Mom's Boss

Mom's Boss

"Yeah, he is my son. Damien, meet my boss, Mr. Calvin Onyeka. Mr. Onyeka, this is my son, Damian."

Mom introduced us with a soft tone, and I could tell she wasn’t thrilled about sitting with him any longer. It was clear from the way she avoided making eye contact. I noticed he was her boss, and I didn’t want to risk offending him, so I checked my watch. It was almost 10:00, and I decided it was time to leave.

"Mom, it's getting late. I think we should be heading home now," I said, trying to hint that it was time to wrap things up.

"Yeah, dear, you're right. Go get your girl, and let's go," she responded, looking a little relieved.

I stood up and left the table to find Cynthia. When I got there, I saw a man trying to dance with her. What a nerve, I thought. Without a second thought, I grabbed her hand and pulled her away from him. She laughed as I led her back toward our table.

"Haha! Don’t be so possessive, man," she teased.

"I’m not sorry," I replied with a smile. "It’s just time to go. Mom said I should get you."

We walked hand in hand back to Mom’s table, and as we approached, Mom stood up.

"I’m so sorry, Mr. Onyeka. We have to leave now, and I need to drop this beauty off at her house too."

She said it with a smile, but I could tell she was eager to get away from him. Cynthia picked up her bag, and I stood there, giving the man a polite nod.

"Hey, soldier, take good care of your mom, okay?" he said with a grin.

"I’ve always done that," I answered, my tone firm. But inside, I was irritated. I didn’t like the way he made my mom feel uncomfortable.

In no time, we were in the car, heading home. As usual, we stopped by Aunt Paula’s house to drop Cynthia off. When we got there, Mom told me to walk Cynthia to the door and not leave until she was inside. I did just that, walking hand in hand with Cynthia toward her house. Mom stayed in the car, watching us from a distance.

When we got to the door, Cynthia knocked, and we stood there for a few moments, waiting for her aunt to answer. It felt like an eternity with Mom watching us, but I tried to stay calm.

"Take good care of yourself, baby. I love you," I said, smiling as I held her hands.

"Thank you for inviting me out tonight. It’s one of my best days," she said, her voice soft. "I love you most. I really mean it. I love you so much. And you, take care of yourself. Tomorrow’s a big day."

She leaned in for a hug, and I couldn’t help but feel a rush of emotions. But I held myself back from kissing her. Mom had always told me it was rude to kiss a girl in public, so I respected her opinion. As Aunt Paula opened the door, Cynthia gave me a quick hug and blew me a kiss.

"Greet your mom for me. I’ll call her tomorrow," Aunt Paula said as she stepped aside to let Cynthia in.

I made my way back to the car, where Mom was waiting. She looked at me with a mischievous grin.

"Why didn’t you kiss her?" she teased. "Hahaha."

"Mom!" I said, feeling my face turn red. I got in the car, and she laughed, starting the engine and driving us home.

It was Monday morning, and I woke up feeling happy. The weekend had been great, and I felt like everything was falling into place. Saturday’s outing with Cynthia made it clear that we were in a relationship. I remember Aunt Paula coming to the house after church on Sunday, and she and Mom had a long conversation about us. They even discussed the possibility of us going to the same school.

Let me give you some details about what happened on Sunday. After church, Mom and I were home, enjoying a delicious lunch. Mom had made rice with banga sauce and fried plantains. She always prepared the best meals, and I loved her banga sauce. Mom also had a Coca-Cola with her meal, as usual. She was addicted to it; I’d never seen her eat without it. As for me, I had a glass of Hollandia yogurt instead.

After we finished eating, we settled in the living room to watch a movie. Mom was all about those local African movies on the African Magic Channel, while I preferred the foreign ones. But since it was her choice, I went along with it. We were watching when the doorbell rang.

"Go get the door," Mom said to me. I was already heading there without needing to be told twice. I opened the door to find Aunt Paula and Cynthia standing there.

"My in-law, how are you?" Aunt Paula greeted me warmly as she stepped inside. Cynthia, on the other hand, was holding a little cooler in her hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Come in, bae," I said quietly, smiling at Cynthia.

"Did you hear what Mom called you?" Cynthia said, laughing. "In-law, hahaha. The outing yesterday has really turned into something else. Mom has been teasing me, calling you my husband, hahaha."

We both chuckled as Aunt Paula sat down next to Mom, who was still watching her movie. They exchanged pleasantries before continuing the film. Cynthia and I sat nearby, and I couldn’t help but think about how much things had changed in just one weekend.

Cynthia leaned in and whispered, "You know, your mom’s been calling me her daughter-in-law. This is getting real, huh?"

I chuckled. "It’s just for fun. But yeah, things are different now."

Cynthia got up, and her attention turned to the cooler she had brought with her. "Mom, the meat," she said, setting the cooler down. It was filled with fried beef and peppered gravy.

"Ah, in-law, take her to the kitchen. Dish up a small plate for me and your mom, then you two can have the rest," Mom said, giving me a playful smile.

Cynthia and I went to the kitchen, and I grabbed Mom’s favorite plate, the most elegant one we had. I served her and Aunt Paula first, then we dished up our own servings. I couldn’t help but feel good about the way everything was going. The day had been perfect, and I was excited about what was to come.

As I sat down to eat, I realized that life had taken a turn. Cynthia and I were more than just friends now, and it felt like everything was falling into place. Mom seemed happy too, though I still wasn’t sure how much of this was part of her plan. I hoped she was happy for me.

But as I sat there with Cynthia and Mom, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen next. Would things stay this good, or would challenges arise? Only time would tell.