Short stories collection

Bread and butter

"Dad tell us an interesting story. Tell us a story about how you and mum met, your journey through love and how you both have been faring for the past 20 years" my fifteen year old son Taiye requested.

"Yes Dad we are so curious to know. How did Mr Timi Akande meet Miss Lara Akindele?" Kehinde my daughter asked as she crossed her hand akimbo anticipating a lovely story.

"I'm going to tell you how we met. I'm going to tell you everything. Just don't interrupt me" I requested as I adjusted my glasses.

"Pinky promise dad" they chorused happily.

"The title of my story is bread and butter."

"Bread and butter? Like the bread we eat with butter?What does bread and butter have to do with a love story? The title should have been How I met my queen charming, Omolara my life, o.."

"What's queen charming?"Taiye asked.

"Opposite of prince charming"Kehinde replied.

"Opposite of Prince is princess my dear brilliant twin" Taiye said as he made a mocking bow.

"Bread and butter is the title"

"Ok dad. We are all ears" Taiye answered as Kehinde poked his back. He chose not to answer or retaliate.

"It all started like this. Your mum and I attended the same primary school. I was her senior. She was in primary 3 while I was in primary 5"

"Dad, is primary what we call grade now?" Kehinde asked.

Unlike her brother, Kehinde is very inquisitive. At age 5, she once asked me if God really created everything beautiful and I replied affirmatively. Then she asked again why monkeys were so ugly and I became speechless. I didn't answer that question but made her forget my giving her an ice cream. She forgot that minute but woke up the next day, knocked on our bedroom and asked why monkeys are ugly.
Pity she inherited the inquisitive trait from her mom.

"Yes. Primary is what is called grade now. Can you continue the story father?" Taiye asked as he glared at Kehinde.

"It's good to ask questions." Kehinde spoke as she rolled her eyes.

"Who said it wasn't?"Taiye replied.

"Ok as I was saying, your mom was my junior and for a weird reason, she hated or should I say disliked me"

"What's the weird reason father?" Kehinde asked.

"I thought I asked not to be interrupted Kenny omo Akande?" I asked as I shifted my glasses to my nose, peering at her.

"I couldn't help it dad. I'm sorry. I can't help being curious" she replied solemnly.

"Curiousity killed the cat" Taiye spoke in a low voice.

"And I'm not a cat, Tyre" she replied.

"Did you just call me Tyre?" He asked feigning anger.

Typical of Kehinde, she choose not to answer him but stuck out her tongue.

"As I was saying your mom disliked me because of my rare eye colour-blue. This hatred for blue eyed people she told me later was as a result of her mom telling her that white men with blue eyes are evil. They wanted Nigerians to be slaves. This eye colour is a trait I inherited from my grandmother who was a British. So your mom disliked me and was scared of me enslaving her because of my eye colour."

Kehinde let out a giggle while Taiye shrugged his shoulder.

"And why did you giggle Kenny?" I asked.