It Was A Friday morning. In his office, Clint relaxed on his swivel seat, his eyes closed, his head rested, and his ear plugs on. A buzz from his phone called him back from his journey into the world of musical fantasy. Not ready to change his posture, he rolled his seat closer and blindly picked his phone from the desk. He brought it close to his face and opened his eyes. His face brightened in excitement. He sat up. He unlocked it with the aid of its facial recognition feature.
Clint: Can't wait [Grinning face emoji]
Tina: Lols
Clint: Get me something while coming
Tina: What's that?
Clint: Insulin caps
Tina: [Eyes emoji]
Insulin caps? Why?
Clint: You're too sweet for my blood sugar.
Tina: [Rolling on the floor laughing emojis]
Flirt
Clint: At your service Ma'am
Tina: Rest
See you
Clint: I'm waiting
He whistled in excitement, increased the volume of his music, and sang to it, swinging his hands simultaneously.
Tina Laughed Reading the text. Chidi would never disappoint. She just finished reading the adult content Chidi created, using her and Clint.
Tina: How on earth did I get to be friends with you?
Chidi: Haha, as if e no dey sweet your body.
Tina laughed covering her mouth.
Tina: Chidimma, you need mind cleansing. You are too crude.
Chidi: Spare me
Abi, you want another episode?
You can count on me for that gurl.
Tina: No, thanks
Bye...
Tina dropped her phone and rested her head, closing her eyes in succession. In her thoughts, she went through Clint's words at the restaurant again.
"Maybe, if we get to become close and become fond of each other, I will get over this whole argument in my head. I like you. I do, but like I said before, I hate emotions.
If you can give me a chance, I will prove that, and maybe one day, I will get to learn how to love you, irrespective of whatever and against all odds."
She didn't know what to make of this confession, as her suspicions were confirmed. What stopped him and what not? Additionally, she had just been placed in a probationary relationship.
What if he never gets over the argument? Did she make the right decision getting into this? She asked herself, but she wouldn't know unless she tried.
What they had, or were having at the moment, looked vague to her, but she was up to keep it going until she saw reasons to think otherwise. She wouldn't let what might happen in the future deny or ruin this moment for her.
"Mum, Will You let me be! I'm not ready." he whined.
"Do you know how old your father was when he gave birth to his first child?" A feminine voice spoke from the other end of the phone.
"Mum, I'm just not ready for that now."
"Enyinnaya," she called him by his first name, "when will you be ready? When your hair turns grey, your knees weak from rheumatism? When your sight turns frail, okwa ya –Is that it?"
"Let me worry about that, mum."
"No, I will help you. I will help you worry about it," she stressed, "see, my son, it's not like I'm forcing you, but you see, time waits for no one. Very soon, you will clock forty," she softened her tone.
Clint knew better than to be deceived by her antics. "Mum, I have about a decade left to clock forty," he grumbled.
"I didn't say otherwise. I know you know I will be turning twenty soon"
"Uhmm, you mean sixteen." They laughed, easing the tension between them.
"I have heard you, mum."
"Daalu, Nwam –thank you my son. Nwanne nna ya –his father's brother, Enyí nna ya –pride of his father, Enyî nna ya –friend of his father, my second husband," she hailed him.
"Still waiting for you to leave your hubby."
"Noo! I'm married to the two of you," she joked.
"It's either you're deceiving me or father." They cracked up again.
"Hmmm, I can't wait to see you get married. You see, son, I never told you I'm afraid. You see when you get married . . . "
"This woman is not ready to end this topic yet," Clint muttered to himself.
"...we won't be able to interact like this. Your wife might take your attention from me."
Her concerns were not far-fetched. They are that close, so her concerns were not out of proportion. Till recently, and even with her annoying constant marriage bell, they have maintained a very close mother and son relationship laced with their seasonal drama.
"That's why I need to take my time, so we can have some more time together," he joked.
She laughed heartily at that. "You are just like your father. I won't mind if it has to be that way. I will find a way to cope. Besides, your sisters are still there," she said, "that reminds me… Your elder sister invited me to come over. But you see, I don't think your father will allow me to go."
"Have you told him?"
"No. It hasn't been long since I returned home. Have you forgotten?"
"Kpakpando –Star! Nwanyi manaria –Beautiful lady," he hyped her.
"Ọ mụ nwa –That's me. One and only, anyị adịro two –we are not two," she boasted, "I'm thinking about paying you a visit shaa," she continued after the momentary hype.
"What happened to the invitation you got?" He asked, knowing fully what her visit meant for him this time.
"You don't want me to visit you?"
"No ooh! It's not like that, Mum. Was it not you that your daughter asked you to come over?"
"Eehhn, so because of that, I can't visit my son, ọkwa ya? –Is that it?" She asked, a bit infuriated, "Anyways that's not coming any time soon. It will likely be after our women's annual meeting. So, you have enough time to show her to me."
"This sounds like a command, Mum."
"Abeg, spare me. Call it anything you like."
"I think I need help."
"Run to your father. Is it not what you know best to do." she mocked him, "And, that reminds me, I need to shop for this year's meeting. This one your father is complaining about money, you know that as Kpakpando, as Nwanyị manarịa, I need to look good, ịwọtago –You understand?"
Clint laughed as his mother hyped herself. "Just send in your budget, when the time comes."
"Dim ọma –My good husband," she hyped him, "let me leave you to get some rest. May God protect you, my son, and give you a good wife dịka nne gị –like your mother," she concluded the call with a prayer.
"Amen," he chorused.
He sighed as the phone beeped. "Marriage! Marriage! Marriage!" He grumbled and fell back to the bed from his sitting.