SLEEVELESS Episode 3

"Mom, go ahead I'm listening to you" he said as mama took a sip from her drink.

"Bamidele, you know you are my only son and I want the best for you. As you're enjoying my meal tonight, it could have been your wife doing this for you"

He was already tired of hearing all things in line with girls. He couldn't end the conversation like he had always done on phone calls.

Mama brought out her small Nokia android phone leaving Bamidele wondering what mama was up to.

"Mom, do you want to call anyone by this time of the night?" he said as he pointed to the watch on the wall to remind mama that the time was few minutes past 11pm.

Bamidele had been listening, but not with full attention as he was eating on the other hand. He was looking all tired already and it was like he should get a remote and fast forward whatever was left mama want to say.

"Come let me show you the list" she said will all concern written on her face but Bamidele on the other hand was left in awe as mama continued.

"I have the list of beautiful girls from our area. Some from the church and others from our street" She adjusted her glasses and drew her chair even more closer.

"My son, Juliana is 27 and single, young and vibrant while Yomade is tall and light skinned" she teased him as she said further "I know you like omo pupa (fair girls)."

Mama kept on mentioning and mentioning names till the time it had gotten to the height of what he couldn't take.

He furiously hit his hand on the dining table as his face were all red due to the stress from the day and also to the unexpected list mama is talking about.

"Mom! I have to go and sleep now, I am extremely tired". He said as he walked away talking.

"Also mama, please don't wake me up until it's 11am because I need to sleep well. Goodnight mom"

Mama claps her hands in surprise of how her son had been sounding like he wasn't interested in talking about any girls at home.

Mama went to her room that night and as usual, mama was the kind of woman that doesn't joke with prayer. Prayer had never failed her and she know the God she was serving.

On mama's phone, she had different prayer alarm for different time. She hasn't slept for 2 hours when her phone alarm started ringing, immediately she picked it up, she already knew what it means.

Meanwhile, any time that mama came around with her once in a blue moon visit, she was always lodged in the second room as Bamidele's house was a 2 bedroom boy's quarters.

The room is been divided by toilet, bathroom and laundry room. The rooms were not too far from each other enough for anyone to talk in the other room and it could be as loud as the person was talking inside that same room.

It was 2am already and mama knelt down by her bedside, tying her wrapper to her chest having a white camisole underneath.

She started praying and the pace of the prayer was going from low to high at a certain point that Bamidele on the other side couldn't help but cover his head with the pillow.

Bamidele was forced to walk down to mama's room to knock and open her door but as at that time, mama was almost rounding up her prayer.

"Whoever is saying my son will not marry, let them die by fire! die die die..." mama was sweating profusely.

"Thank you Lord for promising not to shame me. I will forever praise you Lord" mama rounding up as she switch to singing different Yoruba praise song.

"Bamidele, o sun ni (you are not sleeping)?." She asked in surprise as she found her son in her bedroom.

"Mom, how will I? how will I sleep when you have killed all your village people and those who doesn't want you to see grandchildren by fire?" Bamidele said with all displeasure written all over his face.


"Well, well, If we can't have a peaceful physical conversation about why you are still yet to talk about anyone, I said we should take it a bit spiritual ni"

Bamidele wasn't totally ready for all this and he was beginning to think on how to start asking mama when she was going back but he kept his cool as he walked back to his room to continue his sleep.

Night fading off as it was getting bright outside already. Mama checked her phone time as the phone backlight flash through her dimmed eyes.

"Ah, 7am already. Let me go find something to cook. I'm hungry already"

Mama got to the kitchen and found out that there is almost nothing at home. No soup left, no stew as well. She was not totally unfamiliar with the street.

Mama rushed out to get some ingredients and other stuff around making soup and stew that will at least take Bamidele for the week.

Some minutes later, mama got back home, washed the dishes and set everywhere right.

The aroma from the kitchen was so catchy and can leave anyone wanting and salivating whatever been cooked in the building.

Mama was rounding up and thinking of how to go wake Bamidele up as the time now is past 10.

Before mama could move from kitchen down to the dining, she heard a knock on the door.

"Who's there?" Mama curiously asked but a part of mama was thinking it could be the neighbor's or any other random person that love the aroma of her food.

"Who's there, I am coming" mama said.

As she opened the door, she couldn't believe her eyes.

What did mama see?
Who is there?

Watch out for the next episode.