Iya Ololufe Mi

So we were living together, I was amazed at how easily we slipped into those roles. By the end of the first week, it felt like we had been living together forever. My friends started to complain that they never saw me, I was always rushing home. I didn't mean to alienate my friends but after a long day, it was your face that I wanted to see.

If my relationship with my parents was strained before, it was non-existent once they found out that I had moved in with you. I had to change my number because I couldn't take all the phone calls from "well wishers" advising me to resist the devil, not to shun my parents and to leave that Muslim alone.

Do you remember the day your mum came round? It was a Saturday and you had gone to play footie. I wasn't expecting anyone so I was surprised when the bell went. I was more surprised to see your mum at the door. We hadn't spoken since our relationship became public knowledge and even though you tried to down play it, I knew that she was on your back because of me.

"Good afternoon aunty, please come in", I said as I stepped to one side to allow her in.

She walked in without acknowledging my greeting, I sighed. I wasn't in the mood for a fight.

"Where is my son?" she asked. I fought the urge to kiss my teeth. No how are you doing. Straight to business. "He is playing football today aunty, He should be back in an hour or so. You are welcome to wait." She kissed her teeth. "I do not need your permission to wait in my son's house" I didn't rise to the bait. She sat down. I went to the kitchen and said a silent prayer for the patience I needed to tolerate your mum.

"Aunty, would you like a drink, juice, soda"... "Tinuke, I didn't come here for all this niceties. I do not know what you are playing at. Because of you I have endured insult upon insult. Is it by force to marry my son? Go home to your parents abeg. Let Seun get on with his life."

I kept quiet. I didn't want to be rude to the woman that gave birth to the man that I loved. She kissed her teeth again. I walked back to the kitchen and stayed there until I heard the door.

"Seun, so you have decided not to pick my calls abi, because of this useless girl. What kind of girl lives with a man out of wedlock. Do you know what they are saying about her outside? So you want to marry her. Let me tell you something Seun, Over my dead body. If it is juju that she used to trap you, it will not work."

At this point I heard you mumble something, I couldn't hear the words but I knew that tone. You were angry.

"Don't shh me jo, So what if she hears. Her mother called me and rained abuses on my head. I told her that if she knew what was good for her she would never call me again. nonsense. I had a dream that you were in a calabash and you were crying out. I am sure this girl is up to no good. A word is good enough for the wise. I have said my own"

And with that she left.

You came to find me the minute she left and started to apologise. "Papa, there is no need really, we are both in this together, I never thought it would be easy."



I had to laugh. "A calabash? Seriously, your mum is a tad strange", I said , picking my word carefully. Truthfully, strange was putting it mildly, I wanted to say demented, crazy, senile. But I had to remember that she was your mum.

Later that night Aramide came round, she had heard what happened. "Tinuke, I just wanted to let you know where I stand on this whole thing. My brother is lucky to have you and I am proud that you want to be a part of my crazy family, and as for my mum, I have told her to let him be." Having Aramide come out in the open to support us felt like winning the lottery. I knew she was fond of me but I thought that the rift between your family and us would force her to choose sides.

I remember one summer when I came to your house with Toks a few years before we got together, Your mum hugged and me and called me an angel. "The man that marries you better deserve you" where her exact words, Its funny how things change. How I went from being an angel to being the one that jazzed her son.

Always
Me