CHAPTER 21
Kenneth slammed the door of his car shut as he drove off to the office. His dad had arrived the evening before from their hometown to attend his cousin’s nuptials. Kenneth had been excited to have him come a few days early because it would afford them some more time to visit each other.
Ever since his mother passed away a few years ago, he and his father had bonded over shared grief and his father’s loneliness. He had always been close to his parents, being an only child tended to do that to you, but they had become closer still.
This was the first time in as long as he could remember that they had disagreed so vehemently over anything.
‘And it had to be a woman!’ Kenneth thought as he slammed the brakes to avoid hitting a jogger who had stepped off the side walk to avoid a woman with a large basket on her head and a baby on her back, probably on her way to a marketplace. He muttered under his breath as the jogger waved an apology and continued on his way.
Kenneth mentally instructed himself to calm down and continue to drive more sedately towards his office.
He shook his head as he remembered his father’s main premise of argument.
“She’s a yoruba girl?!”
He had sounded like he found it incomprehensible that his son would actually consider not talk of being in a relationship with a girl from another tribe.
“Yes, she is.”
“Kenneth my son, you will not marry a yoruba girl!”
“Dad! Not this! You haven’t even met her!”
“I know all I need to about anyone from that tribe! They are two faced!”
“This again Dad?” “At least meet her first and then decide if she’s two faced or not.”
“Hah! Yoruba daughter-in-law! Hiahn!”
“Dad, this is...Are we really having this conversation?”
“You mean of all the girls you have met, you did not see any Igbo girl you liked enough to marry, it is this yoruba girl?”
“I did not even think of her tribe Dad! I like her! Her, not her tribe! I don’t really care about where she’s from! I...”
“You have to care! We are a product of our origins! Our environment!”
“To a large extent Dad but you’re the one who always said the same hot water that softens an egg is the same hot water that hardens the yam.”
“What has that to do with what I’m saying to you?”
“So she’s yoruba. You’ve had a few bad experiences.” His father had scoffed at that. “But those people are not representative of every single yoruba person. So what of our brothers who have been caught in drug or gang related crimes overseas? Are they representative of everyone from our tribe?”
“Is it only people from our tribe that have been caught in drug related offenses?”
“Is it all yoruba people that you have met that have proven to be two faced?”
“And lily-livered!”
“Including the agberos that you are so jittery around?”
“Those ones are just badly brought up children. Which is part of what I am saying...”
“You know what Dad? I think this is where we draw this conversation to a close before we say some things we both will regret. I’m off to the office. I’ll see you in the evening.”
He had dragged his briefcase from the table and stormed out of the house. He rubbed his chest now, where an ache was beginning to coagulate. He had never argued like this with his father and it hurt. He felt oddly bereft even as he mentally prepared to do battle.
He was not going to give Emily up. That left only one other option, he had to convince his father that Emily was just right for him. He was not going to give either of them up for the other.
Emily stared at the display screen on her phone and smiled.
“Hello!” she thrilled into the earpiece. “Are you finally back?”
“Yes o! I am.” Kenneth responded.
“Yipee! Hope your trip was good?” she asked “And successful?”
“It was. Actually, it was very good.”
“That’s great to hear.” Emily said. “Where are you right now?”
“At the office. Just finished one meeting. Gearing up for another one.”
Emily could hear his tiredness in his voice. “Sorry dear.” she said gently. “Is there something I can do?”
“As a matter of fact, there is.” he responded with alacrity.
“Okay! What?”
“Come for dinner at my place.”
“When?” Emily asked in surprise.
“Today.” Kenneth answered. Emily sighed.
“I’ve never really been to your place.”
“You have too.”
“Not inside.” Emily argued.
“So come to dinner.” Kenneth cajoled. “Besides, there’s someone I want you to meet.” he said.
“Yeah? Who?” Emily asked.
“My dad. He’s in town for the wedding soooo I want you to meet him before the wedding proper.”
“Ooookaay!” Emily said. “Tonight?”
“You know what? Drive on home. I’ll come by to pick you up.”
“Do I need to dress fancy or anything?”
“No, no, no! Just be comfortable. It’ll be just the three of us.”
Emily nodded her head and then on remembering that Kenneth couldn’t see her over the phone, voiced her consent.
“Alright. See you tonight. I’ve got to go.” Kenneth spoke in a rush.
“Alright. Have a good one.”Emily said.
“You too.”
Emily heard what sounded like a kissy noise but she couldn’t be sure and the line went dead before she could ask.