MY YEARS WITHOUT YOU

Part 1- Avoiding Mum

   
I knew she was the one calling the moment my phone rang.

 She was supposed to have given up by now,but she was tenacious. It's been a week already since we both really talked.

I've been ignoring those calls and times when I couldn't,I just call back to say I'm busy.

I knew why she was calling. It couldn't be anything far from the "man-talk".

Asides the usual 'how are you pleasantries, it was always the 'man-talk' that she was concerned about.

I lazily sat up feeling so sleepy , rubbing my eyes as though my hands would clear it off. I picked up the phone which was a brave act on my part.

"Amarachukwu, what exactly is your problem" mum's voice rang immediately, stern with frustration.

Her reaction met my expectation as I let out a sigh.

The fact that she called me by my full name instead of the usual Amara reminded me of times I got into trouble as a kid.

The case wasn't different now either.

'Mummy don't get yourself all worked up, nothing is wrong with me' I said waiting for her to hit her point already.

'What do you mean nothing is wrong with you? You haven't been picking my calls. I know I'm no longer important to you but you still are to me' she said angrily

"Now mum that's extreme talk. I told you I've been busy' I was sulking just as she was too.

'I bet you weren't. You didn't come over yesterday? Why's that?'

I had forgotten it was Saturday and I was supposed to have gone home on Friday to spend the weekend with my parents as I usually did.

Since mum began making life miserable for me with her constant nagging, I had to get my own apartment, at least to be free from her prying eyes and our usual fights.

Ever since, I never missed returning home on Friday evenings for the weekend.

'I was weak, maybe I would try making it over today' I said pretty sure that I wasn't going to.

'Well, I would like to discuss with you when you come over and don't forget, your sister's wedding is close already. You would have to reschedule whatever plans you have on Wednesday so we can go shopping for the wedding and asoebi materials " she said all in one breath.

" okay mum" I said as she hung up.

I didn't have to wonder what she wanted to discuss with me because I knew already.

And the fact that Oge, my youngest sister was already getting married before me would escalate the whole issue.

It was already worse when Ola did and it would be worst now.

I lay back cuddling up my pillow ,sad that mum had taken the weekend sleep from my eyes so early and even more sad that the pillow wasn't a man.

 I began having those early morning thoughts again, but it felt different this time.

Was it because of Oge's wedding?, I couldn't tell.
 
I was having mixed feelings about it all,secretly wishing I was the bride instead.

I wasn't meeting up to everyone's expectations.

   They believed I was supposed to get married before my siblings because I was the eldest but I guess the table turned around.

I sat up trying hard to clear the mixed thoughts of jealousy and happiness from my head.
Trying again to convince myself that I should take things at my own pace.

 
But hasn't my pace been too slow ?

I mean I'm 33 already ,how slow can I become?
 
   
I knew my friend Nma would come over soon given that I didn't go to spend the weekend with my family.

I really needed her company now than ever.

  During weekdays, it's always all about work and on weekends I'm with family, so I wasn't used to staying all through a day alone.
  
I tried convincing her to move in with me ,but she refused each time.

She says she enjoys her family's company.

I laughed at that because I used to feel that way not until my mum became a pest.
  
I was just hopeful Nma's mum wouldn't become one too, given that she was almost reaching the 30 bracket.
  
Nma and I were good buddies.

Even though it's just been six months, it felt like forever. And all the time, I failed to note the 5 years age gap between us.

She was beautiful and unlike me, she's had a lot of dealings with men.

Mum had always been of the opinion that I shouldn't be friends with her.         

 She felt Nma's singleness was indirectly rubbing off on me.

I laughed over that boring insinuation

Since I wasn't sleepy anymore, I stood up and decided to put my lazy self to use.

By the way, who said Saturdays aren't for laundry?

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