Chidi's POV
I had been staring at my brother whom seemed annoyed after returning from his outing. Well wherever he goes to is none of my business but he has been looking so restless, and it would be wicked of me not to ask him, as I wasn't sure what was eating him up.
"What's up bro, this one you are restless like these hope all is well?," I asked him and he stared at me, contemplating his response.
"Mtchew!," He hissed.
"What's wrong?," I sat up on our bed, keeping my laptop aside, as i had some other online business I was into.
"Bro you won't understand," he told me.
"Understand what? Is it money?," I asked him as I was also earning online.
"No!," He bluntly replied, and I sighed and returned back to what I was doing.
Later, Amaka whom was our cousin sister that was living with Mama and also learning how to sow came to knock on how room door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!, She knocked and I stood up going to open the door seeing that Chinedu wasn't interested in opening the door.
"What do you want?," I asked her and she smiled.
"Mama said I should call you guys, dinner is ready," she told me, turned and left. Not waiting for my response.
I went back into our room to inform Chinedu.
"Come guy, I don't understand what's your problem, but mom is calling us both," I told him and stood up and left after shutting off my laptop.
I went out of our room to the dinning room and sat on my favorite seat. Amaka assisted Mama in serving our food, it was porridge yaw and bean.
"Where is you brother?," Mama asked me.
"Mama we ain't twin, am three years older than him," I told Mama.
"So?, Will you remind of your age, like I didn't know when you where born, just go and call him," Mama said and just then Chinedu came out, looking downcasted.
"What's wrong with him?," Mama asked me and I ignored her question. Amaka also stared at me waiting for the answer, while Chinedu walked slowly and come join us at the dinning table.
"What?, Why are you two staring at me, why don't you ask him yourself Mama," I told them and I started eating, not waiting for anyone to pray on the food.
Mama shifted her gaze to stare at Chinedu.
"What is it son!?," She asked Chinedu in a lowered voice and he looked up to stare at her, while picking up his spoon.
"Nothing mom," he replied Mama and started eating.
Amaka smiled out laughing and she said, "Maybe his girlfriend broke up with him," and we stared at her in shock.
"Girlfriend?," Mama questioned and stared back at Chinedu but he kept mute.
"You are not saying anything to refuse her claims?," Mama questioned him
"I don't think is his girlfriend, I saw him with her yesterday," I told Mama and Chinedu managed to smile, as a smile curved his lips.
Mama's eyebrow furrowed at him as she saw him smiled.
"Girlfriend?, Is that true Chinedu?," Mama questioned him.
"What is it mom?, Am no longer a kid," Chinedu told her and our eyes widened and stare at him.
"What?!" He replied and stared back at us, wanting to leave the food.
"Nothing," I replied him.
Even me that has a girlfriend wouldn't even dare to acknowledge her in front of Mama, talk more of Chinedu that is challenging Mama that his an adult.
"Hmph!" Mama sighed and picked up her own spoon.
"Am not saying that you shouldn't have a girlfriend, but just know that these house wouldn't contain us both, when you impregnate her."
He smiled hearing Mama's warning.
"Mom, she hasn't even accepted me yet and you are talking of when she becomes pregnant," Chinedu told Mama.
"Yes na! Just to remind you so you know that this is my house. You both can go and join your father in the city and not bring in any pregnant girl here." I frowned hearing Mama.
"Mom, his saying she hasn't accepted him," i explained to Mama.
"I know, did I tell you I don't understand what he said?," Mama questioned me and I smiled.
"Am just reminding him that he should wait first, when he has his own house, then he can think of girlfriend," Mama said and I continued eating my food, not replying her advice.
"Mom, that's not a problem. If she accept me now I can wait till when we are married, but she as refused to accept me," Chinedu told Mama as he frowned.
"Who's she?," Mama finally asked him and I stared at the two of them, likewise Amaka, also stared at him.
"Bro are you saying you are no longer dating Nkechi?,"Amaka asked him.
"Shut up, no one called you in these matter!" Chinedu rebuked her and Mama shifted her gaze to Amaka.
"Who's Nkechi?," Mama asked Amaka.
"His girlfriend na!," Amaka replied.
