Chapter IV
IV
“Did you sleep with him?”
“No.”
Ebun paused for a beat. In that time, Mo held her breath, hoping that none of her tells would betray her. Ebun was studying her carefully. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips bent into a frown. She wiggled her nose.
“What do you think you are doing? He is married.”
“He shouldn’t be,” Mo answered as she patted down her dress.
“But he is.”
“I don’t need you to judge me, Ebun.”
“Somebody has to. You are clearly unable to control yourself.”
“Says the pregnant woman.”
She picked up her knickers and stood up, trying to maintain her dignity as she did so. She pushed past Ebun and went to the kitchen. Her cousin followed her.
“He isn’t worth all this.”
But he was. If anyone was worth it, Golden Boy was.
“Look. It was just. I don’t know. We both needed it. And now it is done. And he will be racked with guilt and I won’t hear from him again.”
“He has a wife, Mo. And a child.”
“I heard you the first time.”
“All those Mills she didn’t want her to see her hand shaking.
This day was long overdue. She was never going to be able to live up to her cousin’s expectations.
She had never really been the person Ebun looked up to. She was just a babe trying to survive.
“Well?” Ebun continued.
“Well what? What do you want me to say?”
“I want you to tell me you are done with him.”
“I am done with him.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“That’s your problem, not mine.”
She wiped her eyes, but there were no tears. She was tired. She had no idea how she had gotten to this place. Or what she could have done to change her fate.
This had only happened because she and GB were in the wrong places, living the wrong lives. She hated thinking that he might be regretting what had taken place between them.
They heard the front door open, and then Aunt Kemi wandered into the kitchen.
She was whistling, which meant she had probably just received a payout from one of her exes.
Her outfit was also a dead giveaway. She was dressed in a tight-fitting blouse and white trousers, her red nails freshly polished, and she was wearing her most expensive jewellery.
“? káàbò,” said Ebun.
“? ?é,” Kemi said. She looked from Monife at the sink to Ebun standing at the table. She could clearly sense the tension. “Everything okay?”
“Well, we saw someone interesting today…”
“I dare you to finish that sentence,” Monife said, spinning away from the sink.
She didn’t even have any real way to threaten Ebun, no secret of her cousin’s she could reveal.
But if Ebun spilt the beans, she would make her younger cousin very, very sorry.
Ebun pressed her lips together, unwilling to call Monife’s bluff. Aunt Kemi looked at them curiously.
“Ebun, talk j????. Who did you see?”
“It’s nothing, Mum. Just an old friend from school.”
“So why is Mo threatening you?”
“I don’t know for her. Maybe she is into him.”
“Really?” Kemi narrowed her eyes, but didn’t push it. “Okay o. It’s even time you dated someone new, Mo. Ebun j????, help me take the things out of the car.”
Ebun followed her mother out. Mo was finally able to breathe; and then the tears came. She heard Sango pad over to her, and she buried her face in his fur.