Coming through!!!
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Kory
"We are going back home," mother said, taking us by surprise. By us, I mean my little brother and I.
"Home? Where?" I asked confused.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't confused because she said we are going back home, I mean I know the home she's taking about. I'm only confused because since my father died eleven years ago, we have never stepped foot at the place she called home, so I'm kinda surprised why she wants us to go back there now.
"Nigeria of course," She replied rolling her eyes at me.
"Why mom? I mean why now? We left Twelve years ago." All this while, my brother kept looking at us.
"Simply because it's home. Do not disturb me Kory James."
Right, she's on to her no room for argument mode.
"But Kory is right mom, we've gotten so comfortable with being here in California. I don't even know what the fuck is up with California." My brother Keith chipped in. At twenty, clocking twenty-one in a month, he already had the looks of a man and he believes he should be treated as such.
"Language Keith, I won't have you using the F word in my house." Mom scold him.
"It's just a freaking word mom," he replied while I laughed.
"Keith Omotayo James, I just told you to stop swearing." Mom yelled.
"But honestly mom, you kidding about us going back to Nigeria right? I mean how can we go back to that county we barely know. I became a lady here in California." I simply wasn't enjoying this going back to Nigeria talk.
"Does that change the fact that you are and would always be a Nigerian?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Honestly mom, make me feel like I'm twenty-seven once in a while. I ain't fifteen again." I smirked
"You guys should get ready, we moving in five days time."
Keith and I growled, we thought we had probably move after few months and not so soon. I grunt in disappointment.
"You wouldn't even wait till I'm twenty-one," I heard Keith said slowly.
"Nope, you would be twenty-one in Nigeria." Mom replied indifferently.
I looked at my mother and I was so sure she had her mind made up, we are definitely going to Nigeria in few days. Maybe, just maybe it's a good thing. One thing with my mother Sharon James is when she has her mind made up, it's almost impossible to make her have a change of mind.
Great, Nigeria it is.
********
I am sitting in the garden, checking out a fashion magazine when Keith came to me. One look at him and I could tell he's still upset with what mom told us earlier.
"Sup Keith?" I asked waiting for him to pour it all out.
"But Kory, how can mom just take a decision like that? I mean I know it's our country and all but heck! We don't know a damn thing about the so called home." I could hear frustration in his voice.
"Language Keith Omotayo James," I giggled and he rolled his eyes at me. "But honestly I don't know why mom wants us to go back also," I shrugged.
"How am I gonna cope? She couldn't even wait for me to be twenty." He grunts.
"C'mon man, you gonna blend in." I smiled.
He shrugged and went in probably thinking I have given in to mom.
Well, I have.
**********************************
"Welcome to Nigeria guys." Mom said to us.
I looked around the airport like someone waiting for her relatives. In reality, we are the only relatives we have. Keith and I weren't lucky to know any of our grandparents and our dad died Twelve years ago which was when and why we left Nigeria.
"Thanks for dragging us here." Keith's reply was sarcastic and I laughed, the guy hasn't forgiven mom for making him come back to Nigeria before he's twenty.
"I already booked an Uber online." Knowing my mom, I knew she noticed his sarcastic tone but chose to ignore it.
"Great." I muttered, not sure of what to expect here in Nigeria.
Forty-five minutes later, we arrived at our new home, somewhere in Lekki. It's not really new anyways, it's where we lived before we left Nigeria, mom just had it renovated.
"Phew, seems like its home," I said getting out of the uber.
"Of course, it's home. Has always been." My mom's reply sounds like she's lost in the memories this house holds, good memories tho, well until dad died which I'm not even ready to remember.
I walk in with mom, helping Keith with little loads while he walk behind us.
"I just have to find this country interesting." Keith grunt and I chuckled. My brother won't keep complaining.
We entered the duplex and I could swear nothing's changed. I could still make my way round the house and I'm sure Keith too. Looks just the same, except for the fact that it had been repainted.
"Seems like home," I commented looking around.
"Yeah," Keith was being positive for once since mom announced about coming back home.
"And welcome home guys." mom smiled. That beautiful smile that I love. "I trust you still can make your way around the house, I will head to my room now." She picked her bag.
"They don't eat here in Nigeria?" Keith scoffed and I couldn't help laughing.
"Yeah, I will order us dinner when it's time, but before then I think I need a little bit of rest. And just so you know, especially you Mister Keith James, we are unpacking this evening."
"What the fuck! I hate this unpacking shit."
"I would see you guys in an hour, I'm sure you still know your rooms." Mom left us and went upstairs.
"I can really make do with a nap also," I winked at my brother before heading upstairs to my room which still looks just the same.
