Chapter 8 Forgive me

I was helping Mrs Maduka prepare Orah leaves she was going to use in making their evening meal when I heard Jeremy and his dad pull up in the garage. I was actually surprised Jeremy's mum made their home meals herself. I had just imagined they paid someone to make their meals just as they paid people to clean their house and yards. But as I watched her and assisted her in the kitchen, it was clear this was her natural fort. I was also amazed she trusted me enough to allow me into her personal space, her kitchen. But she treated me like it was normal.

Like this wasn't the first time I was in her kitchen. Like this wasn't the first time we were together in close proximity for more than a total of twenty seconds. Like, she asks me to ".......get me the brown bowl from that drawer", and points in some bogus direction as if this wasn't the first time I was in her kitchen. As if she expected me to know just what bowl and from what drawer. I went with the flow instinctively, and luckily I found the right things at the right locations. At first, I thought she was baiting me. Trying to make me do something wrong. Get something wrong. But over time, I came to realize that was just how she was. She wasn't even thinking beyond the moment we were in. The discussion we were having. The chores we were getting done. She wasn't thinking about anything else. At least, not something negative. She laughed easily, smiled warmly and touched quite often. I recognized it as a habit she was unaware of. She made physical contact ever so often as if she needed to remind herself that the person, I, was present. Still present and not disappearing anytime soon. She made little gestures like holding my shoulder, or squeezing my palms ever so slightly, or placing a hand on the small of my waist, or patting my back and head, grazing a finger along my jaw, adjusting my eye brows, etc... In the small minutes we spent together, she exhausted all these gestures and more.

Like that, she made me relaxed, so relaxed I slowly forgot the weight of the mission that prompted my visit. We talked about everything. In a short time, she told me the story of her life, and in return, questioned the story of my life out of me.

Turns out she wasn't even Igbo! I has always thought she was. I thought she hailed from a neighboring community. But no! She told me she hailed from the Idoma tribe of Benue state! I found it unbelievable. Jeremy had never mentioned it and she spoke Igbo so well. Most of our conversation was in Igbo language.

She went on to tell me how she met Jeremy's dad, Paul Maduka, while they were both studying at a school in Baltimore. How his late parents stood against their only son's wish to marry a total stranger, the drama that followed, the climax and the happy ending.

Talking to her felt refreshing. Like talking to an older sister. A wild teenager rebellious older sister. I smiled through most of our conversation. But my smile vanished when we heard the car pull up in the garage and Mrs Maduka smiled girlishly and said,

"They're back!"

"Mum! Dad is refusing to let me park the car in the garage! You said he could let me, didn't you? But he........"

Jeremy was saying when he bursted into the kitchen, but stopped abruptly when he saw me.

"Surprise!" His mum screamed, startling both of us. "Guess who made out time from her busy schedule to visit you, since you have refused to go visit her!" She said gleefully, as if she and I had planned the entire episode. Turning to me, she said.

"He mopes around everyday, like a widower who has just lost his wife. He does nothing, just mopes and does nothing!"

"Mum!...." Jeremy protested, but she didn't pay him any mind. She just went on saying;

"I urged him severally to go visit you, but he refused. At some point, I began to believe you two might have had a big fight! A lovers fight maybe?"

"Mum! Stop it!" Jeremy protested again. He charged forward but stopped again, still his mother paid him no mind. I was getting uncomfortable too, but I had to keep smiling because she was smiling and it would be rude not to smile back. She thought this was fun! Well, she had no idea.

"He was looking all pale, I tell you. He ate little, so little I feared he'll starve. I was so sure it was a lovers fight, but every time I asked, he said you were busy getting ready for the school year. When I asked him to go visit you, he said he didn't want to disturb you. I told him it would be to help you, but he kept refusing. So, I became sure again that he was the one at fault in the fight."

"Mum!" Jeremy cried. His voice weak from exasperation.

"But then, I see you at the gate this evening looking all sorry and apologetic and I say, oh! It's you! You're the one at fault!" She grinned at me sheepishly. Then she leaned in closer to me and whispered so that Jeremy didn't hear.

"Don't worry, he'll forgive you." She winked. "I watched everyday restrain himself from coming to you. His ego kept him, he has already forgiven you! Go and sin no more!" She declared as she stood up right again.

"God!" Jeremy groaned. He had heard everything. Her whispers were not whispers after all.

"But, do talk to him." She said aloud. "Pretend you don't know he's not mad at you anymore." She winked at me.

"Mum, you don't know anything!" Jeremy cried. He was aiming to sound angry, but all I heard was nerves.

"Oh, I do! You'll thank me later." Mrs Maduka laughed. "You two can go talk upstairs. I'll need my kitchen to myself now." She said and began humming happily as if she had achieved a great feat!

Jeremy and I stood there awkwardly, starring at each other. My face began to burn in embarrassment and I looked down to the floor. I still felt his gaze burning a hole in my forehead.

"Want to come talk in my room?" He asked. I looked up, his eyes were gentle. He nodded reassuringly and I took a moment then nodded in agreement.