Chapter 39

The two unlikely lovers arrived back at the farm house, to find they had been missed, and Olu was deemed the offender. Mama berated Olu for keeping their guest out for too long. He objected, "Mama, we were doing a tour, and we finally went to look inside the large barn. Tokunbo was brought up on a farm, and thought there ought to be a hay loft, but I had no idea if there was or not. She was right, Mama! There is a hay loft, but when we checked it out, there was nothing stored there. We had to take care climbing up and down that steep ladder, so we went slow to avoid any fall. Tokunbo has nice legs, I noticed, though.

We had a look around. It is a large space, with a good floor surface, adaptable to other purposes, we think. Tokunbo had an idea that if we were short of rooms for visitors, that hay loft might be converted to act as extra accommodation, though I realise it would require a safer staircase.

Isn't she a clever woman, Mama? I have never met anyone like her before."

Mama was impressed, and said so.

"She is indeed a clever woman, Olu." She considered, then announced, "Very well, you are forgiven for being tardy. Now go and help your sisters in preparing the evening meal. You can act as the serving staff and lay the table. It is good practice for when you finally get married. Here we have Winston with three brides, and you do not even have one. It is time you did something to rectify that fault, Olu, but first, get to setting the table, or we shall starve to death. Hurry, now!"

"Yes, Mama. I will get on to it at once. What did your last slave die of?"

Tokunbo laughed as Olu went about his duties. "That young man is a treasure, Mama!"

Mama spoke proudly. "He is a good boy, I agree, apart from being a bit flip in speaking to his Mama at times. He and Winston were always up to tricks together as young boys. It was unfortunate that eventually Winston's father told him to stop associating with a son of the estate staff; for he was a son of the owner, and had to act accordingly.

Neither boy liked that order, but being good boys, they put up with it. They never forgot that childhood friendship. It left a strong bond between them. So when Winston realised he needed help to run this farm, his immediate thought was his old friend Olu. He went beyond Lo, and thought of the whole family, bless his soul. He arranged for the whole family to come here. It was only when we arrived that he noticed that his friends younger sisters, the twins, had grown up into lovely young ladies.

Winston was smitten right from the day we arrived, and now he and they have married. It was a marriage of love, but he insisted on doing as much of the old traditional ceremonies as possible.

Winston is a very good and dutiful young man, and I am pleased to have him as a son-in-law. I believe you will find the same thing, Tokunbo."

The other woman had her own contribution to the discussion. "Mama, he took away our phones when we got here, saying it was in case we developed bad first impressions, and would send back misleading reports, but I get the idea it was more than that. Do you know anything about it?"

"I did not know that he had done that, my friend; but Winston has a wise head on his young shoulders. Whatever he does, he does for a good reason, so you should respect his decision as the man of his house: his aim will become clear later. It may be that he did not want his father to know that he had already married, as that would undermine his father's traditional position as the marriage arranger for his sons. You see, Tokunbo, this young man - my son-in-law - acts correctly in all his doings. I am proud to have him linked to our family by marriage."

Tokunbo had another query. "Is it true that your family worked for his family, back in Nigeria?"

"It is true. It is not something I am proud of, but for many years there was no other option for Papa and me. Life back home was, as with you being a widow, not necessarily what you would like it to be; but we put up with it as best we could. Winston's father saw us as nothing more than tools for working his estate, I hate to say. In contrast, because Winston grew up with Olu, in his eyes he saw us as valuable people worth sharing his life with, as colleagues, friends.

I must emphasise that this was before he fell for my twin girls, so it was not through the marriage connection that he viewed us; it was Winston's own life view; that people are not things, to be pushed around like a draughts board. I think that was reinforced by the community values of this Colony. Here, everyone is assumed to be equal in value unless proved otherwise."

"It seems to be a community with agreeable values, Mama. I approve Winston's attitude, and his judgment. I do believe my daughter will be happy with him, and he will be a good son-in-law. Olu is also a very nice young man, as well as being attractive and handsome. His inexperience with women, if anything, adds to his charm, making him a delightful man."

"Pardon?" Mama may have been too poor to have been well educated, but she had a sharp mind, honed by many years of dealing with her family. "What do you mean, "his inexperience with women"? What would you know about that?"

