Page 44 of Cursed Daughters
Monife wondered where her boyfriend was. She was feeling entirely exposed, suspecting the older woman was about to devour her, spitting out only bones.
“I’m…umm…none.” She wasn’t a stutterer and she was rarely intimidated by anyone, but she struggled to gather herself in this woman’s presence. “I’m here with Gold…Kalu.”
“Who is Goldkalu?”
“No. I meant Kalu. Just…Kalu.”
Her answer seemed to irritate Mrs. Kenosi. Her gorgeously drawn eyebrows knitted together and she curled her lips. Mo wasn’t sure she had ever come across someone who could look so beautiful and so unkind. Where the hell was Golden Boy?
“Do your parents know you visit the homes of young men?”
Monife had no idea how to answer the question. Nor did she particularly want to, but this woman would become her mother-in-law, and so she had to play nice.
“I don’t make a practice of it, ma.”
Golden Boy made his appearance then, and she was able to let go of the breath she was holding. He blinked, surprised to see his mother there. For a moment, nobody spoke, and then: “I thought you were in the garden, Mum. I was looking for you.”
“Who is this?”
Mrs. Kenosi’s tone could not have been colder if she were referring to a cockroach that had snuck into their immaculate home. Golden Boy chewed his lips. For a moment, Mo feared that he would disown her.
“Her name is Monife, Mum. She is my girlfriend.”
Mrs. Kenosi sucked in her breath through her teeth, but Monife was elated. She wasn’t wrong. Golden Boy would never let her down.
“Is this the reason you haven’t been shadowing your father?”
“I will learn the work, Mum.”
“Where will you find the time, if you are out chasing random girls?”
“Random?” Mo heard herself speak, but above her words were the words of her boyfriend.
“She is not random, Mum. I love her.”
Mrs. Kenosi laughed. “You people are children. What do you know about love?” And then she turned to Monife. “Learn to respect yourself. I don’t want to see you here again.” With that, she disappeared through the automatic doors, which swung open and closed behind her.
Monife’s entire body was trembling. She felt Golden Boy’s light touch on her arm.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think she would be so—”
“It’s not your fault,” she said, her voice hard. “Don’t worry.”
“No. I’m really sorry, Mo. She shouldn’t have spoken to you that way. It’s probably the shock. I’ve never brought a girl home before.”
She let out a breath. She felt hot, her cheeks, her ears, the back of her neck. She didn’t think she had ever been so embarrassed in her life. He planted a kiss on her forehead. They would be okay, and not even the Wicked Witch of the West could get in the way of their happiness. Mrs. Kenosi would simply have to get used to Mo’s presence in her son’s life.
“Should we get out of here?” he offered.
“Yes. Yes please.”
VIII
The weeks went by, and Mo and Golden Boy reverted to their usual programming. If his mother cast a shadow over their relationship, they chose not to acknowledge it. Mo hadn’t told her family what had happened the evening she met her boyfriend’s mother. She was vague when they asked, saying his mother was pretty and she was sure they would get to know each other better in the future.
He accompanied her to Ebun’s graduation. The secondary school grounds were full of rows of excited teens dressed in their graduation robes in front of the stage and their proud families seated behind them. Aunty Kemi had saved a place for Mo and Kalu beside herself and Bunmi; and even Tolu showed up. Mo watched as her brother and boyfriend exchanged a brief hug and patted each other on the back. There was a little shade where they sat, below a few sparse trees at the back of the grounds. Mo fiddled with the settings of her camera, trying to get the depth of field right—she had been given the role of unofficial photographer.
Golden Boy poked her ribs and she looked up in time to see Ebun take the stage. She was head girl. Her mother and aunt looked as surprised as Mo felt. How had none of them known this? Mo stood quickly and took several shots as she listened to Ebun encourage her peers to make the most of the opportunities they were given. Her heart swelled with pride.
