“Or mine,” Vee says.
Merc puts their hands in the air in defeat. “I’ve heard you. I don’t like sitting in restaurants during my leisure time after spending a portion of my day in restaurants for meetings. Is it a crime?” they say, making Vee laugh. They look over at me. “You should actually take it as an honor that I’m seated here instead of asking you to bring the food over.”
“I needed the atmosphere and possibly the threat of a crowd to discuss something,” I say.
Merc’s lazy demeanor turns serious. Venus looks concerned.
Here goes nothing.
“I want to quitCupid’s Bowand the role of Saturn.”
Like scratched DVDs, it takes them a while to unfreeze.
“Clearly, I should’ve worn a meeting tie,” Merc sighs, just as the waiter brings our appetizers.
“How about you explain further,” Vee says.
I pull out the book, show them my findings, and launch into my hypothesis: If it has been done once, it can be done again.
A plate of asaro for me, jollof rice for Merc, and spicy creamy pasta for Vee arrive as I finish my explanation.
“The Jakandes don’t like us, especially not your family,” Merc says, which annoys me. “Even if we do find someone, how are you sure they’ll help?”
“I’m not,” I admit. “It’s a shot in the dark, but it’d be even worse if I don’t try.”
Vee cuts in. “Wait, you’ve sharedhowthis could hypothetically happen, butwhy? Do you want to quit because of Moyo?” she asks softly. I know she cares, but I wish she hadn’t said anything, especially that.
Merc’s mischievous smile comes out. “Are you doing this for your crush?” They ask with a dramatic pout. “As you know, I’m a sucker for love. But you can have love and be Saturn. Your dad did it, and clearly the line has carried on, so other Saturns did as well.”
“Firstly, my dad wasn’t great. Secondly, it’s not simply because of Moyo. Saturn…living Dad’s legacy is not for me. I’m not like either of you. Not everyone can be the perfect Mercury or Venus. We’re approaching two full years, and I still haven’t achieved The Sight. If I could do my own thing and an actual Saturn takes over, it’ll be a win-win for everyone, right?”
Vee brushes over the chunk of my words. “Wait, Uncle B wasn’t great?” she asks, even more concerned than before.
I exhale. “He had his issues. I know it seems like our estrangement happened in adulthood, but that’s far from the truth.”
No one knows the truth because Dad won’t talk about it, and—despite being celestials—like any other Nigerian household, when a child distances themselves from family, it’s assumed to be the child’s fault.
Merc doesn’t say anything for a moment. “Would you still make this choice if you got The Sight?”
“It’s been two years, it’s not coming.”
“But what if?” Merc asks pointedly. “It makes things easier, quicker, more comfortable.”
I fire back, my voice rising, “I don’t want to continue being miserable on a ‘what if.’ This might not work, but it’s worth a shot.”
“You expect me to find people who clearly don’t want to be found? Based on a flimsy guess?” Merc’s volume rises to match mine.
“Isn’t that your job?”
“It was your job to stay in the job, but now you want to abandon Vee and me.”
Before our egos overflow, Vee jumps in. “How about we calm down? Take a walk, and we can talk about this later. No one is being abandoned.”
“Fine,” Merc and I both huff.
“I’ll walk.” I stand up, not bothering to listen for a response.
I’m on my way to the bathroom to splash some water on my face when a woman with familiar curls emerges from the kitchen doors, holding a takeout box.
