13. LUKE
Chapter 13
LUKE
I was surprised to see Dele at the door. I wasn’t working. I was notifying the lawyers about getting Dele’s documents ready to send in when the pictures from Declan came through. He captured moments of Dele. One of the pictures is from when she was gazing into my eyes after the kiss. I intend to have it framed.
After getting a few more things done, I went to her door. As usual, the door was locked. I unlocked it and moved closer to check on her. I noticed the ring still on her hand. I kissed her hand and forehead before leaving for my bed.
When I woke up the next morning, I found Dele cleaning the kitchen alone with no friend in sight.
“Morning. Is Amaka still sleeping?”
“No, she left early.” She checked her phone. “She’s boarding right now.”
“Okay, hope she was good.”
“She’s good and will be back in a few weeks.” I nodded. “I made breakfast. It’s in the warmer. Eggs and pancakes. I wasn’t sure how you like your eggs, so I made scrambled and omelet.”
“I prefer omelet. Thank you.” She nodded.
“What time are we heading to your parents' place? I made Nigerian bean pudding for your mom. Osei told me she likes it.” Her tone is formal, as if she’s trying to keep a distance.
“We’ll leave at four.”
“Okay, I have a few hours to study and will be ready.” I nodded, and she left, much as I would’ve liked her to sit with me.
Dele and I arrive at my childhood home. I see Osei is already here. I didn’t tell him I’d be bringing Dele, nor did I tell my mom. I know she’s aware that I married Dele, thanks to Osei, and I’ve avoided speaking with her since yesterday. I notice the curtain is pulled, and Mom is peeping. If I expected her to act like she didn’t peek, I must be dreaming of a different mom, because the front door swings open, and she’s racing to wrap Dele in a big hug.
“Welcome,” she says to Dele. “I’m so happy to have you here.”
“Nice to see you too, Mrs. Appiah.”
“Please, call me Stella.” Dele nods, but I know she won’t call her Stella.
“Come on, Osei is inside already eating all the food.” She pulls Dele with her.
“Hi, Mom,” I say to her. She looks back and waves at me, then continues inside the house.
The moment we walk in, Mom calls out to my stepfather, “Danso, Osei. They are here!”
Osei and Piah come out from the family room. Piah shakes my hand first, just as Osei gives Dele a big hug, lifting her off the ground, making my mom laugh. He sets her down and says, “Don’t tell me you didn’t bring food.”
“I brought something, I know you like to eat,” Dele mocks.
“That’s my girl.” He kisses her cheek and turns to me. “Keys.” I’m hesitant, but his impatient self snatches the key fob from my hands and races to the car.
“Welcome to our home, my dear,” Piah says to Dele.
“Thank you for having me, and you have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you, dear. Come on, dinner is almost ready,” my mom says, pulling Dele with her to the kitchen. “Osei tells me you like to cook.”
“I do, whenever I have time.”
“He brought me the bean pudding you made, and I’ve asked him for the recipe.”
“It’s called Moin-Moin, and I can share the recipe with you. I brought some. Osei mentioned that you like it, but forgot to ask for the recipe.”
“Oh, my! That’s so nice of you, dear.” She smiles at Dele and turns to me. “Luke, can you get your brother?”
“Mom, he went out to get the food. He’ll be back inside soon,” I answer dismissively.
“No, go and get him. He might hide some of that bean pudding in his car.”
“Fine,” I grumble, noticing Piah chuckling. I move fast to get my brother and, to my shock, Mom was right. Osei is putting some of the bean pudding in his car.
“Are you kidding me right now?” I shout at him.
“What? You won’t eat it, and I know she made it for me.”
“No, she made it for Mom, and Mom sent me to come and make sure you didn’t hide some in your car, which is exactly what you’re doing.”
“Damn it! Dele with her big mouth.” He sneers.
“Let’s go, Osei, and bring it all. I know Dele brought ten.”
“She’s such a sell-out,” he says as he slams the car door. I watch him come inside with all the food.
As soon as he gets to the kitchen, he turns to Dele.
“Sell-out,” he says.
“I saved you some, this is for your mom.” Of course she did. I mentally roll my eyes.
“Now you’re talking.” He immediately wraps her in his arms. I inhale and exhale in silence. This is going to be a long freaking evening. I need to know what the fuss is about this food. I reach out to grab one, and my mom smacks my hand.
“This is mine,” she says.
“I can’t have one?” I ask, surprised.
