Rats, Roses And Paper Bones

Chapter 27: He likes me?

In a split second, it seemed like I never fell. Everything was back to normal except for my grazed knees. They hurt a lot by the way.

"Mom, Dad, this is Doyin". Michael said, introducing me to his parents.

Mr and Mrs Obi, they had this look that told you that they had a tendency to be mean and judgemental, but just like their son, their eyes spoke warmth. I now saw where he got it from.

I could tell they were quite aged. His dad, probably in his early sixties, already had strands of grey hair littered in different parts of his hair, and he wore circular glasses.

His mom looked a bit younger, probably in her late fifties. She wore a pink floral dress that accentuated her vintage beauty and light skin. She was gorgeous.

I could feel their eyes accessing me from head to toes. They surely had something to say. His dad especially, looked like he had something to say. Moyo just kept staring straight into my soul.
Then his dad spoke up.

"Michael". He called.
"Sir?". Michael replied moving towards the chair where his dad sat.
"Get my special ointment from the car". He ordered.
I just watched quietly as Micheal ran into his dad's car and came out holding a tube containing an herbal ointment.
He handed it to me.
I collected it from his hands and bowed in appreciation to his dad.
He smiled.
"Just apply that on the bruise for three days and it will be gone, poof! In an instant". He said.
"Thank you sir". I said to him.
He stared at Michael.
"Won't you help her apply it?". He said to him, looking dissapointed.
"Oh, okay". Michael said.
He collected the ointment from me.
"Oh, you don't have to-". I quickly said, trying to collect it back.
"Let me help you". He said, insisting.
He went on his knees, risking his knees getting scratched. He squeezed the ointment into his index finger, applied it on my already red knees, making repeated circular movements on the injured area and massaging my knee cap.

Honestly, I was flustered. And it was even worse that Moyo was there. Thankfully, she wasn't staring again. She just looked away, busying herself with a conversation with Michael's mom.

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After the whole commotion, Butterflies and small talk with Michael's parents, I remembered why I was there in the first place.
I got to learn some things about Michael through the small talk though.
For example, the fact that he used to suck his thumb till he was eight. And the fact that he enjoyed eating fufu with Ogbono (a delicious local delicacy). And also, the fact that he loved his little brother, JayJay, very much. There was a ten years age gap between them. That was pretty much but didn't get in the way of their fondness for each other. And their parents cherished them so much, having had them at an old age.

"Sorry sir and ma, please can I borrow your phone? My parents haven't arrived and I want to put a call through to them to know where they are now". I asked them.

Mrs Obi handed me her phone without hesitation. I thanked her and quickly dialed my mom's phone number on the phone.
She picked immediately.
"Hello dear, I'm really sorry". She said.
Dang, I already knew what was coming.
"I'm having a meeting in the next 20 minutes and I won't be able to make it". She said.
I started fuming.
"Moooom, why? You told us you were coming". I said, already feeling bad for my sister who was still waiting for feedback from them at the other side of the field.

"I dropped your supplies at the school gate this morning with the security men and I phoned your housemistress to inform you, but it seems she hasn't. Just take your sister and go and get them after this call". There was a tone of urgency in her voice.

"But mom, Dara really wanted to see you and Divine, this will just break her heart". I said.
"You'll see us another time, dear, i have to go, goodbye". She said and cut the call.