Lady Baby

10

Max struggled not to laugh as he held his phone up and took a video of Sharon.

"Take that thing out of my face." She swiped at him, the look of panic on her face perfectly captured in the video. Max bit the corner of his lower lip, fighting his laughter harder. He had never in all his life seen Sharon so terrified.

"Come on, Sharon," uncle Olu said. "They're just ostriches."

Max burst into laughter, his phone shaking in his hand. "Don't sweat it, babe. Imagine they're a bunch of Gwen-Long-Necks."

She glared at him before turning back to the four ostriches gathered in front of the iron railing. Their eyes followed her every movement because she was holding a small pail of their feed. She was on feed the animals duty because she was low on points. Uncle Olu took the whole point taking thing seriously.

"How do I do it again?" She asked for the hundredth time.

"Hold the bucket to them and they feed. Simple," uncle Olu instructed.

"Okay." She released a deep breath and took a step forward then stopped. "No, I can't do it. Look at them." She pointed at one of the large birds. "This one would peck my eyes out."

"But you're wearing sunglasses."

"How observant," Her words dripped with sarcasm as she scowled his way. She turned back to the birds and took another step forward, bucket thrust a feet away from her body.

"Here birdie birdie." The birds moved closer, stretched their necks then began pecking away. Sharon wouldn't stop yelping and laughing. "Look," she glanced at him, a wide smile on her face. "They are eating. They are eating."

Max smiled as he ended the video and took several shots of her. He resolved to make a painting of her as she was in that moment. Fat braids, ripped jeans, baggy shirt and that ridiculous sunglasses perched on her nose.

"Did she tell you I advised her against marrying you?"

Max frowned, pocketing his phone as he faced uncle Olu fully. "No."

"I did, and my advice was based on the vast differences I saw between the two of you. I was trying to look out for her."

Max remained silent, not knowing what to say.

"But you know what I see when I look at both of you now?"

"What?"

"Potential." The man chuckled and shook his head. "I know that sounds like an impersonal business term but it's the truth. I see a possibility of lasting happiness."

"Thank you?"

Uncle Olu laughed. "You are a funny man, Maxwell, that's why I liked you the instant I met you."

"But you said you told Sharon-"

He waved a hand, dismissing his words. "I said I advised her against marrying you not that I do not like you. As I was saying, making relationships work isn't entirely dependent on similarities and differences, it's more about acceptance."

Sharon was making a call now. As she walked back and forth with the bucket tucked in the crook of her right arm, the ostriches followed her movement.

"It is my hope that both of you truly accept one another, flaws and all. This was one of the truths I embraced that helped my union with my late wife." Uncle Olu patted Max on the shoulder. "I am certain it will work for you, too. Try to remember it's one step at a time."

When Sharon walked over, she removed her sunglasses and beamed at them. "Wasn't as scary as I thought it would be."

"I got it all on vid," Max smirked, "screaming and all."