Page 97 of Royal Fling
Her eyes glistened.
“Gave me back my son. And a new family. You’re God’s gift. MyOlujimi,” she said, and now her tears ran down her cheeks.
That had been the name she gave me before she gave me up. She never used it, but I appreciated it. It was like a secret between the two of us. Something to treasure. Something that connected just us.
I released one hand to wipe her tears.
“I'm glad for you, Mom,” I said.
I didn’t even catch myself before I said it. I hadn’t even planned to say it. It just… came out.
Fisayo’s tears ran harder, and I tried to console her with a hug.
“I'm sorry it took me so long,” I said, my own eyes stinging.
“No, it's fine.” She shook her head. “See? Time and life, they can surprise you.”
I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe this was not the end between August and me, but we were oceans apart. We were lifestyles apart.
“What if I made a mistake?” I asked.
“What are you? Deaf? She told you. Time and life will surprise you. Jeez!” Charlie exclaimed, and everyone laughed.
Me included.
Time. What if we ran out of it?
Twenty-Six
August
“I’m fine,” I said for what felt like the hundredth time.
Fisayo arched her eyebrows at me, and I felt the impact even through the screen and miles that separated us.
“I am.”
“Honey, I raised you. There’s no point lying to me,” she said.
I sighed.
“Fine. What do you want me to say? That I’m broken? That I’m depressed? That I miss him?”
“Well, that’s better,” she said and sunk back into my desk chair.
“Have you been eating properly? You look like you’ve lost weight. Has Cassandra been feeding you?”
My lips curled unwittingly. Leave it to Nonny to act like my mother. Although, in all fairness, Mama had been a lot… warmer since I came back home. Her and Baba were, in fact, dining together tonight with the rest of the family.
It had become a Sunday tradition since I’d arrived home. It was nice. It was almost as if we were a normal family.
“Yes, Nonny. She has.”
“Then she needs to feed you more. You’re looking gaunt.”
“I don’t look gaunt. And I’m not a baby, Nonny.”
“Okay. If you say so…” she said and pursed her lips.
