Chapter 31 Niyi
Niyi
“Did you find them yet?” I burst into the Cupid’s Bow conference room, expecting to find Merc and Vee, but there’s a third person. The last person I expected to see—my dad.
“Why is he here?” I ask. Merc was supposed to find someone willing to take over the Saturn mantle, not bring my father to headquarters.
“Saturn,” my dad says with his gruff voice. It’s the first time I’ve heard it since the transfer ceremony.
The formality I grew up with threatens to come back, but I discard it. This isn’t the time. Especially not for the man who might’ve ruined my life with this role.
“It’s Niyi,” I correct.
Dad raises his brows and erupts in a slow clap. I look behind him at Merc and Vee, who are also confused. “You’re Saturn. I’m proud, my son.”
Proud? He’s proud.
I’ve wanted his pride and validation my entire life, especially after Mom passed.
Even when I disliked him. Even when we didn’t talk.
Even as I moped about joining Cupid’s Bow.
Deep down, I wanted his praise. Aside from being the only one for the job, it’s part of why I stayed. But to hear it now feels hollow.
“I’m not.” I clench my jaw. Here goes nothing. “I am the worst Saturn there will ever be. It took me almost two years to unlock The Sight.”
“It takes everyone different amounts of time,” Dad scoffs. “Like Saturn, low and slow. You’re a natural. Don’t throw it away because things have been a little hard.”
“I’ve been faking it the whole time. It wasn’t that reading the charts was taking me time. I developed an algorithm,” I reveal, but no one looks shocked.
Vee speaks up. “We knew from the beginning. Sorry, Niyi.”
“What?”
“We knew you were out of practice, living away from the family and all, so we double-checked your work,” Merc explains.
“And your pairings were basic,” Vee deadpans.
All this time…they knew. They saw I was anxious and trying my hardest to keep up and they didn’t cut me any slack.
“You were trying so hard. We didn’t want to embarrass you,” Vee says.
Wow.
“So why show me the complaint?”
“You were wasting away. The Sight is activated by action, so to give you someth—” Vee begins.
My dad cuts her off. “They informed me about your progress and asked for my advice.” I shoot Vee and Merc death glares. “You are my son. I knew you needed motivation, so I asked them to find something in the complaints. We always get highly emotional complaints.”
My head throbs.
I look to Vee and Merc. “So, your argument that day…the thing about the board?”
“Not entirely true.” Vee winces. “The Board has been stricter since Uncle left, but we negotiated other things. All our new charity and community endeavors. One complaint wasn’t going to make or break things, but we thought we were doing what was best for you and the family. Again, sorry, Niyi.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. All this work was to make sure I wouldn’t let them down. I didn’t want to be the shit Saturn for the perfect Mercury and Venus, but it didn’t even matter.
My dad clears his throat. “And it was the best thing. We have a Saturn again. You unlocked The Sight, and that’s what matters. You’re doing well, my son. Don’t give it up because of a woman.”
The venom with which he speaks pisses me off.
“She’s not just any woman,” I say, and he wrinkles his nose and waves his arm in the air like he’s swatting away flies.
“And you can have both. You don’t have to discard your birthright. I know in the past Saturns have ended up alone or divorced, but I had both. You are my son. So, it will happen to you too.”
His words don’t make any sense to me.
“You were barely there.”
That shuts him up.
I continue. “You were obsessed with your work. With having The Sight and floating through time. You barely committed to human reality. I tried to get your attention, to alert you that something was wrong with Mom, but it was impossible. You never cared about us, but somehow when Mom passed, it became worse. You stopped living.”
“Watch your tongue! I was always there when your mother was alive, and after she died, I did my best. I put myself to work and provided for you. You went to the best schools and lived a good life. Now it’s your turn to give back.” My father’s gesticulation is wild, and his volume increases.
Luckily, the conference room is soundproof.
Vee and Merc watch, hearing snippets of the ugly truth I wasn’t ready to share days ago.
“A child needs more than an ATM. And I don’t care about The Sight. I don’t feel the buzz—”
“It’ll come,” he interrupts. “You’ll come to appreciate it.” He ignores my childhood pain, but I’m not even upset. I don’t expect him to acknowledge it.
“I won’t because I hate the feeling. The Sight allegedly elicits euphoria, but I feel worse off.” My volume has also increased. It’s greater than his, and he’s forced to listen. Dad watches me with intense eyes that mirror my own.
“Merc,” I call, and they perk up. “Remember when you told me I had used The Sight?” They nod. “That happened because I was thinking about doing something I love. Making art and thinking about the woman I care for. I’m not very good at this Saturn thing, but I’m good at those two things.”
