~15~

                                    

                                          
~Adam~
                          
Dad chuckled exaggeratedly as mom climbed down the stairs. They were going for an Owanbe and dad was already waiting for mom at the foot of the stairs. I looked back from the couch where I sat down. Mom was dressed in an onion-colored cord lace with matching headgear. She looked like a bride with her perfectly made-up face. 
                          
"Oh wow. Look at my beautiful wife. Ego oyinbo is proper. All other women should come and learn about beauty from you. You're the perfect definition of beauty."
                          
Mom smiled coyly and when she got to him, he kissed her on both cheeks. 
                          
"Just look at you. I have to be the luckiest man alive."
                          
I rolled my eyes at his words and I continued the game I was playing. 
                          
Luckiest man ko, beauties man ni. 
                          
"Adam, you should come and snap us. We can't allow this beautiful moment to pass."
                          
I ignored his words for a while before I finally dropped my phone. They were both standing in front of the left wall of the dining room, the one that has butterfly graffiti on it. It was the picture spot in our house. The few times Sophia had been at our house, she'd taken lots of pictures in that very background. 
                          
I used my phone to snap them and I couldn't deny the fact that they looked good together and everything looked so perfect with all the smiles and the way dad was looking at mom. Looking at them, no one would be able to guess what lies underneath, the layers of scars and pains the smile and facade were hiding. 
                          
"Now, that's enough, young man. We don't want to be too late to the party and..."
                          
Dad was cut off by the vibration of his phone. He brought it out from his inner pocket. 
                          
"See, it's one of my friends. They must already be waiting for us. Let's go dear."
                          
Then he picked the call and started to walk towards the mom. Mom turned to me with a pretty smile on her pretty face. 
                          
"So Korede, your friends are still coming over, right?" 
                          
"Yes, Ma."
                          
"Good. Shey won lalajo dada oo."
                          
"Of course mom."
                          
"Good! Now, let me go and meet your dad before he gets angry."
                          
Then she walked out of the living room. I heaved a sigh as I walked back to the couch. Yes, Sophia and Kunle were coming over. It was five days to Christmas and we were supposed to hang out at the mall but Sophia suggested we meet in a more private space. They picked my place because I hardly invite them over. Kunle made a joke that is it because I live in a sprawling mansion, that's why I don't invite them over? I tried to dismiss his joke with a wave of my hands because I knew it was an innocent joke but I couldn't. 
                          
They don't even know I don't invite them over because I don't know when the monster in him will act up. That I was only free to invite them over whenever he was away on business trips. I've not even sat down when my phone vibrated. It was Sophia. 
                          
"Hey, fine boy. How're you?" 
                          
Sophia shouted immediately they entered. I raised my eyebrows at her as she pressed her slim body against mine. 
                          
"Tiny girl. I'm fine."
                          
I replied with a crackle in my voice. She hated being called tiny and it was only Kunle and I that can call her that and get away with it. 
                          
"Adams, the problem here is that I'm fatter than you are self. You're the real definition of tiny."
                          
"In your dreams. You're just a perfect example of...."