Chapter 3 THREE - PAST

The tantalising aroma of my mum's cooking filled my nostril as I sat on my bed, rubbing my eyes wearily. My mum's cooking had a way of waking me up from my sleep and as I sat, I tried to tell what she was preparing from the aroma.

It was hightime I believed the saying: good food is the way to a man's heart. My mother's cooking made my heart flutter every time.

With water dripping from my hair, I walked to the kitchen where my mum stood with an apron tied to her waist. She had her back turned to me so I walked closer to her and rested my chin on her shoulder as I peeped at the content in the pot.

That singular gesture made my mum flinch a bit but when she saw it was just me, she raised the spatula in her hand to smack me. I dodged her attack and we both fell into fit of giggles when some content on the spatula splashed on my face.

"I thought you had plans to sleep throughout the whole day." My mum began after I had greeted and kissed her on the cheek. She loved when I did that so I made sure to do it most times - times when I was in a good mood.

"That's impossible. Not when I have a lot to pack for school tomorrow." I stole some fried plantains from the sieve and my mother smacked my hand.

"You can pack tomorrow. Why are you in a haste to leave home?" A frown took over her feature and I sighed.

"I'll have to leave one day, won't I?"

"You don't have to rub it to my face everytime." My mum shook her head and my jaw dropped.

"When did I ever?" I blurted out and when I didn't get any response, I said, "Exaggeration, mum."

I peered at my mum's face when she didn't reply again and when I saw the look on her face, I knew what she was thinking. I held her drooped shoulders with both hands and turned her to look at me.

"Mum." I began calmly. "You know I have to go. Besides, you ought to be used to my absence by now. You've been okay through out so why now that I'm going to spend my final year in college?"

"I know." My mother let out a big sigh.

"I think I should just adopt a kid. You're already grown up and very soon, you'll be talking about marriage." Her lips curved into a smile and she turned to stir the steaming stew.

I rolled my eyes now that she wasn't looking.

"Marriage is not in my agenda. That would be in twenty years time." I smirked, knowing how she would react to this.

Just as I had expected, she turned to me sharply with a scowl.

"Never! You're my only child. I won't let that happen!"

I began to laugh at her outburst and when she saw I had been joking, she hit me on my head and I grimaced, rubbing my head slowly as I walked to the nearby stool. As my mum cooked, thoughts of school filled my head.

A new semester had just begun and I was anxious and curious due to it being my final year and me getting a new roommate. Every section, students balloted for a bed space in an hostel and this made us have new roommates.

While I loved this, I couldn't deny the anxiety welling up in my tummy. What would he be like? Would I like him? Would we blend well just as I had done with Tunde?

The resounding knock on my head brought me back to reality and I glared at my mother who was already cracking up, probably from the look on my face.

"Mum!" I yelled and she struggled to maintain her balance, as laughter shook her entire body.

"Welcome back home!" She pronounced finally. "What were you thinking about? I have been calling your name."

"Nothing." I rubbed my head and stood up to help set the table for breakfast.

"Don't tell me you're anxious because of school tomorrow. What are you now? A fresher?" My mum rolled her eyes as she dished the food into two plates.

I glanced at the hallway, before turning to look at my mother who was now humming a tune to herself.

"Where's dad?" I asked.

"Left early for a business meeting." She replied sharply.

"I hope he hasn't forgotten about school tomorrow."

"He hasn't. Chill! Besides, have you called Tunde?" My mum asked as we both carried the dished out food to the dining, settling with our cutlery to do justice to the sumptuous meal before us.

"Not yet." I mumbled as I brought a spoonful of rice to my mouth. My eyes shut involuntarily at the scrumptious taste of the food. "This is really delicious, mum." I complimented and she flashed me one of her gorgeous smiles. We ate in silence then - me deep in my thought.

"It would be so lit to see Tunde as my new roommate tomorrow. What do you think, mum?" I voiced out after a while and my mum gave me an incredulous look.

"Indeed! Why would it be him out of millions of kids out there? Besides, he was your roommate in your first year, wasn't he?"

"Yes, he was." I sighed. "But he could be again. It isn't impossible. After all, Tunde is the prefect roommate for me. We are just in sync: same dreams and aspirations. He is my study partner. He's just perfect."

"Why are you so concerned about your new roommate? You've always had good people for a roommate. Besides, you can get a personal apartment if you're not comfortable." She shrugged and I shook my head.

"You won't understand, mum. And just so you know, my roommates in my second and third year respectively were something else. One was a noise maker, playing music in high volume and the other was a home goer. Like. . .he went home every weekend like his life depended on it." I shook my head again.

"And what's so bad about that? You think everyone is like you that avoids home like a plague? Tell me, why exactly do you stay away from home?"

"There's nothing to do at home. No one to talk to. Just me and my books and games and television and - "

"What?!" My mum cut me off. "So I am not someone you can talk to?"

I knew she was joking from the look on her face but I had always heard there was an element of truth in every joke so I grabbed my plate and moved closer to her, placing my arm over her shoulder.

"You're my best friend, mum." I rested my head on her shoulder and I felt her relax. It was times like this I couldn't tell if being an only child was a curse or a blessing.

I worried about my mum most times for she was a full housewife and my dad was rarely at home. Though, she whirled away time with movies of all sort, I felt it wasn't enough. I would have to talk to my father about this adoption process. It wouldn't hurt to have a little brother.

After breakfast that day, I and my mother retired to my room to pack my stuffs. I wasn't a girl but I sure had a lot to pack - it was surprising. However, what was anyone expecting from a son of an affluent man?

It was dark when we finally wrapped up our packing and mum went to the kitchen to make dessert. Though my dad had brought the idea of employing a maid, my mum decided against it for reasons best known to her.

Honestly, I feel I do understand a bit but I didn't want her stressing herself. My mum had assured countless of times, she enjoyed cooking and it was a form of exercise since she had nothing else doing but I just didn't want her working herself out.

That night, various faces of people featured in my dream as my new roommate. It wasn't a big deal - I know - but it was for me. This was my last year in school so I needed someone that would help me out and not bring me down.

I could still remember how my last roommate had disturbed my reading with his ultrasonic music. Each time I complained, he asked that I left the room for the library. According to him, the room was a place of relaxation and not a place to read. I had complained bitterly to Tunde and the rest of the crew but they had advised I took things calmly so as not to aggravate issues.

It was clear my past roommate was an angry man seeking whom to vent his anger on. It didn't even help he was older than me - and quite muscular. He was sure intimidating.

It was such a relief to leave the hostel after the section ended - leave the angry beast. I would just die if such was to repeat itself. I didn't want another angry person.