. His sombre expression lynched her heart. “I told you so there would be no secrets between us. I don’t want you overreacting. There is nothing there for me. I have you.”
“So when is this meeting?” she asked, leaning away from him as he tried to pull her into a hug.
“Umm…well…that’s the other thing. Those are my dinner plans. Her family are coming tonight.”
“Tonight?!” She wanted to scream at him, but this wasn’t the time. The last thing she wanted was for him to recall her insulting his ancestors whilst engaged in a tête-à-tête with a young woman who met his mother’s approval. She took a few deep breaths instead.
“Mo?”
“This is all a bit much for me, Golden Boy.”
“I know. I know, babe. And I’m sorry. All I can say is it’ll be over soon and then that’ll be the end of it.”
“Will it? Or will your mum just bring around another girl, and then another?”
“Do you trust me?”
“I do, but—”
“No buts. Do you trust me?”
She sighed. “Yes.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about. There is nothing to worry about.”
She nodded. She had always been able to trust Golden Boy; why would this time be different? All would be well. This was just a little bump in the road.