Itunu's mother's driver brought the car to an abrupt stop, outside the gate and pressed the horn.

Itunu, who was sitting at the back with her Mum squealed. "Mummy, is this their house?"

"Yes now," her mother replied.

"Ah Mummy you didn't tell me I was coming to enjoy like this," she said excitedly.

Her mother chuckled, "Well, you're here now."

A tall, lanky old man opened the small gate and came over to their car. Iya Itunu told him who she was and he nodded, before going back to the gate and opening the big one, ushering them in.

The driver drove into the spacious compound. Itunu marvelled at how big and beautiful the house was.

The house and it's walls were painted a very light pink. It had white modern casing windows and a brown roof. Light shrubbery was scattered in the compound, and the ground was a satisfying mass of interlocking blocks. There were canopies already arranged.

The driver drove them to the garage and they opened the door and began walking towards the main entrance to the living room.

A gust of cold air hit Itunu and she shivered a little, as her mother opened the door.

"Maami, E kaaro," Itunu's mother greeted her mother, getting on one knee. Itunu saw her grandmother and immediately got on both knees, greeting her in the same manner. Her grandmother and her aunties were sitting on the cream coloured couches in her aunty Tamilore's living room. Aunty Tamilore was the mother of the new baby, she was the one they all came to celebrate with.

"Ahan ahan, E kaabo oh! Come, my daughter..." Grandma stretched out her hands, gesturing for Itunu to come and hug her. Itunu went and hugged her. Her grandmother teased her for a moment, asking her about her "boyfriends" and whether they sent any presents to her through Itunu. Itunu laughed and said no.

She then went to greet her aunties who were there too.

"Mummy Dami! Your stomach is so big now," Itunu teased and everybody laughed. Her aunty Bisola, who was popularly called Mummy Dami---the name of her first daughter---rubbed her stomach fondly.

"It will soon pop you know," she smiled.

"How far gone are you?" Itunu's mother asked her.

"Six months." Itunu's mother nodded.

She greeted her aunty Tiwa too, her grandmother's last born. She was about twenty one, tall, skinny, and fair skinned. Itunu really liked aunty Tiwa because she was young so she was a good gisting partner.

Another woman Itunu did not recognise was seated on a lone couch, and Itunu made sure to greet her too.

Itunu took the time to look around now. The living room was painted a pristine cream colour. Various modern devices were in front of the living room, and grey marble adorned the floor. It all spelt wealth.

"Alhaja, Modupe didn't come?" Itunu's mother asked her own mother. Grandma was referred to as "Alhaja" because she had gone to Mecca a number of times.

"Ah she came oh. She's busy playing with the baby inside." Itunu smiled sadly at her grandmother's words, even if she wasn't talking to her. Everybody knew of Modupe's fertility struggles, probably even Dami, her youngest niece. Modupe had been trying to have a baby with her husband over the years, all to no avail. Itunu wondered how God worked. In Itunu's opinion, aunty Modupe deserved a baby more than any of her other aunties. She was so in love with babies, in fact, she was obsessed with them.

"Mummy, I want to go and see the baby," Itunu told her mother.

"Okay, I'll use that one to see my sister too." Mother and daughter went into Tamilore's matrimonial room.

Immediately they entered, Tamilore opened her eyes. She was resting with her eyes closed before. She wore a simple cotton singlet that was pulled upwards to reveal her still big stomach and the dark line that ran down it. An Ankara wrapper adorned the lower part of her body.

"Good morning Ma," Itunu greeted, bending a little. She was glad to be in this room because the temperature was considerably higher than that of the living room because an eight day old baby was here.

"Morning oh, Itunu," she replied in a tired voice. "Thanks for coming."

"Good morning Ma," she said to her sister.

"Kaaro," Itunu's mother greeted Tamilore. "Pele. This one you're sounding tired. Your baby's naming is very soon. Better stand up."

"Where's Modupe?"

"She just left now, she's probably in another room," Tamilore answered.

"Okay. Oya stand up," Iya Itunu urged.

"Yes Ma. Itunu baby, how are you? I hope you're not bored oh, I'm sure this holiday is too long for your liking."

Itunu smiled, "It's long oh. I can't believe I'm done with secondary school."

Tamilore smiled in response. "Is your driver around?" She asked her sister.

"Yes, he's outside."

"Let me go and greet him."

"For what?" Itunu's mother asked.

"I just want to. He came to celebrate with me, after all."

"Okay then," Itunu's mother said.

By now, Itunu had gone to look at the baby. He was lying beside Tamilore, wrapped in a sheep fleece-like shawl. He was a handsome baby indeed. His skin was pink and his hair was full, and Itunu knew he would grow up to be a heartbreaker. He looked like his mother.

"What's the time?" Tamilore asked her sister when she came back. "I've told Titi to bring your things inside."

"Eleven has passed oh."

"Ehn?" Tamilore jumped up. "Have the Alfas arrived?"

"I...don't think so," Itunu's mother replied. "But they will probably come soon. You know that today is Friday and they have to go for Jumat service by one at least."

Tamilore stood up abruptly, causing her newborn baby to stir a little. She looked worried, but then Itunu's mother started petting him back to sleep. Tamilore sent a nod of thanks to her sister.

Just then, they started hearing foreign voices outside. The Alfas had arrived, and were greeting people and singing.

Tamilore was panicking, "Should I go and serve them food?"

"Calm down Tamilore. I'm sure Bisola is handling it."

A knock sounded on the door.

"Who is it?" Tamilore asked.

"Me."

Tamilore seemed to recognise the voice. "Come in," she urged.