"Which girlfriend?, I thought he just said she hasn't accepted," Mama looked back at Chinedu.
"Hmm, maybe is the girl that cane to return that magazine," I finally blurted out.
"Who?, You mean Chineye, The one that's selling plantain?," Mama questioned and I shook my head.
"I don't know her name Mama, and I don't know if she's selling plantain," i replied Mama.
"Yes she's the one," Chinedu confirmed Mama claims to be true and I stiffened.
"What are you doing with her Nedu?," Mama questioned him and he kept mute.
"You should stay away from that girl, stay away from her!," Mama warmed him, while I continued eating my food.
"Don't ask me why?, stay away from that girl in particular!," Mama warmed him again.
"Why Mama?, but I love her."
Me and Amaka stared at Chinedu in shock. Mama also paused her spoon in front of her mouth and kept her hands down, returning the spoon back on her plate.
"What do you know about love?, you are too young to love a woman. If is your brother that said this I will understand."
Chinedu stared at me with dagger eyes. "What?," I questioned him.
"Don't look at your elder brother like that Chinedu, but I don't want you to ruin that girl's life. I have spoken to her mother to send her to the university but her mother had refused. Although I don't know her father but I had tried talking to her mother as her daughter is too beautiful to be hawking, but her mother didn't want to listen to me, Instead she sent me away. We even saw at the women's meeting today and she completely ignored me." Mama told us.
"Oh! So she was the one that you said came to return the magazine the other day?," Chinedu questioned.
"Yes," I replied him and he nodded.
"I don't want to ruin her life mother, I really like her and want to marry her," Chinedu told Mama.
"No, you cannot marry her." Mama refused and Chinedu got angry.
"Why mom, isn't a man that is still going to marry her?," He questioned Mama.
Mama stared at him at his sudden outburst, even Amaka and I also paused eating.
"Yes, is a man that will marry her, but you are not the man for her." Mama replied him and he got angry and left his food that he was eating.
"Chinedu come back here!," Mama called after him.
"Chinedu!.."
"Mom!," I crossed my hands over and placed on hers. She was ready having high blood pressure over father's misconduct and refusal for her to go to the city. I didn't want her to keep on screaming about Chinedu.
"Leave him mom, I will talk to him," I told her.
"You better do. Your brother is proving too stubborn for me to handle, seems I will report him back to your father." She said.
"Is okay mom, I will talk to him," I told her, but Mama didn't want to calm.
"Now he feels his a man, what can he do for the poor girl, if not sleep with her and impregnate her." I frowned hearing Mama.
Mama likes repeating impregnate, impregnate.
"Mom, his not impregnating anyone," I told her, to keep her calm.
"Who told you?. Isn't your brother a man, or does his thing not rise?."
"Mama!," Me and Amaka screamed at the same time.
"What?!. Or did I lie?" Mama questioned me again.
"I don't know Mama, but all I know is he's not impregnating anyone."
"Okay, don't say I didn't warn him. But my problem is I don't want him to ruin that beautiful girl life. I like that girl and want the best for her," Mama said, as she started eating her food, while I was almost thru with mine.
"What are you implying mom?. Isn't Chinedu good for her. Since he likes her, we can advise him to take it slow with her, until they are married," I told Mama.
"Do you think he will listen?" Mama questioned me and I sighed.
"You know how your brother likes women. He doesn't take his eyes off any beautiful girl that he sees, now his after Chineye, once his sleeps with her, he will after Nkiruka or Mary," Mama ranted and I smiled.
"You know your brother very well, or am I lying?," Mama questioned me and I didn't reply.
"Mama you are not lying oo!. I had thought is Nkechi brother Chidi is talking about, not until I heard Neye. Who's she?," Amaka asked Mama.
"You wouldn't know her. Don't worry when she's passing our shop tomorrow, I will show her to you," Mama told Amaka.
"Okay Mom!," Amaka replied.
"Just warn your brother to stay away from that girl, that's my own. Which ever girl he hangs out with isn't my concern, but he should stay away from Neye. I will go and warn her tomorrow."
"But Mama, it hasn't gotten to you going to warn her na," Amaka replied as she laughed out
"I have too, you know your cousin brother too much," Mama told her and she kept mute.