“I will tell you what will make my mother’s heart happy. The thing that will make me shout for joy...”
“Here we go,” Simon mumbled, slumping in his chair.
She canstill see you,fool.Solomon rolled his eyes.
“...is for God to bless the Anruchi family with grandchildren.”
Nneka straightened and cleared her throat.
“Specifically, ones to carry on our family name.”
Nneka lifted an eyebrow, her eyes flashing with mild accusation.
What?Solomon mouthed. As if it’d been his choice to be the first male child.
“Oh, Lord Jesus. Provide the right spouses for my children.” His mother closed her eyes, her right hand splayed over her heart. “Keep away every foolish person”—Nneka elbowed Simon as he coughed out the name of her boyfriend—“and bring the right ones that will help bless the Anruchi home with our lasting legacy.”
Sure was funny how she could turn a moment that was about her and Pops into something evenmoreabout them.
“And forgive them for letting the right ones get away.”
“Oh, she went there.” Nneka put a fist to her mouth.
Solomon swallowed, loosening his tie. Would they never forgive him for letting go oftheirperfect match? Their eyes had been on expansion, not on whether his heart had connected with the daughter of a potential business partner.
“How about dessert?”
Thank you forthe save,Simon.
“Yes, speaking of that, how will you celebrate your anniversary?” Solomon said.
“With your firstborn in my lap.”
“Mommy, be serious. There are a lot of steps that need to happen before that.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” She harrumphed. “You knowwhat we have discussed. I am still waiting to hear about who you will one day bring into our family, and I am ready to see you finish your studies. It has been almost three years, enough of this hesitation—”
“What about a renewal party?” Solomon interrupted. “You guys always talked about not getting to have the wedding you wanted since you came to the States so young.” He mentally patted himself on the back. Maybe that would be enough to distract them from the choices he didn’t intend to make. “And we can organize it around when Auntie Thea will be in town. She’ll be here on business in a couple months, right?”
“Yes, that is right.” His mother looked pleased at the mention of her best friend from college.
Nneka nodded, knowing exactly where this was going. “We willallwork together to plan an amazing party. But isn’t Solomon’s test happening around the same time?”
His mother clapped her hands in surprise. “A test? What test?”
Nneka’s gaze was challenging, daring him to deny the information that he had foolishly thought was safe with her.
“It’s the NPTE. The National Physical Therapy Exam,” Solomon explained.
“Another exam?” His father sat up. “Is this a joke?”
“No.” Solomon stared at his empty plate. “It’s not.” He swallowed. “That is what I have to take to be able to practice, not to mention other certifications if I choose to specialize. You know this, Pops.”
His father grunted. “All that for amasseur.”
Simon covered his mouth. Solomon would punch his brother in that mouth if he laughed again. He turned an exasperated look on Nneka, who to her credit looked slightly regretful. None of them wished disappointing their parents on each other, much less inviting it to the dinner table.
“Father, what I do is not massage. It is a respected profession that makes me a doctor of physical therapy.”
