Growing Together:An African Tale

Chapter Four

Jide loosened his neck tie after the board meeting that had just come to an end, he sat on his office chair, sighing for the 10th time this morning.

He was wondering how he would deliver the message to his mother, he hoped that though he hadn't been home for a while, his mum would let him crash at her place for the weekend, leaving in hotels and eating crappy foods were causing too much damage to his account but most importantly his belly.

He was in need of a homely made food specially made by his mother.

Having enough of his thoughts, he picked up his phone and dialed his mother's number.

It rang incessantly but no one answered.

'Is Maami mad at me?', Jide questioned.

He dialed her number again, he listened patiently as her caller tune kept him busy before the line went silent.

Unrelenting, Jide picked his keys and went out to the parking lot.

He was going home, it was so unusual for his mother not to answer her phone, he needed to get to know what the matter was.

Driving out the parking lot with so much speed, he continued to dial his mother's phone hoping that she would pick up to calm his nerves.

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Laughter could be heard from the outside doors of the household, the voice of two elderly women having a conversation over an action that took place in the movie displaying on the flat screen TV hanging on the wall.

"I'm telling you Bimbo, this young man will end up marrying that girl", Mrs Jones spoke, shaking her head when she saw the disapproval on her friends face.

"That's obvious kike, but it doesn't mean my point isn't valid too, he'll date the rude girl first, movies like this are usually so, what's that word the young ones call it today, cliché? ".

Kike chuckled.

"I guess we can only know when we watch the movie, don't you think so?"

Bimbo nodded.

"Bunmi what do you think", Kike called Loudly.

Bunmi could hear the two in the kitchen while she prepared lunch for the family, as she cut the vegetables to add to the pot of jollof rice cooking she dropped the knife and walked into the living room, kneeling next to her aunt kike.

"Maami, you called me". Bunmi drew her attention from the tv, she has been living with aunty kike and her aunt for over one month now, Bunmi has grown to love both women like her late mother, she was now able to see her aunt Bimbo and Kike as a mother figure rather than anything else.

Each showed her love and affection, gave her care and raised her up like they were her mother and father.

She thought life was finally good to her, and she thanked the heavens for restoring peace back into her world.

"Silly me Bunmi, I didn't, I was only asking your take on the movie, I have forgotten you're in the kitchen, forgive me my child".

"it's okay Maami, you don't need to ask for my forgiveness".

"You're such a sweet child, go on and finish in the kitchen, we're starving, Abi is it not so Bimbo?".

"You mean, you are starving, there's no we".

Both elderly women laughed, Bunmi stared at them with a wide smile, exiting and allowing both women to watch the movie they had decided to see.

As Bunmi washed the veggies, setting them in the sieve on the kitchen counter, she opened her pot of jolof rice, seeing that it was the perfect time to had the green, she put them on top in small quantities using the garri turner to mix the leaf and the rice, once she was done and satisfied with how everything blended. She cut out clear wrapping nylon, covering the top properly before closing it completely with the pot cover.

Bunmi made sure she reduced the fire a bit, then walked out the kitchen to let the food cook for a couple of minutes, she headed to the dining table with plates and cutleries, as she began to set it with just three plates.

Since aunty kike's husband went on a business trip early this morning, and since her son hasn't been home for a while, it left room for three people on the table.

Bunmi had never set eyes on aunt kike's son since she and her aunt came to live with them. Bunmi has heard tales of Jide from his mother, though she would complain about his absenteeism, she loved and cared for him with all her heart.

Whenever he did call, They both would talk for hours over the phone even though jide's answers mostly consisted of 'Yes ma,' No ma'.

Her aunty, liked putting the phone on speaker she said it was good she got accustomed to his voice.

His voice was good, deep and definitely manly, it wasn't that kind of a deep-bass voice he had, his voice was just deep, sometimes Bunmi would get lost wondering what he was doing and why he never made an appearance at home.

All the whole they spoke, aunt kike never made mention of me to him, Bunmi didn't know why, she had thought on it countlessly that if they knew each other even though he wouldn't be able to place a face on her voice, they at least could be friends, Close friends but Bunmi never asked her why she hid her from him, simply thinking that whatever was her reason, it was a good one.

As Bunmi poured water into the last cup, placing it on the table, she walked back into the kitchen to turn off the stove, walking back out to inspect the table, the front door opened and closed then the worried tone of Jide bounced around the house as he called out to his mother, jugging his way to the living room.

Once his eyes fell on his mother's face, his body calmed immediately. He ran towards her and hugged her, whispering, "Maami, I was so worried".

Kike reciprocated the hug, smiling at her child.

"Jide, is this you?", He nodded smiling widely at her, his white teeth shining under the light.

"Omo mi, it's truly you", Aunty kike roamed her hand on her son's face, turning his face his ears and when her hands went to his shoulders she inspected him like a mother would if her child got injured.

"This is a surprise", she beamed.

Looking sternly at him she sat back down "what brings you home?", pretending like she hadn't just showed him an ounce of affection a while back.

Everyone knew how much she had longed for her sons presence, every time she would call, she would try and persuade him to come back home.

'Jide stay the weekend', 'Won't you come and see your old woman?'.

Each time she tried persuading him, he just found a way to escape it.

Bunmi looked at him, she really looked at him, she could tell he had a build, judging by how the suit looked defined on his body, he was fit but she could barely see his face from this angle.

"Your food mummy". Jide finally replied his mother's question, on noticing Bunmi's aunt, aunty Bimbo who laughed at both mother and son exchange, Jide greeted her.

"Ekurole ma", halfway prostrating as a sign of respect.

"God bless you my child, how was work?" making a conversation as Jide unbuttoned his suit jacket.

"Fine ma, we give God thanks". He replied curtly turning to his smiling mother as she studied him.

"Omo mi, you look lean, have you been eating anything?" kike questioned her child, disapproving of his weight loss.

"Yes ma but no food can make me add weight like yours mummy", Jide winked at his mother to distract her studying gaze.

"Speaking of food, I'm famished" Jide announced, rubbing his tummy with his right palm.

Kike and Bimbo laughed Loudly attracting Bunmi's ears as she closed the serving dish plate with its cover, as an extra plate was added to the table.

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Sorry if the chapter seemed short.

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