Life Of Jiji

All Rights Reserved

2021 ©Tena Ifiemi

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Within minutes, the house was filled with mom and Reya's excited screams and I tried to curb my embarrassment when Muna came out of his room to enquire about the commotion. Apparently, my older brother, TJ decided to surprise us by showing up unannounced for the holidays.

Everyone was so excited, Dad was laughing and clapping him on the back and I couldn't help smiling as well. TJ looked so much older and I didn't know if it was because I'd not seen him for a long time or because he had grown a small beard.

Maybe both?

I had to go through the weird ordeal of having mom explain to TJ about Muna and Grace with Muna standing right there. After the explanation, TJ and Muna did a weird bro handshake/hug before he turned to me with a huge smile as he beckoned me to him,

"Won't you give me a hug?" He asked while I stood there, dazed.

I gestured to myself as if to ask, 'Me?' But TJ just gave me a 'don't be silly look' and beckoned to me again. When I went in for the side hug, he tapped my head and said,

"The only member of the family that doesn't call me." Then he turned to the rest of the room, "You'd think she didn't miss me, am I right?" He added with his charming TJ smile, I thought mom might swoon.

"TJ, my baby boy, you've made me so happy." My mom voiced out what her face had already been screaming, "We should all eat out for dinner today. I'm just so, so happy, I hope you're not too tired." She stated and TJ shook his head.

I decided that even if TJ was tired he wouldn't have said so, Mom was too happy to have the source of her joy put a damper on it. Mom was beaming so much, I was afraid that she might start bouncing on her heels.

"Hey, I'm not meant to join in on this, am I?" Muna whispered after surprisingly tapping on my shoulder. "Because I'm not exactly sure I want to leave the house at all just yet..." He trailed off as Mom turned to us, making it very obvious that she had heard. It was only the three of us in the kitchen after all, as the others had left to prepare for this evening.

"I'd love you to come, dear. But I don't want to make you feel like you have to come with us when you might not want to. I totally—"

"Oh, cool then. I definitely don't feel like an outing." He said in his casual, laid-back way that usually left us anxious, and then he walked out.

I glanced at mom just in time to see her pull at her hair frustratedly and then smile immediately she caught my eye.

"I made this coconut cake yesterday." She told me, "You wanna try?" She brought out the platter from the fridge and when she offered me a slice, I felt a chill run through my back.

"Mummy, you know I don't eat coconut." I hesitated, "I never have."

Mom stared at me for a few seconds before her glossed lips formed into a small 'o'. "Right! Right, my mind was not even here. I definitely knew that... I'll... I'll bake another cake for you." She stuttered and made a brief fleet around the room with her eyes, before leaving.

"I don't... I didn't ask for a cake." I whispered after her.

Frankly speaking, I miss the times when I was the only one with a problem. It's obvious there is something up with my mom and its stressing the hell out of me. Mom know I don't eat coconut, I'm practically allergic! I mean, it's not like I could suffocate and die if I eat it but my throat gets really dry and itchy which is also bad.

Not life threatening, but really uncomfortable and I'm sure you get the point.

Mom is not okay.

•••

"So where are we crashing tonight!" TJ asked, eyes glued to his phone screen. When he noticed the silence that had ensued though, he was forced to raise his head and look round the car.

We had all turned to stare at him.

"Oh, sorry! Forgot I was home, thought y'all were my homies." He added and I stifled my laughter while Reya did it out loud. Dad drummed on the steering while mom hummed and nodded her head.

"Funny how we're yet to address your choice of hairstyles." Dad finally said and as if we were all just noticing, everyone turned to look at TJ's cornrows.

"Guys! I thought we were going out to celebrate me coming back for the holidays?" TJ laughed nervously as the car went quiet again.

"TJ, dear?" Mom finally called.

"Yes mummy?"

"We are not your 'guys'."

"Yes mummy."

