? MMESOMA’S
DILEMMA ?
Chapter 8
My phone was ringing again ; I wanted to just slap somebody.
It was my sister calling. She told me that my grandma wants to have dinner with me inside my room.
I sat there in shock staring at the wall but not seeing anything. I was even ready to skip dinner just so I would not have to see my grandma but she just has to come up with these weird ideas. Hopefully I would not choke on my food and die.
I quickly changed and put on a simple maxi gown, though we were eating indoors, I did not want to appear before her in one of my night wears. I packed my hair in bun and listened to music with my earphones while I waited for her to come for me. Half way into a Banky W’s Jaiye Orimi, someone knocked.
“Mmesoma, it is your grandma, open up”, she said.
Feeling cleaner and several times confident I opened the door. She was standing there wearing another boubou gown made with Ankara, it was yellow and had black flowers patterned into it.
“You are having dinner with me, let us go to my room”, she said leading the way.
I went back to hide my phone and lock my door properly. Abeg, I am not taking any chances since my aunts are around.
By the time I got to her room she was seated there, her reading gla-sses perched on her nose, a book in her palms. Dinner was already laid out.
“Good evening grandma”, I said as I sat down.
The tension was thick, considering I had told her straight up that I did not want to marry Afam and considering her threats, it would only be wise if I acted with sense now.
I would not speak except spoken to and even then I would speak with sense.
“Lead us in the grace before meal dear”, she said.
“Bless us o Lord and these gifts which we are about to receive throu-ghChrist our Lord, Amen”, I said.
. We made the sign of the cross and began easting.
For the first 5 minutes, at least I think it was that long, no one spoke and the silence was only broken by the sound of cutlery and the evening breeze entering the room.
“So, why don’t you want to marry Afam?” her question was sudden, I had been enjoying the relative peace and quiet.
I did not answer at first, but persistence is one of her many strengths.
“I really want to know. What is wrong with him? He is handsome, rich, a perfect gentleman, dresses well, runs in the best circles, kind, patient…”
I interrupted her before I could stop myself.
“Simply put, he is God’s gift to women and Mmesoma Agu is the lucky girl”, I said as I ate a piece of yam, making sure not to look at her.
“This is serious, stop goofing around. This marriage is important to our families. And if you are thinking of such mundane things like love and attra-ction, then don’t worry, you can always get those from the marriage. Haven’t you seen him, he is the epitome of perfection”, her voice was high-pitched; as if she could not believe that she was still trying to convince me.
I looked up to find her looking at me as if a screw was loose in my brain. Sigh, maybe she was right. Maybe something was wrong with me after all, but I could not bring myself to agree with this.
“Grandma, I see everything you are saying, but he is just not for me. Marriage is not something I can wiggle out of when I want to, it is a commitment I am honestly not ready for. I want to love and be very attra-cted to who I marry before I marry them, not after ”, I explained.
She stared at me in silence for some minutes and then threw her napkin on the table as she stood up and began pacing. I sighed and looked out of the window which we were seated beside.
“You are being so stubborn you know. I really want you both to get married.
“Wait o, you like him ba? Why don’t you marry him na, what is all this? Why so much fuss over me marrying him? if I don’t marry him, will anyone die? Yesterday was the first time I was setting my eyes on him…” I retorted.
“Oh shut up! You literally grew up together, but how would you remember him, when it is that Lanre boy you were following everywhere”, she said to me throu-ghgritted teeth.
“Afam was not even being serious enough in winning your heart, I knew this would happen”, she muttered, clearly irritated.
I rolled my eyes and continued eating, if she wants to have high BP, what is my own?
Tonight I eat and rest, tomorrow I resume my plans.
***
Dinner did not end well. Grandma kicked me out her room once she realized I was not going to change my mind. And I was so glad to be out of there.
I took the plates with me and dropped them in the sink. I needed to talk to Ezinne about something urgently; maybe if I waited a little longer she would come here to wash plates.
“How was dinner?” a voice asked, startling me. It was my mum and she was walking into the kitchen with a plates.
