When Mr. Aneto got back that evening, Osaro was still awake, Monday’s were particularly busy for him. He had so many meetings that would last hours and he would get home very tired. That didn’t matter to Osaro, he knew the earlier he spoke to his dad, the better for him. “Daddy, let me take off your shoes”, he begged. Mr. Aneto wondered why his son had decided to stay up late and also offer him this unusual gesture.
It was 9pm, and they were about to have dinner. Ebehi had already had her dinner and had long retired to bed. Halfway into dinner, Osaro took his chance. He said, “Daddy, there is something I want to tell you”. Dad looked up, and immediately knew his son’s gesture that night was a ploy to get something, a favour of some sort from him.
Osaro continued, “Dad, there is this very good friend of mine, he is throwing a party on Saturday, and I will like to be there.” His dad asked him about the venue of the party and who was celebrating and he immediately told his dad that it was a foreign student named Ramon who had been in Nigeria for a few months.
Dad asked, “So where does he live?” Osaro said that Ramon lives in Ikoyi with his dad. Mom interrupted and reminded Osaro that Ramon’s parents were separated and that Ramon’s parents were locked in a custody battle in Miami, Florida. That thought made Mr. Aneto rather concerned. He wondered how the young boy was coping without his mother in faraway United States. He kept is opinion to himself and felt it was better he discussed that with his wife.
Later that night…
[To be continued]
Written by Chineme Uzo