•••

We ended up going to Jevinik after the long argument between Reya and TJ who couldn't agree on either Genesis or Chicken Republic. Mom had finally ended it by saying Jevinik and she definitely wasn't making a suggestion so we went with it. Frankly, I couldn't see either of TJ and Reya's choices being as good as Jevinik turned out to be that night. And I'm sure we would all agree to that.

We got back home to a surprising sight of Muna sleeping while sitting on the floor with his head resting on the couch. Baby Grace was beside him in her pram and Barney And Friends was playing on the TV. I unconsciously smiled at the sight as I wondered when last anybody ever tuned in to that channel.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot we had visitors." TJ said and mom swatted him with her purse.

"They're not visitors. They live here, son." She corrected as TJ let out an unwarranted, 'ouch'.

"Muna, we're back." Mom announced softly as she tapped him. I looked away as he awoke almost immediately, realizing how embarrassed I would be if I woke up to a group of people who had probably been staring at my sleeping form. "We brought you takeout." She informed him, producing the bag.

The rest of us started to leave as Mom began to talk to Muna. The next thing we heard was Muna's raised voice, "Yes, I'm sure I'm not hungry! I'd know if I was."

Frowning, TJ turned back, "Hey! You don't get to talk to her that way." He seemed quite mad and I bit my lip, scared of what this would result into.

Mom moved first, holding TJ by his arms to prevent him from approaching, "What are you doing? There's no need for all that." She bit out before turning to Muna probably to address him but he was already leaving, pushing Muna in front of him.

TJ's jaw remained hardened until he had left and when we heard the sound of the guest room door close he spoke, "Why would you allow that, mom?"

"TJ, you have to get used to it, that's just how he is." Reya waved off before leaving as well. Dad did not stay back in the first place so it was just me, mom and TJ —I honestly didn't even know why I was still there.

"That's not how he is..." Mom sighed.

"Are you really defending him right now?" TJ vexed.

"Yes, son, because his mother died. TJ is fragile and you all need to understand that!" She looked in the way Reya had left and I heard her unspoken wish that Reya had been here to hear the lecture that she was about to give us.

"We will give him space and tolerate everything because he is grieving. Not only did his mom die, but just like that, get had to move across the world to an entirely unfamiliar place. It's not easy for him." She finished, grabbing her bag and storming off.

TJ turned to me, sighing as be scratched between his cornrows, "Not what I was expecting when I decided to come home."

"Me and you both."

TJ gave me an incredulous look, "Did you just reply me?"

"Wh-what?"

"Oh my God, how much have I missed? Did you know that when you were younger, you hardly ever spoke." He continued.

I sucked in my lips, "By younger, you mean last year. Right?"

TJ laughed like I had said the funniest thing in the world as he rounded the armchair and sat down, "First, you speak, please tell me, what else do you do?" At this, he gestured for me to sit on the sofa while flipping on the TV. "Don't tell me you have a boyfriend though, that one's a no-no."

Now that made me laugh, "You're not serious." I seemed to surprise him by saying. Suddenly remembering what dad told me at the restaurant I sat up, "Not that I have a boyfriend or anything but why do you think I shouldn't have one?" I asked blushing immediately afterwards. I definitely didn't think of how embarrassing it would be when I say it out loud.

"Umm, because I'm your older brother? I definitely don't want to hear about your escapades." I hummed, glad that that was all there was to it. "Anyways, how grown up are you now? If I take out a joint to smoke now, would you tell on me?"

I coughed; the question taking me by surprise. I wanted to say it was cool, but the way my eyes widened must have betrayed me.

TJ, fell sideways as he laughed, the sound intensifying every second, "I was joking bro! You looked horrified."

I twisted my lip, slightly annoyed, "I'm going to bed."

•••

Next morning took a surprising turn. I went to the downstairs when I woke up to find my mom, Muna and TJ in the kitchen.

"Ji baby." My mom acknowledged when she saw me.

"Good morning mom." I greeted.

"The boys decided to help me in the kitchen today." Mom smiled as she passed Muna a bowl she just finished using.

I raised my brow at TJ but he only twisted his lip and shrugged. I stifled a laugh at that. "Is there anything I can do?" I offered.

