She sighed deeply and placed an arm underneath her chin with the elbow supported by the armrest of her chair. She was wearing two shiny bracelets that were too big to be gold, and a sparkly wristwatch with small white stones that were certainly not diamonds.

‘Mama, is everything alright?’

After some long seconds, she turned abruptly in my direction.

‘No… no! Everything is not alright!’ she said without lifting her eyes to my face.

Another spell of quiet followed. At last, unable to take it anymore, I leaned over and patted her hand, hoping to provide some comfort for whatever was troubling her. Instantly, she drew her arm away.

‘Don’t touch me… you hear? Just don’t touch me. You’d better make your intentions clear… you hear me? Me, I don’t know what’s happening; I don’t know what you’re doing with my daughter. This thing has gone on too long. I’ve said my own.’

So this was what the gloominess was about. Poor woman. I smiled.

‘Ah, ah, Mama, but you should know by now that I’m very serious. Ola and I are still very much in love. In fact I saw her in school a few days ago. There’s no need for you to be bothering yourself. Ola is my wife.’

‘I’ve been hearing this same thing for how many years now. Me, I’m tired. Every day, “My wife, my wife, my wife…”, “I love her, I love her, I love her…” Is it wife for mouth? Is it love for mouth? After all, love does not keep the pot boiling.’

‘Mama, but you know the situation. As soon as I get a good job… once I’m settled down… I won’t need anyone to remind me to come and pay the bride price. That matter is already settled.’

She looked at me as if I had just told her that O is for automobile.

‘So how long exactly are we supposed to wait for you to settle down? Ola needs to move on, don’t you know? She would have been married and settled down long time ago if not for all your rubbish.’