Perspectives

32

Selena

"My dad's always busy you know, we don't have a bad relationship and we don't have the nicest relationship too, but his a nice guy, at least the few times he stays at home" I saw the wistful smile on his face.

Zion was always smiling and always so nice.

I was sitting beside him at some empty swing in the school away from the prying eyes of students

"Your brothers?" He had four from different mothers.

"I've seen just two,last two years at New York,the other two are younger,4 and 6 respectively,I've never seen them and they don't stay in Nigeria"

"And mum doesn't really flow well with the other women,she's just the loner among them,just does her things and she doesn't know I know but I think she's seeing someone,not like she's cheating though.."He paused

" I just don't want to share her with another man"

My eyes flew open and then he laughed

" That came out wrong right?" He laughed some more and I joined him

"The thing is that, I've never had my dad's total love,his rarely around,I don't blame him,I mean his job takes too much from him,never attended more than three of my birthday but he never forgets to send me gifts and call me and he has other four sons to attend too. So you see,it has always been me and my mum"He pushed his swing, looking so deep in thought

"If somehow she falls for another man, she'll want to pay attention to him over me,she's already doing that and it's messing with my head,plus the fact she's always telling me I'm a grown dude"

He stopped and faced me.

" I sound selfish don't I?" He was smiling now, looking like a kid caught stealing.

"Your mum loves you,I'm so sure about that, she'll never leave you"I reassured him

"You sound as though you know my mum"He was laughing now

I paused and thought of my own mum, I wasn't the best person to advise people or reassure people about their mums after all mine has left me but he sounded pretty close to his mum.

"I'm sure she's a good person" I told him and he nodded. He was about saying something when I felt my phone vibrated against my pocket

I received the beep on my phone and checked it

+47645768
We need to talk Munachi,it's urgent

I tossed the phone back in my pocket, didn't want anything or anyone ruining my mood.

I looked around the deserted swings,no one was passing.

"How come you know all these empty places,do you perhaps kill people"I teased and he laughed

" I'd never kill you,so fear not" He said in between laughs

"But I didn't want to attend St Louis at first,mum wanted me to get quality education and also connect with my roots"

He made air quotes on the last word.

"So she checked the internet and also St Louis got recommended to her by some of her friends and here we are. I tried to convince her I didn't want to attend the school but that woman,she's so stubborn trust me. So the first week was spent in class,by the next week I was exploring the school, trying to play the stubborn card oh,greatest mistake, my mum flogged that shit out of me"

I smiled,I was trying to imagine his mum,  flogging the 12 year old him and it made me laugh

"So you are laughing at me?" He tried to frown and it made it more funny.