When A Playboy Loves

|| 67.

King

The table was calm. The maids set the table and backed away quietly, leaving us to battle with the awkwardness. Gabriel, her husband, was at the head of the table and Mother sat at his right. Uti was beside me, stiff and quiet.

I brought her plate towards me and diced her chicken. She sent me a smile that did funny things to my heart and I gave her knee a squeeze. We would fight. We would fight for our son and we wouldn't stop until Umoh was in prison, where he deserved to be.

"How's work?" Mother asked. I choked on my chicken. Uti rubbed my back till the coughing subsided, then offered me a glass of water. Gabriel's lips stretched into a thin smile. He didn't say anything but gave Mother a wary look. We didn't hate each other but we didn't like each other. I respected him because he kept my mother happy. "Are you okay, Son?"

"Yes, Mother. Thanks." I polished my plate first before turning to her with a smile. Uti lent me strength by smiling. "I quit work."

Mother gasped. She was always over the top and her reaction to the news was the same. Gabriel placed a hand over hers and she stopped whatever she planned to say. I offered him my first smile since our arrival. Other men his age would have thinning hair or empty scalp but he still had a head full of hair.

"I'll start my own company," I told her.

It was my first time of saying it out. The idea never left my head since Junior mentioned it but I didn't have the time to think through it. I knew what I wanted to do. To help people pick a place of their choice. Grow their home and business and many other things.

Uti's nails sank into my knee. I should have discussed this with her first but I didn't know how much I wanted it until now. Until Mother looked at me like I had made a silly decision.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Mother asked.

"He has us," Gabriel answered on my behalf. A corner of my lips twitched. "Whatever you need, don't hesitate to ask. I know people who know people. Your mother does too." Mother rolled her eyes but managed a smile. I laughed. "You have both of our support."

"Okay, King?" Mother added. She could still read me and it was obvious I had something to say.

"Yeah." Did her support extend to Uti? They had not exchanged a word yet. I sipped from the chill glass of wine. Did their connection extend to police officers and politicians? Men and women in power who could take down decorated men like Umoh's father. I cleared my throat. "Can I ask a favour?"

"What favour?" Uti whispered into my ear as if reading my mind. "I don't want to talk about this with them." Fully turning to her, my lips didn't move but my eyes did. They sent the message to her. "No, please. Not with them. Anyone but them. Your mum already hates me enough. I don't need her on this."

"I can hear you two, you know?" Mother said. She adjusted her pink turban matching her black gown. Her fingers curled around the glass, she took a small sip, then another one. "King Daniels. What is the problem?" Uti and I shared a glance. I couldn't talk if she didn't. "Are you two going to continue staring at each other without telling us the issue? Uti?"

"No, ma," Uti answered. I was surprised Mother still remembered her name. She had made it a point of duty to call her everything but her name. I switched Uti's glass of wine with mine. She was off alcohol. "It's fine."

Mother smoothed the napkin on her table mat. "Is that right, Son? It's fine? You can't even speak for yourself without her? She's now your mouthpiece. Is this the kind of woman you want to bring into this family?"

"Mother!"

Her finger jutted out. "Don't you mother me. I have been waiting for you to get out of this lust-love stage but it's not happening soon." Her lips curled in disdain. Her eyes flashed with every emotion similar to annoyance and disgust when they landed on Uti. "And you, aren't your tired? Can't you find men your age?" She slammed her fists on the table, her elegance shoved to the back as she said, "Leave my son alone. Leave him alone!"