“You three can share one while Dele and I set the table.” She grabs the plate and turns to us. “One.”
“I like to sleep in my bed, dear. I’ll make sure the boys share just one,” Piah jokes and turns a stern face to Osei and me. “One. I like sleeping in my bed.” Osei laughs and takes one.
He unwraps it and digs in, taking a big chunk. I cut a small piece and taste it. The flavor and softness explode in my mouth. I quickly stop Osei’s hand from taking another big chunk.
“Now you know what the fuss is all about.” He smirks. “Dele doesn’t make it all the time, so when she does, it’s a big deal. I’ve tasted this, but none is like when she makes it.” Piah takes a small piece as well, and I see the softness and flavor burst in his mouth. He takes the whole plate and walks away, shocking Osei and me. Mom walks in with Dele in tow.
I turn to Mom, “Can I …”
“No,” she interrupts, like she already knew what I was going to ask. Osei starts to laugh, and I turn to him.
“The rest is in my house. Let’s see how you get it.” I smirk.
“Mom, you have to tell him that’s not fair. It’s mine!” Osei whines.
“His house, his rules,” Mom replies. I grin at him, making him grumble. Piah laughs.
After dinner, Piah signals to me to come with him. I follow him to his office, leaving Dele with my mom and Osei to clean up. My mom is already trading recipes with Dele. I close the door to the office and sit on the love seat. He pours us a drink. I chuckle, remembering the many times in my younger days when I tried to sneak in here for a drink, and he would give me the look of ‘don’t you dare.’ I’m only ever in this room when he has a lot to discuss with me. He hands me the drink as he takes a seat next to me. We both take a drink, and I watch him set his glass on the side table.
“Does your wife know that you are in love with her?” he says with conviction, not blinking, looking me straight in the eye, the way he does when he wants to remind me who’s in charge.
“Not sure what you’re talking about. Why would you ask me that?” I attempt to brush off his observation, taking a sip of the drink that’s not having any effect on me right now.
“My son can’t keep anything from your mother, and she, in turn, can’t keep anything from me.” Why sip when I can gulp the drink? Fucking Osei .
“I’ve known you since you were a boy, and not once has anyone made you do something you didn’t want to do. I know why your brother wanted to marry her. I wasn’t totally against it, to be honest. My son getting married might be good for him. I think your mother thought the worst, like the entire U.S. government, was going to lock Osei up. When your mother announced you married Dele, I must admit it was a surprise to me because I couldn’t think of a reason you’d want to marry her, until tonight, when you kept looking at your brother like you were going to stab him each time he and Dele whispered or giggled about something. Of course, your mother is too delighted that you’re married and already thinking of grandchildren to notice that one son is about to kill the other.”
I forgot how observant he is. I guess I can’t hide my emotions from him when it comes to Dele.
“Back to my original question, does your wife know that you are in love with her?”
“No, she doesn’t know,” I answer in a whisper.
“There lies your first task: you need to show her how you feel.” I nod.
“She believes I don’t like her and somehow convinced herself that I have zero interest in her.”
He laughs.
“Clearly, she doesn’t know the only reason you married her is because you have a whole lot of interest in her and not because of your inheritance.” I hear the teasing in his tone.
“Yep,” I answer, putting the glass to my lips only to realize it’s empty. Fuck!
“Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to woo your wife and not kill your brother, who I must say is also clueless to the fact you’re in love with your wife.” I chuckle because it’s so true. Osei sometimes fails at reading the room.
“What if she doesn’t want me?”
He sighs.
“She does want you but, like you said, she believes you don’t like her, and that keeps her guarded around you. You need to figure out how to make her see the love you have for her. Believe me, convincing your mother to give me a chance wasn’t an easy task, but twenty-five years later, she wouldn’t doubt my love for her.”
I nod. Piah lives every day to put a smile on my mom’s face.
“Thank you. Can these stay between us?”
“Yes, as long as you don’t kill your brother.” He says, and I get up from the seat.
“He really is a pain in my behind,” I say with a smirk.
“I know, and he’s also your brother,” he replies. I take the glasses with me, heading to the living room. I hear the laughs of my mom, Osei, and Dele. They are having a great time. I turn to Piah, who’s next to me, watching as well.
“Told you, your mother’s mind is all about grandbabies. I’m sure Simon won’t mind, nor I.” He smiles.
“No pressure at all,” I reply. First, I need to get past my wife locking her bedroom door.
.