Vee nods, and I continue. “I’m grateful I got the role because it forced me to move here, meet Moyo, create more art, and build an actual relationship with my cousins.” Vee and Merc look bashful. “But I think that’s my extent of being Saturn.”
My dad kisses his teeth. “I understand,” he says softly, and my eyes almost pop out of my skull.
“You love her, you like making your bowls or whatever, and you like your cousins. But why give up working with the cousins you now adore? You can do your job, love her, and make bowls in your spare time—as you’re currently doing.
Regardless of what you think, your mother and I understood each other.
I showed love in my way, and she loved me in hers. ”
He’s right. It’s confused me most of my adult life, but he’s right. My mother did love him till her last breath. She was fine with him living in the stars, but I wasn’t. I’ve tried to be him, tried to be Saturn while at Cupid’s Bow, but knowing how the power manifests, I know it’ll cost me my life.
“It worked for you, but it’s not good enough for me. I don’t want to be a slave to time. I want to move with it. I want to live. Ever since I joined Cupid’s Bow, I haven’t lived. I abandoned most things I love in an effort to keep up. That isn’t life.”
“You plan to give up your birthright?” He’s horrified.
“I stopped wanting it after I saw what you became. You gave it up for a reason—”
“But you accepted it. Like me after your mother, your heart was broken. Working helped me, and clearly, it’s helped you too.”
“I thought I had no other choice. I even thought maybe I’d like it.
But neither of those things happened. Instead, I discovered new things to care about—a woman I’d love to be with, a possible job that won’t involve living in front of a screen, and a section of this family that truly is family.
Isn’t that ultimately what Saturn does? Teaches you lessons that force changes? ”
Vee and Merc nod their agreement, but my dad isn’t amused.
“And what if this girl doesn’t accept you for you, since you don’t accept yourself? What if your artwork doesn’t sell?” The words have some sting, but it doesn’t hurt.
“Then I’ll keep living. Each day I’m alive and not enslaved to time is another chance at my happiness.
So even if Moyo and I don’t work out, or I learn my work isn’t up to par, I’d at least have the strength to carry on.
And trust me, it’s easier to work and forge new relationships without waiting to drop the ‘I’m a god’ bomb. ”
“I can’t watch you throw away your life.” He shakes his head.
“You don’t have to watch. I’ve already made up my mind.” I give him a solemn smile, but anger lingers in his eyes.
“Don’t call me when you regret this,” he huffs, brushing past me.
“I won’t call you. Period.”
I watch him walk away. I expect to feel conflicted, but I only feel peace.
Vee walks up to me. “Are you all right?” she asks cautiously, probably wondering if I’m upset with her and Merc. I want to be mad at them for manipulating me, but I wouldn’t have met Moyo without their interference. Maybe that’s the natural Cupid’s Bow effect.
“I’m better than expected. But I’d love to be rid of this thing. Merc, tell me you found someone willing to work with you and Vee?”
“First of all, anyone would be grateful to work with us,” Merc says. “To answer your question, yes, I did. Finding the specific Jakande family was near impossible, till I called Moon. Turns out she inherited a master list of the celestial families. And in case you’re wondering, it’s a tome.”
I hug them. “Thank you.” Vee joins in, making it a three-way hug.
“You’re suffocating me,” Merc wheezes.
Vee and I pull back, and Merc bends at the waist.
“Inhaler?” I ask Vee.
“It’s in their office. I’ll be right back.”
Merc stands upright before Vee gets the chance to leave the room. “Just fucking with y’all.”
“Not funny,” Vee says, straight-faced.
“C’mon, it was funny. Right, Niyi?” Merc asks.
I fold my arms, mirroring Vee’s stance.
“Tough crowd,” Merc murmurs. “Well, let’s get going to find our new Saturn. Hopefully the next one appreciates my sense of humor.”
I roll my eyes. Merc is ridiculous, but I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t miss working with Vee and them.
We step out of the pink-and-purple Cupid’s Bow building. Taking in the sight the final time as Saturn, I say to my family, “A part of me will miss us working together.”
“Awwww,” Vee coos. “Don’t worry, we’re at your house most of the time anyways.”
Wait.
“Speaking of, I need to borrow some wine bottles for a Restauranter event I’m hosting,” Merc says.
“I should probably get you your own key,” I say to Merc. I made Vee a copy after the third time she called asking for my whereabouts.
“Made a copy of Vee’s, no worries,” Merc says, and Vee laughs at my perplexed reaction.
“You’re never getting rid of us, cuz,” Vee says as we get to Merc’s parking spot.
Two years ago, I would’ve protested. But now, post-Saturn, I wouldn’t have it any other way.