“Hey mummy, the food was amazing but was not
. I still did not agree with her and she refuses to listen to me. We are just really stubborn people and this back and forth banter will just go on forever at this rate”, I said with a slight smile and my mother chuckled, I was glad I could make her laugh.
We leaned against the kitchen counter and were quiet for a few seconds.
“Hmmm, this is getting really one-kind and I don’t want to be involved in this drama, but I need to ask, when do you want to start school shopping?” she asked, looking at her recently manicured nails which were painted nu-de.
I found it annoying that we were whispering in our house because of grandma and my aunts.
This one that she is mentioning school shopping; has she already forgotten grandma’s threat?
“Mummy, can’t you remember what she said? No school until I agree, which I do not think would happen”, I reminded her calmly.
“I remember, but as your mother, there are certain things I just do no matter what happens and one is to always plan your school shopping with Dara and her mom. So, on the resumption matter, you want to be in school slightly later than the new students but definitely earlier than the old students ba?” she asked and I nodded.
What is happening here? Wasn’t my mother supposed to be threatening to kill me and let me resume late if I did not agree? But, here she was acting as if none of it was her business.
“Okay then, it would be sometime during the week, your siblings would take care of the house and your father would take care of himself, your grandma and aunts would figure themselves out
. Your own is to prepare your list and get ready to move when I say so”, she calmly said with a smile. She was about to turn away when I held unto her and asked her a question that was bothering me.
“Are you and daddy going to let Grandma cut me off from the family?”
“Don’t worry yourself about that.
. Go and sleep, we are going for second ma-ss tomorrow and it has been a day, get your rest so you would wake up early and get ready early tomorrow”, she said and gave me a light forehead kis-s which warmed my heart.
Okay, what does this answer mean? Does she have my back? I do not know, but I know she has a plan and I really want to know what that was, but that is for later sha.
I went to Ezinne’s room next.
“It is me, open up”, I said and she did so. Her w-et hair told me she had just left the shower.
“You are the best sister ever”, I said with a sudden hug which lasted some seconds.
“This display of love is awkward, so what’s up?” she asked as stepping back, looking at me cautiously.
“Ahan. I cannot hug you again ni? Plus I came to see what you did with the room again”, I said and looked around the room, admiring how colorful she had made it.
“Babe, you try for this room o, come and redecorate my own na, I will pay you in the future”, I said, looking at her to see her reaction, she was laughing at my suggestion.
“Biko, we both know you will never pay me. Now why are you here?” she asked. She is way smarter than I give her credit for.
“Grandma remembers Lanre; she said I was always following him around when we were kids. Apparently Afam did not do much do win my heart, well, the wahala is that she remembers Lanre”, I ranted in a whisper.
She gave me a weird look for some seconds then she asked.
“How is that a problem?”
Really, I take back my comment on her being so smart.
“Can’t you see? What if she figures that I don’t want to marry Afam because I think that I actually have feelings for Lanre?” I whispered.
She wide-ned her eyes at me.
“What?! Is that your reason for all these stunts?” she asked.
“Not really, I am not ready for that level of commitment plus I do not like Afam”, I said. She kept looking at me and sm-irking.
“Meso, he is like the king of Yoru-ba demons, remember all those many girls? Are you okay? I thought he was just your ‘closest male friend’?” she asked with a sm-irk as she wore her hairnet.
“He is, I am not saying I want to marry him, I just don’t want her to give him any wahala, because he is super important to me”, I said defensively.
“Calm down, you are being worried for no reason; she cannot touch him, just worry about yourself. He is a big boy and will be fine”, she said, patting my back, looking very amused.
“Secret o”, I said. She giggled and nodded.
“Yes, it is our secret that you are in love with Lanre Shittu”, she responded with a chuckle.
Not funny!
As I left her room, I saw aunty Somebi hurry down the corridor.
Blood of Jesus! Had she heard everything I said?
Calm down Meso, you are being unnecessarily paranoid.
Tbc…