Page 106 of Cupid Calling
Ejiro frowned. “No. Spoken to me about what?”
“I spoke to him last night. I’ve bought you a ticket home for next week.”
Ejiro stilled.
“Ejiro?” his mother inquired when he’d been silent for too long. “Did you hear me?”
“Yes, mummy,” Ejiro said numbly. “I heard you.”
“You were dragging your feet too much so I took matters into my own hands. Shebi you can pay me back when you get here?” She said that last part jokingly, but Ejiro knew it wasn’t a joke; he would be expected to pay her back, like he’d asked for this, like he’d wanted—
Suddenly, his Uncle’s weird behaviour today made a lot more sense. While Ejiro had been making the lunch rush at the restaurant, Uncle Reuben had come up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, cryptically, “You know I’m here for you, Eji-ji? I support and will support you in everything you do.”
Ejiro remembered smiling distractedly at him, even as warmth had filled his chest. “Yes, I know, Uncle. Thank you.”
Uncle Reuben had squeezed his shoulder, then left to continue his own part of the work. Ejiro had thought nothing of it until now.
Tears filled his eyes. His uncle had been such a quiet but steady part of his life that Ejiro had forgotten that apart from Ajiri and Blessing, and now Obiora, he had someone else he could count on if things went south.
It was that thought that made his voice firm when he said, “No.”
“No, kini? What does that mean?”
“No,” Ejiro repeated. “I’m not coming home next week. In fact, I’m not coming home at all. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, mummy, but the truth is I’m staying in England. I’m making my life here. Nigeria has nothing to offer me.”
His mother inhaled sharply. “Ejiro? Is it me you’re speaking to like this?”
For a moment, Ejiro felt cowed, but Ajiri squeezed his hand, helping him stand firm.
“I’m sorry, mummy. If you can’t get a refund for the ticket I’ll reimburse you. But I’m not coming home any time soon. I don’t want to go back to Nigeria; there are no opportunities for me there.”
“What do you mean no opportunities? My catering company, nko? Or are you saying you can’t come home and work for your mother?”
“I don’t want to be a caterer for the rest of my life, mummy.”
“Jesus Christ, please save me. You’re not on about this your cartoons again?” she said derisively. “Ejiro, I expected better from you. How are you going to survive on the paltry salary of an artist? As your mother, it’s my job to worry about you and your prospects. I make thousands in naira every month with my catering business; how can you say you have no opportunities? Honestly, Ejiro, I’m so disappointed.”
Fury burned, bright and hot in his stomach. “My cartoons pay me three times as much as what Uncle Reuben pays me, and even if I was earning a paltry salary, it’s still what I want to do. Besides that, I’ve made a life here, mummy. I’ve planned my life here.”
“Ay! Oghene. Am I hearing this correctly? Ejiro, after everything I’ve done for you? After I used my blood, sweat, and tears to send you abroad, this is how you repay me?” Oh God, she was crying. She was fucking crying. “I did everything for you; I put the clothes on your back and the food in your mouth. I ask you for one thing—one thing, Ejiro, and you can’t even do it for me?”
Ejiro couldn’t speak. His throat felt like it was filled with rocks.
“I know this is Ajiri’s doing. This is her doing. She is so selfish. I’ve never seen someone so spiteful and ungrateful that she can’t just leave me in peace. She’s poisoning your mind and trying to—”
“This isn’t about Ajiri,” Ejiro forced himself to say. “This is all me, mummy. This is what I want.”
“Don’t lie to me!” she snapped. “I may not speak to her anymore, but I know my daughter. I know how vindictive she is. Everything she does, she does it to hurt me, just because I refuse to accept that sinful waywardness she calls a lifestyle. She knows you are my heart, my everything, and now she wants to take you away from me? Tufiakwa. Next thing I’ll hear is that you’re a gay.”
His mother sounded like she was going to pass out when Ejiro didn’t immediately deny it. “Ejiro? Ejiro?”
He remained silent. He was biting his lip so hard it was this close to bringing blood.
“Ay!” she cried. “You have killed me, Ejiro!” She was wailing so loudly Ejiro was sure the neighbours could hear. “You have killed me, o! You’ve finished me. I hope you’re happy.”
She hung up.
Ejiro burst into tears.