"Oh. Sorry about that, Mama. It just slipped out. I find Olu a charming young man. If I was his age, he would not remain unmarried for long, I assure you."

"You are avoiding my question, woman. How do you know he is inexperienced with women? You have only just met him, so you have not had time to make an informed judgment. Is there something you are not telling me?"

Tokunbo tried to be conciliatory. "Mama, I could not resist finding out for myself, more directly. I can tell you that he is now a little more experienced than he was before."

"Really?" Mama was more surprised than offended. She looked around, to make certain they would not be overheard, before saying "I would not have thought he would impose himself on a guest of the family, and certainly not do anything at all on the first day of meeting."

"Mama, Olu would not force himself on any woman. I am sure of that, for he is shy around women. He is, of course, a man, and so susceptible to womanly persuasion."

"I see. You used your womanly wiles on him, and so gave him a certain "experience" that he lacks?"

"That would be a good description, Mama. He managed to give me something in return, as well."

"Eh? I presume you are not just talking about kisses, then?"

"Mama, it was a LOT more than kisses. He has learned to be a man with a woman, but needs lessons on how to make a woman happy with a man's attention."

"Hmmmm. You did say that your husband died about two years ago, did you not?"

"I did. I have not been with a man in all that time. Such deprivation makes one more predatory with a personable young man in the most suitable of circumstances, for which I apologise to you, his loving mother."

Mama waved her hand in dismissal. "Forget it, Tokunbo. The boy needs to learn, and especially needs to learn about making a woman happy. I think you might be good for him, as a teacher, if you have elected yourself to that task. I am a good judge of women, I think."

Tokunbo sighed with relief. "I am grateful to you, Mama. Teaching Olu about women will be of advantage to me as well. I was thinking that Olu, under my guidance, could learn how to convert a hay loft into emergency accommodation, such that part of it could be used for hay storage, and part for living space. We would first of all have to spend time measuring it up, to ascertain the possibilities. We have already proved that the floor is adequate to support people in a bed."

Mama was up to the mark at once. "Indeed. That is a good plan. I like your thinking, young woman – you don't mind me calling you that, as you are so much younger than me?"

"Mama, I am flattered."

"Well, young woman, I endorse your suggestion for possible conversion. I think you and Olu should explore the barn's possibilities further, reporting back to me in the first instance. We can inform Winston and Papa once things are at a more advanced stage." A propos of nothing, she added, "Women remain very sexual beings for much longer than most men imagine, don't you agree?"

"It is a little-known fact, Mama, but one which Olu needs to know about. Oh, you did tell me that I was young enough to have more children. Is that so?"

"That is correct. I did say that, YOUNG woman. I am all for having grandchildren, so if such came about, and nothing permanent arose in other ways, my grandchildren would be happily accommodated in my home, should that be necessary."

"Thank you, Mama. I am so pleased with your words. Your wisdom brings me into this household with happiness. I shall ask Olu to show me the rest of this house after our meal. I will later consult with you about Olu's food likes and dislikes, for future application."

"That would be wise, Tokunbo. Our meal should be about ready, if my married daughters have done their job well."

Sylvia Turner, Secretary to Mrs. Angelina Frederickson, Managing Director of Rehome Fertilisers, was speculating on her options. She had just agreed to visit her boyfriend's apartment, and she was unsure what would happen there.

She knew that her boyfriend, Herbert Jameson, was still a virgin, but he had visions of breaking his duck with her. That was clear by his continued attention to her; his expressed admiration of "her intellect, her bodily charms and her charming voice". Her own opinion of herself was a lot more down to earth, as was her estimation of him. She was not anyone's idea of "a good catch", but Herbert fell into the same category. Her reasoned conclusion was that they could very well make a compatible pair, if she could forget the wonderful sex she had experienced with Angelina's husband, John.

Sylvia had had visions of joining Angelina an Annetta in matrimony with John, but if that would ever happen, she had a lot more to achieve in order to make herself acceptable there. Herbert would be less demanding of the level of perfection expected by the Fredericksons. From his own experience, he knew how difficult it was to improve oneself physically.