Short Story – Discovering Amobi (2)

Mama was raised in the United Kingdom where she spent most of her life until she moved back to Nigeria and got married to Papa.

The other day Papa said Amobi needs to start behaving like a man. Mama hates it when he uses those words. Papa drops the ball angrily on Amobi’s lap. Later on, Amobi makes it a companion with the cobweb that grows in the cupboard. 

Amobi had many times heard derisive words from Papa, this made them distant. Apart from the way he loves Mama, his sister comes close in the share of his affection. Ifeoma allows him to experiment with her make-up kits. He knows how to apply different shades, then contours something on his face with shades of colour. He once sat on the stool in front of Ifeoma’s mirror in her bedroom, alone smacking his lips, checking how beautiful he looked after using his sister’s makeover.

Short Story- Discovering Amobi (1)

The door creaks open, he turns. “Ifeoma is bathing.” He screams. It was Mama and quickly covers his face with his palm. Ma smiles as she walks away. When they later walk past each other later, she acts as if nothing had happened.

At the side of the playground where Amobi is standing, he doesn’t stop staring at Jaiyeola. He is shirtless, sweat dribbling from his face, down to his body. Amobi is trying to make an eye after Jaiyeola’s first word to him. He likes him and could feel a burning desire razing through his emotion. His chiseled abs arouse the flesh underneath his leg. He becomes aware of it as Jaiyeola walks toward him as he has been substituted. Amobi turns, looks away, trying to calm his racing heartbeat.

Amobi removes his hand from his crotch when he can feel it has slowly flattened. He heaves, feels a hand drop on his shoulder piquing his attention. It is Jaiyeola. His body reeks of sweat, his face fatigued. His eyeballs are sunken and Amobi can perceive his musky smell. He sighs…