Tunmise | Completed ✔️

Chapter 25

Tunmise

"Ahan, omo mi (My child)." My mum hugs me as I step into the house with my bags, "Bawo ni? (How are you?)."

"Mummy, I'm fine." I smile, "Are you making something?." I ask following her to the kitchen, the aroma emitting from the kitchen is already making me hungry.

"Yes o, when you told me you were coming, I had to make something nice."

I look around the kitchen seeing the chopped onions, tomatoes and peppers on the counter. My mum returns back to the food she's making: Spaghetti and stew with Fried chicken.

"Where's dad?."

"Upstairs, he has been expecting you."

"Okay, I have something to tell you guys during dinner."

"Go and freshen up first, then we'll talk." She pushes me out of the kitchen.

_____________

"Tunmise." My dad calls out during dinner, "You said you had something to tell us during dinner."

"Um...yeah, I do."

There's a long pause.

"Actually, there's this guy I've been seeing for like a year now." I see my mum drop, her fork her full concentration on me, "I want you guys to meet him."

"What is his name?."

"Lota."

"Lota?." My mum begins, "That's a very unique Yoruba name o, what does it mean?."

"Erm...mum, it's an Igbo name, Chilota is from Imo state."

"I don't understand."

"I'm saying that Lota, the man I've been seeing is from Imo." I say slowly.

"Aahn, omo yi (this child), se o n bami sere ni? (Are you playing with me?), Omo Igbo? (An Igbo man?)."

"Mummy, what is wrong with me dating an Igbo man?."

"Everything is wrong, every single thing. Out of all the young handsome Yoruba men in this state, it's an Igbo man you want to bring home to me."

"Mum, Lota is a nice man, you'll love him when you meet him. I promise."

"I don't care."

"Mum, I'm 27, I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"Tunmise-"

My dad cuts her off. "Funmi, ki lo n se e gan? (what is wrong with you?). You've been telling this girl to bring a man home, now she has found a good one and you're rejecting just because he's Igbo."

My mum doesn't say anything in return. My dad turns to me. "Tunmise." He calls.

"Sir?."

"Bring Lota home on Saturday for dinner, I'll call your sister, she has to be here too."

A triumphant smile settles on my face. "Thank you, dad."

___________

"I don't get why you're so nervous. My parents are very nice people." I tell Lota as we arrive at my parent's house.

"You can talk now, I vividly remember you literally shaking months ago when you had to meet my parents."

I roll my eyes. "You're going to be fine." I step out of the car. He does the same.

His hand is around my waist as we walk to the front door, I made him wear native, my mum loved things like that. I didn't have any problem with my dad, it was my mum he needed to impress.