"No, the boys are more than capable." She said and I saw TJ wipe off a fake tear and throw a mini tantrum behind my mom's back.

•••

I was glancing through social media on my phone when mom and 'the boys' finished cooking. I knew this because TJ randomly told me. He came into the dining room where I was through the connecting door from the kitchen and sat down heavily on the chair across me.

"Don't even ask me what that was all about." He said as he continued breathing like he had just run a marathon. "Your mother is so annoying! I just went into the kitchen to drink water when she adultnapped me—"

Not wishing to show that I was actually listening to him, I tried my best to keep my face neutral even as he kept saying rubbish upon rubbish.

"Unfortunately, she kidnapped that Muna boy too. But that was after he shockingly apologized to mom about yesterday... I know right? Tot—"

I finally looked up at him, "TJ stop. You keep answering questions, I did not ask. You're talking to yourself and why on earth are you wearing an apron?"

TJ looked down wistfully at his pink apron cladded torso and sighed before looking back up at me.

"If you're going to be a chef, you must do it right."

I shook my heard, turning back to my phone.

"You keep smiling, are you texting the boyfriend you claimed not to have?"

I gave him a weird look and he just shrugged, "It's not like I'm going to kill you! I even know a about that Reya's boyfriend that she 'stole'..." He actually put air quotation marks right there and chuckled, "Can you believe she's hiding her relationship from me? It's funny."

"Who has a boyfriend?" I heard mom's voice and my face turned red as I turned to face her only to see my dad standing beside her. He wasn't looking at me, but he wasn't smiling as well and it scared me.

"Not Jiji." TJ laughed, "Anyway, as long as you don't plan to date Damian Briggs or Hassan Whatever-his-last-name-is, then you're good."

I let my phone slip from my hands. Why did that bother me so much? I don't want to date Damian...or Hassan.

Mom placed a plate of jollof rice in front of me before yelling for Reya to come and eat.

"Tejiri, are you telling your sister to have a boyfriend?" Mom asked as she brought in plates of food to the dinning room from the kitchen.

"Do you have a problem with it?"

"Yes, but only because no boy deserves my Jiji."

At this TJ grumbled and I'm sure I heard something like, 'I've never been the favorite child' then he sat down beside me as mom gave him his food.

"What's wrong with those boys you called anyway? Why are they such bad choices?" Mom asked before sitting down beside dad.

"Hassan, for starters is a pant and y—"

"What a way to start my morning." Reya complained as she walked in, her usual groggy morning self. TJ laughed before continuing..

"And Damian, well, Damian has a reputation." He said. I could tell mom wanted to say something but since we were complete at the table, she made us link hands instead.

TJ groaned at this and —don't ask me why my eyes were open— I noticed that his lips didn't move while we gave thanks for the food.

"Isn't Muna joining us for breakfast?" Reya asked as she dug into her rice.

"He has already eaten in the kitchen when we finished cooking."

I hummed in gratitude when I realized that mom seemed to have forgotten about whatever comment she was going to make when my phone rang beside me. As I reached for it, I saw TJ absentmindedly reach for it but I also noticed as his lips stretched into a thin line and his eyes blaze in recognition.

I checked the caller ID,

TheDamianBriggs ❤💛

"Two hearts? Jiji no..." TJ put his hand on his forehead as I noticed that I had gotten everyone's attention. I was quiet till TJ reached for my phone and ended the call.

"TJ!"

"TJ, why would you do that!?" Mom backed me up as I pushed my chair back and stood up.

It's been a week since we closed from school and I hadn't talked to Damian since, not to mention that even while we were at school, there was that time that we weren't speaking to each other. I'm not even going to deny that I was enthusiastic about hearing from him.

"Jiji, where are you going?" Mom asked looking at my unfinished rice.

"I'm full, thanks for the food, it was really good." I said quietly, I might be pissed at TJ but I still didn't want to disappoint my mom and with my head down, I grabbed my plate and phone and slipped into the kitchen.

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Question!

What would you say if you were asked to describe Jiji's mom?
•••

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