Nineteen

                                    

                                          

Aunt NK had regained consciousness a few days later but she was still so weak. Demola and I spent most of our time in the hospital, playing with my new cousin and then when we got back home, he made love to me every night. I called it love because it was always slow and tender, he touched me like I was someone important. And after he thoroughly satisfied me, Demola spent the nights in my bed, holding me till the mornings came.
My uncle hadn't been home since the birth of his daughter. He had gotten a private room in the hospital where they'd set up a small bed for him. Demola and I shuttled in the things he needed and the man was content to stay beside his wife. Sometimes I found myself envying the great love Uncle Mike and Aunt NK had for each other, it was something my parents didn't have and I could only hope that one day, a man would love me as wholeheartedly as my uncle loved his wife.
While I was with Demola, it was so easy to dream that he could be that man, especially with how well he treated me. However, my subconscious doesn't spare me. She reminded me that we were nothing more than fuck buddies and when I tried to argue with her, she reasoned that even if he loved me, I had to go back to school and long distance didn't seem doable.
"Babe." Demola shook my leg and I blinked, looking up at him. "What are you thinking about so seriously?"
"What?" I looked out the car window, noting that we were almost home.
"I've apparently been talking to myself for the past five minutes." He sighed. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes. I'm just thinking about Aunt NK. I hope she'll be discharged soon."
"Don't worry, she will." He patted my knee, eyes on the road. My phone vibrated just then, reminding me that it had been doing so for the past half hour and I kept putting it off till later. I pulled it out but not early enough to get the incoming call, confused to see so many missed calls from my dad and one from my mom.
"I have to make a call," I said to Demola.
"Everything okay?"
"I don't know." I decided to dial my father first because unless I did something wrong, he never called so much. 
As the phone rang, my mind traveled. What if there was an emergency? Did something happen to mom? Or maybe him?
"Kosiso." Dad's voice interrupted my musings.
"Oboli sir."
"Kedu?"
"I'm fine sir. I missed your calls. Is everything okay?"
He took a few seconds before replying, "Have you heard from your mom today?"
"No. I was going to call her after talking to you. What's happening? Is she okay?"
"I think so. Look, Kosi. You're an adult now so I want you to be understanding of what I'm about to tell you."
His tone only made me more worried. What could he possibly have to say that concerns my age? "Daddy what's wrong?"
"Your mother and I are getting divorced. We've already signed the papers."
Those words rang over and over in my head until I began to grow dizzy. From afar I could hear my names being called, but I couldn't make my body do anything to react. The voices came again, one faintly saying Kosi and another calling for Daniella. 
"Daniella!" Demola grabbed my face turning it to face him. "Breathe baby, breathe." He pried my phone from my grip and put it against his ear, his other hand still holding my face. "She'll call you back later," I heard him say before dropping my phone on his lap. I looked up, seeing that we were parked by the road just outside the estate.