LOVE DON'T CARE

Chapter 29

Song for the chapter: Playboy by Fireboy

"Even my friends and my enemies know,
There has never been a time when my energy is low."

Munachi

"So you guys are official now?"

"Yes we are! It's so funny that I didn't want anything to do with him in the first place and now I have just fallen head over heels in love with him."

"Calm down miss! Don't forget his family wants someone else for him and you know what they say about family.."

"What about family?" I hissed.

"Family comes first." Chisom placed a plate of steaming jollof rice on the table and I dug in immediately. "No matter what he's always going have a place in his heart for his family."

"But they don't want us to be together. Those people are downright tribalistic. It's just sad to see that Shalewa doesn't have my back."

"If you ask me, I'll say you leave that family and dissociate yourself from anytime that has to do with Mide."

I sat upright and drank a little water to prevent myself from choking. "What if I try to convince them?"

"Convince who? Muna are you sure you're okay?"

"But I really want to make this work." The food suddenly tasted bland and I sipped some wine. "I'm going to tell him to think of something because at this point I am at a crossroad with my feelings. Ijeoma said she was going to talk to Shalewa but I don't even know how that is going."

Chisom sighed heavily. "Enough of that sad talk. I have a surprise for you." She noticed I was not budging so she pushed a small gift box to me. "Open it."

I untied the ribbon of the box and saw a cute pair of adidas baby sneakers. My heart beat quickened as I came to a realisation of the situation in front of me. How did I not even notice that my sister had changed physically. Her skin was glowing more, she had added weight and she ate more now that I thought about it.

"You're pregnant!" I screamed excitedly as I pulled her into a hug. "I amso sorry I didn't notice! Now I feel like such a bad sister." I wiped the tears that had escaped my eyes.

"Oh don't cry!" She passed a paper towel to me and I accepted it with a small smile. "If you are like this how do you expect me to feel?"

I averted my gaze from the pair of sneakers that were suddenly so fascinating, to her stomach. She noticed I was staring and she raised up her shirt to show me her little baby bump.

"I'm six weeks gone." She rubbed her belly affectionately. "You should have seen my husband's reaction when I told him I was pregnant. He was crying like a newborn baby." She laughed and I joined in.

""Have you told mum?"

"No I haven't. You're the second person that knows about this. I'm going to have a reveal party tomorrow. Nothing too big. I just want my close friends and family around."

"Oh my God! I'm so excited to be an aunty!" I yelled.

"Well, young lady you are going to have to keep that excitement to yourself until tomorrow."

I made a gesture of zipping my mouth close. "Sure thing."

"You should invite him."

"You want me to invite Mide? Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah. Evelyn is going to here tomorrow and you know how she loves to brag. Bring your man over and show him off."

"Chisom!" I whisper yelled. "Your husband is in the kitchen and you are badmouthing his baby sister."

"Oh please! And by the way you need to introduce him to mum and dad."

"That's true." I pulled out my phone and sent him a message and a reply came in almost immediately. "He said he wouldn't miss it for anything in the world." I giggled.

"Not you blushing because of a text." She teased and I laughed.

"I'm staying over! We are going to plan the best party."

________________________________

When Chisom said she was planning a small party, I didn't know this was what she meant.

Her husband has hired the best decorators and caterers. Food, drinks and gift bags were in surplus. Ijeoma had gone berserk when she saw how big the party was.

"Muna you didn't tell me your in-law was this extra. If you had given me an idea of what this party was going to be like, I would have worn my Gucci dress."

So far, so good the part was going well. My mother was dancing happily and she kept raining prayers on my sister and her husband. Maybe now she would take a break from the whole marriage fiasco and focus all her attention on her grandchild.

I noticed that she was in a joyful mood and I decided to use that opportunity to introduce Mide to my parents.

I turned to Mide. "Let's go meet my parents."

He dropped the conversation he was having with Ijeoma and held my hands in his. Together we walked towards my parents whose eyes were now focused on us.

"There she comes! My princess!" My dad smiled and I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"The apple of her father's eyes." My uncle added and the whole table laughed.

"And who is this young man?" My mother asked with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Good evening ma! I'm Mide.."

"Well done my son." My father patted his shoulders as he bowed his head to greet him. "Mide you say, what's your connection to my daughter?"

"We are dating." I smiled and Mide smiled back at me.

"You're dating who?" My mother asked with her eyes blazing with anger earning stares from the people on the table. "Muna I want to have a talk with you." She dragged my hand until we were at the balcony.

"Mum!" I disentangled my hand from hers. "What was that about?"

"Is everything okay?" Chisom walked towards us.

"Help me ask your sister why she doesn't listen to me.

"What?" I raised my voice and Chisom rolled her eyes at me.

"What exactly is the problem mum?" Chisom sighed. "This is supposed to be a happy day for me."

"Your sister wants to marry a Yoruba man! A Yoruba man!"

My heart thudded in my chest. "You have a problem with that too?"

"What are you saying? You have many Igbo men waiting to get to know you. Even chike that you turned down, will run here if you say yes to him so why did you choose that man."

"His name is Mide and I love him!"

"Muna calm down!"

"Leave her, let her shout all she wants. You are not going to get married to a Yoruba man and that's on period!"

She walked back into the house and I burst out in tears.

Chisom rubbed my shoulders. "I'll talk to her." She went after my mother and I cleaned my eyes.

"This is one funny drama."

I looked up to see Mide smiling at me.

"Have you been here all along? How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know she doesn't like me."

"I don't understand why they are so against us." He opened his arms and I hugged him. "I just want to run away from all of this drama."

"Then let's do it."

I raised my head up to meet his eyes. "What?"

"Come with me to London."