It was a lady that looked about twenty five, holding a large box.

"Make up artist," Tamilore acknowledged.

"Good morning Ma. Congratulations on your new baby," the lady greeted.

"Thank you," Tamilore said, already carrying her baby and placing him in his cot. She didn't want anybody outside of her family touching him.

"Oya let's start," she said again. "The Alfas are already outside."

As the make up artist began to wipe Tamilore's face, Itunu's mother asked, "Tamilore. They are already cooking abi?"

"Yes Ma. The cooks are cooking at the backyard."

"Okay. Where's your husband sef? I've not seen him since."

"He's helping with the arrangement of chairs, alongside Daddy Dami."

"Oh, Iya Dami brought her husband," Itunu's mother said. "Modupe too?"

"No, just Iya Dami."

The make up artist was almost done with one brow now. "What about Dami? Where is she? I've not seen my baby," Itunu's mother asked.

"She's sleeping in one of those rooms."

"Okay then." Her sister said. Some minutes later, when the make up artist had begun applying foundation on her face, Itunu's mother spoke up again.

"Erm Iya baby, I will be going back today."

"Ehen?"

"Yes. I have to go back to Ijebu Igbo. You know I'm a contractor? I'm building a school there and they're coming to commission it soon---but I don't know when. And you know I can't not be there when they're commissioning it. And erm...Itunu will have to stay here for a few days. I will ask your husband for permission too."

"I'm sure he won't mind," Tamilore said. "But of course. Sure, you can ask him."

Her sister thanked her.

* * *

Tamilore was very happy that her family was here to celebrate with her. With her sisters, it had been like that; they were a very tight-knitted family. All her parents' children being girls further tightened that bond. They all loved each other, protected each other, and more importantly, made sure there were no secrets between them.

She wondered if her husband was feeling jealous of her big, close family. Dipo only had a step sister, whom Tamilore did not like. The feeling was reciprocated too. After Dipo had proposed, aunty Ariyo had obstructed their union. Tamilore wondered why she despised her so much but one thing was sure; Tamilore didn't like her either.

More importantly, Tamilore wondered why she was here today, if she didn't like her.

She abandoned her thoughts and focused on getting dressed. Once she finished tying her lace wrapper over her big stomach, she went back to sit down on her bed and the make up artist began tying her gele.

Her sister, Bisola walked in. "The Alfas have been served, be fast and come out with your baby. Today is Friday and you know they have to go and pray."

Tamilore nodded. Soon enough, she was done and she carried the baby out to her mother. Normally it was meant to be her husband's family that would carry the baby throughout the ceremony but Tamilore did not want aunty Ariyo holding her baby.

Luckily, aunty Ariyo did not make a fuss over it.

The ceremony started minutes later. The Alfas prayed and people donated money to them. Food was served and the Alfas began reading out the names given to them. Her baby was named Abdul-Hameed Oluwatunmise Kashope Ireoluwa.

Later in the night after the party, Tamilore was in the room with her baby, her sister Iya Itunu and Itunu.

"My baby now has a name. Oluwatunmise," she said happily, looking at her son.

"Are you going to be calling him Tunmise? I thought his main name would be Hameed since his Dad named him that..." Itunu asked.

Tamilore smiled lazily, her eyes still on her baby. "I named him Tunmise too, because indeed, he turned my life around."

"True," Itunu said.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Who is that?" Tamilore asked.

"It's me," a raspy voice said. It was Bode, Grandma's house boy.

"Come in," Tamilore said. "I've not even seen you since."

He walked in, shutting the door behind him. "Aunty, please do you have paracetamol?" He asked. He sounded frail.

"Check on the cabinet...are you okay?"

"I...I'm not feeling fine Ma. I even vomited and I'm stooling. My body is hot. I didn't even help in the ceremony," he said.

"Ah, pele. Sounds like malaria. Use the paracetamol and go and sleep. Have you eaten?"

Bode nodded.

"Pele," Tamilore said again. Bode thanked her and left the room.

Grandma was in the living room, watching a movie on Africa Magic. She knew her daughter's husband would tell his driver to take her home, so she wasn't bothered about how late it was.

She was happy to be here. Although it was her third daughter's child's naming ceremony, she was also happy to see her grandchild, Dami, and her children...especially Bisola. Grandma had always loved Bisola a little more than the rest of her daughters, although she never admitted it. She wondered why, because Bisola wasn't even her first daughter. But then, she figured she had no control over who she loved most.

Dami, Bisola's child was beside her, watching TV. Grandma tapped her. "Dami, go and tell Iya Hameed---Iya Baby---that I'm going home today oh."

Dami nodded and went in the direction of her aunty's room.

Tamilore emerged from her room. "Egbo, Alhaja. You're going back home today?"

"Yes oh. I have somewhere to be tomorrow. Tell your husband to tell his driver to come and take me home."

"But...your house boy is seriously sick oh." Tamilore was hesitant to let her mother go home. These days she hardly saw her, and she missed her.

"He told me. I've agreed to let him stay here and go to the hospital, when he's fine, you can send him back."

Tamilore shrugged defeatedly, "Okay then."

Back in the room he was to sleep in,  Bode straightened his posture, dropped the act, flushed the pills down the toilet, and smiled.

Nobody wanted to touch the dirty houseboy's body to feel his temperature and see if his body was really hot. It was to his advantage though, he didn't want to go back to Grandma's house yet. Not while he still had work to do here.

An hour later, Grandma was in a car, going back to her house. Soon afterwards, Iya Itunu also left, leaving Itunu behind.