Chapter Three - Orí Mẹta

I would believe myself in being happy if I smiled more, or maybe if I stopped dating men. But I was so excited to go out with Malik, so I gave him another three days and still no response. Until…

I woke up on Sunday to a banging on my door and immediately got out of my bed, putting on my robe. I walked to the door and opened it to find Malik standing there. "What do you want?" I snarl out, pissed to find him standing in my sight in the first place.

"I…" he held out a bouquet of flowers to me and smiled softly. "I am so sorry. I got stuck at home with my-"

"Save the bullshit, obo[1]." I swore at him, slapping the flowers to the ground in anger.

"I…what? I do not understand." Malik never wanted to learn Yoruba. I told him it was my language and I wanted him to learn as well.

"Cunt. Fuck off from my life, okay? I just wanted to spend Valentine's Day with you and enjoy some dinner but no you had to be a àgbèrè[2] and just not tell me shit, ya absolute nkan ti nik pẹlu akukọ fun ète[3], nothing but a bitch." I spit at him and sigh. "Now leave."

He sighed. "Yer a right cunt ya know?" He left. The fucker.

I got on my way of things, praying and bathing, eating, and heading into the grocery for a few things I had run out of the day before.

I enjoyed the little parts of human existence that forced interaction, it made me feel more natural and being caught off guard was the best way for me to be myself. Up until today.

"Oof sorry love, I cannae say I was paying attention to ma way." I meet eyes with a man holding the hand of a child.

"It's okay, dear." I stay down and look at the young girl. "Why hello, ololufe[4]. My name is Ifedayo. But you may call me Ife or Ms. Rivers. What is your name?"

"My name Marnie." She hid her face into the man's pants leg and then looked at me before looking back into his leg.

"Marnie, be nice to tha lady. She just tryna make conversation wit cha." He sighed. "She's a shy one, nae? She make a great cuddler though."

"I am a teacher at the school. Have not seen her before."

"Just got here from Scotlan'." He smiled. "Four-hour drive just for her ta wanna stay here in tha toy section."

"Well, I hope to see her in my class. I know how scary it can be." I stand back up and clean up more before going back to my shopping. His accent was cute.

No, you just broke up with a guy, no fucking 'round today. I look at the price for milk and sigh. $3 for a gallon of 2% or $5 for a six pack of something called a Monster Energy drink? Well, I will just scratch off cereal then. No need for milk now.

After a bit, I got home and put everything away. I took one of the Monster cans out and read the ingredients with confusion before trying to open it and then taking a sip. It tasted odd but I did like it, so I continued on.

I ended up in my backyard with the can on my table while I raked the leaves up and decided I wanted something in my tree. I searched up 'cute ideas for trees' and found a book nook idea! I loved it! But who would build it? I had not had enough money for a power drill so what was I to do?

My phone went off, but I ignored it, or tried to. But it went off twice more and so I picked it up and gasped. She messaged. It was through the class Remind but she messaged me specifically.

Ms. Rivers: Hello, Mr. Carpenter, may I ask a favor of you?

Argi: yes of course, what do you need?

Ms. Rivers: I would like to speak about my matter in person, would you mind if we discussed this after school tomorrow at pick up?

Argi: course!

I immediately checked the time and noticed Jeremy and I had been in bed for a long time, and it was 1 pm. I woke him up carefully.

"Hey buddy wake up, it is one. Remember we have to get the mail?" I spoke softly, shaking him lightly. Every Sunday we collect the mail, why do it every day?

Jeremy opened his eyes a bit. "Daddy, I do not feel good. Can't you get the mail and I stay home?" I feel his forehead and he is very warm.

"Oh, buddy you can't…but how about we get you some soup, take some meds, and then you can eat the soup and rest during the drive?"

"Okay?" I smile and let him rest while I went looking for the soup recipe my Inna[5] taught me to make when I was only thirteen and my sister was constantly sick. Turned out she had leukemia and passed away months after her diagnosis. It was hard for me because I felt mostly to blame, trying to be funny 24/7 and then the night before she died, I put way too much hot sauce.

I was only thirteen, but I still felt like I caused her death. Her little heart and hot sauce got into a fight and the hot sauce kicked ass.

I got all the ingredients out and started to work my magic. After almost an hour, I had the soup ready and in Jeremy's favorite thermos, it had Spider-Man on it. I got his utensils (yes, he has his own) and I put the medicine in the soup, mixing it in carefully. It was an easy to mix in medicine, so it was blended well, and it was tasteless.

He was asleep for a little bit longer so I got changed and messed with my hair despite there being nothing I could do to it and then went and woke Jeremy.

"Hey JJ bud." I shook him a bit and he woke up with a whine. "I got your soup, put some socks on and Daddy will put you in the car and then we can head that way, you can enjoy your soup and such, yeah?" I smile as Jeremy nods, and he gets his socks back on. I carry him to the car and buckle him up before taking his soup out to the car and helping him open it. He took several bites before he stopped and shut his eyes. I closed the soup and smiled, kissing his nose.

"Sleep tight Jer." I mumbled before getting in and heading to the mailboxes. Our mailboxes were at the entrance to our neighborhood and, although walking is the most eco-friendly option, I do not think that Jeremy could stay awake that long. He would be complaining in minutes if I had made him walk.

I got there and collected all the mail- yes after a 15-minute struggle with the box but we will not talk about it. Water bill, notice from HOA about my grass probably, letter from my parents, school letter, wait what!? A letter from my parents? That's gonna be the first thing I open.

I head home with my findings, Jeremy waking up and having some more soup while I sit in the driveway. I opened the letter and immediately feel sad. Inside was the letter and a picture of my parents with my brother Dami at his wedding. I was invited but I could not attend, Dami and I are estranged. He and I do speak but not as often as we should. He only invited me to appease his wife, Bethany. They had two weddings, a Nigerian wedding, and a 'traditional' wedding. I had sent them a gift anyways even though I could not go.

My mom wrote about every detail of the wedding and included several things about how Jeremy would have loved the cake and that Dami and Bethany are already expecting.

It reminded me of Jeremy's mom. Our wedding barely happened. She said 'I do' and then a few weeks later she called me begging to divorce me because my mom was trying to talk with her in Hausa, which I taught her.

We spent the next two years in a custody battle she let me win, saying Jeremy was a mistake. Which he was not. Never will be.

She spent a total of maybe 24 days with him in the past three years, only three of those being voluntary. Jeremy was miserable through it all and I hated putting him in the middle of it all. I love this kid and I will be damned if he gets upset by his bitch of a mom anymore.

[1] cunt

[2] fuckhead

[3] piece of shit with cock for lips

[4] darling

[5] mom