“Sewa also mentioned you might say that.”
Why is that girl telling everyone my business? Might have to murder her after this.
“But, when you’re ready, I’d love to take you out sometime,” he persists, and I can’t even be mad. I hand him my phone, and let him put his number in.
Good old-fashioned dating might’ve been the way all along. I don’t know when I’ll be ready, but I like knowing all hope isn’t lost.
33Moyo
“MOYO, YOU CAN’T EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE YOU DON’T ALREADYhave a plan for the money,” Anjie says, raising her volume over the chatter of the guests. The gala is still in full swing.
“I’m sure she knows what outreach centers she wants to partner with already,” Sewa says.
“It’s only been ten minutes,” I laugh, and take a mental note. Outreach centers would be good. Why didn’t I think of that?
Anjie rolls her eyes. “You always have a plan for everything—” She suddenly goes quiet, and Sewa’s eyes widen.
“Moyo.” The voice from behind me is strong yet soft. I don’t need to turn around to know who it is, but I do anyway.
“Niyi.” I keep my face neutral. I won’t react before I hear what he has to say after disappearing for weeks. Niyi, in a snowy white tux, fights back a smile as he takes in my appearance, and I tell my muscles to do the same.
“Hello, all.” Niyi nods to Anjie and Sewa, then he scowls at Alex, who is still on my arm. “Moyo, may I talk to you outside?” he asks politely, and before I can answer, Alex does.
“She’s here with me tonight,” Alex says, unwisely entering a conversationthat isn’t his. I want to smack him upside the head, but the girls beat me to it. When I let go of Alex’s arm, Anjie holds him by his elbow, and Sewa creates even more division between us.
Anjie, now tightening her grip on this poor man, raises a brow, giving me one of our looks. I know she’s asking if I’m comfortable talking to Niyi after everything. I’d like to say I no longer care about him or what he has to say, but that’d be lying.
I nod, letting her know I’m okay.
“Please, go talk,” Anjie commands. She flashes a happy smile at Niyi and me, and scowls at Alex. The duality of Yoruba women.
Niyi and I walk side by side as we exit the brightly lit event space.
“So…” I draw the word out, waiting for Niyi to explain himself. Silently hoping he says something that allows us to return to our budding relationship. The past few weeks made me realize I don’tneedhim, that I’m fine without him, but I do miss him.
“I’m sorry. Let me start there,” Niyi says, his voice raised as the wind howls around us.
We’re the only ones in the empty back lot, and I like it that way. It might be cold, but if I have to say goodbye to Niyi, I’d rather it be where our only audience is the Dunkin’ Donuts sign across the street.
“I am so sorry it’s taken me this long to get back to you. To decide what I wanted to say to you. I am sorry for not telling you who I was earlier. We built our relationship on mutual understanding, and finding out I had this secret that meant we couldn’t be together must’ve hurt.”
I take a moment to digest his words because it did hurt. I won’t lie. “I appreciate the apology,” I say.
“I’d also like to say thank you.”
“For what?”
“For giving me the space to realize whatIwanted for my life. When I was given the Saturn role, I took it because I thought I had no choice, and I thought maybe it’d change a few things in my family dynamics. Which it did, but in unexpected ways. My dad still didn’t come around, but Vee, Merc, and I are closer than ever. It also led me to meet you. You planted the seed that allowed me to step out of my father’s shadow. So again, thankyou, Moyo, for inspiring my new lease on life.”
“Did you give it up?” I ask.
“TheCupid’s Bowjob, Saturn, all of it.”
I’m stunned. “How?”
“It’s a long story, but the abridged version is Merc and I traveled, pretty much across the diaspora, to find a distant relative open to taking the role. Unlike my dad and the other Saturns before him, I explained the downsides, which lengthened our search, but we found someone. She starts atCupid’s Bownext week.”
“It took three weeks to find someone?” I ask, slightly skeptical. I have no idea where he went or how big his family is. All I know is I need more info before accepting him back with open arms.
