Broken | ✓

CHAPTER FOURTY: JAY O

Ireti

Everybody at one point learns, that reckless love thing: the one that makes you jump off a cliff, move mountains is just hormones acting up. You get to the phase where all you want is comfort and security then you swallow the bitter truth that there is no such thing as fairytale and if you think deeply Cinderella picked Prince charming because he was a safer pick and it was not a move motivated by love.

"You said yes" Mummy Tee approached me. I was at the buffet table, serving myself. Calvin had prepared a little celebration.

"I don't understand. Was I supposed to say no?"

"Do you love him?" she asked.

"Of cos I do"

"Not as your friend, Ireti"

"Why are you asking me this?" she was beginning to upset me.

"Because I think, forever is such a long time to spend with somebody you are not in love with"

"Our fore fathers did it and they had the best marriages. The divorce rate was low in their time" I retorted.

"Ireti.."

"He is a good man and he loves Tife and I so much, he has the most adorable daughter. Like he said our lives fit so well. Honestly that is all that matters" I walked away.

"Hi there fiancée" Calvin beamed at me.

"Hello fiancé" I smiled. Calvin was not the easiest person to love, I could fall in love with him...

"Mummy" Tife called.

"Yes baby" I answered, looking through our things to make sure I wasn't missing something. We were leaving for Nigeria, so Calvin could meet my parents and we start the marriage preparations.

"Does Nigeria have snow?" he asked. He had been making a lot of inquiries ever since he learnt we were going to Nigeria. I had never taken him to Nigeria which was unfair because he should have a connection to his roots but I wasn't ready to go back to what I was running from.

"No honey, Nigeria has different seasons".

"They do?" his eyes flung open.

"Yes. While Canada has spring, summer, fall and winter, Nigeria has the wet season, dry season, short dry season and harmattan season. The harmattan season is a cold season like winter only that winter is colder and comes with snow"

"I am not sure I like Nigeria" he said.

"But you are a Nigerian"

"But I am also Canadian" he countered.

"Lucky you" I replied a bit annoyed. I knew nothing good really comes with being a Nigerian but it was his heritage. I didn't want him despising his culture, he should appreciate it because that was who he was. I guess it was partly my fault, I didn't teach him anything, my father would be so shocked that he couldn't even greet in Yoruba. "Every child must know how to speak his mother tongue; it shows where he comes from" he would say.

"Is Nina coming with us?"

"No, she would be at her grandma's" I responded.

"Then, who am I going to play with in Nigeria? He grumbled.

"There are a lot of kids in Nigeria Tife. You know what just stop with the questions already" I commanded.

But."

"No buts" I said closing both boxes and headed to the door because I heard Calvin's knock.

"Hi babe" I kissed him on the cheek.
"Good morning, are you ready?"