Dedicated to BlessingAdeyekun❤️

And the LORD spake unto me, saying, Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. - Deuteronomy 2:2‭-‬3 (KJV)

It was the D-day and Tutu was up and about, making last minute checks. 

Everything has to be perfect. She thought as she touched the leaf on one of the artificial flowers mounted at the entrance. 

"I'm beginning to think that I will need to borrow a page from Funmi's book on Restraining The Perfectionist CEO. Because what are you checking for on that poor leaf for the umpteenth time?" Toyin asked in exasperation. 

Like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar, Tutu turned to face her with a smile on her face. 

"It looked dusty, that's all."

Toyin rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."

"And why does Funmi's imaginary book have a Wattpad-like title?" Tutu asked. 

She watched as Toyin scrunched up her nose at her. "I dunno. But what I do know is that the others will be here in a bit. You should go relax and get changed. We have a long evening ahead, you know."

"Hmmm."

I hear you. 

***********

It was one of those days where everything just seemed gloomy for absolutely no reason. GP sighed as his feet hit the ground. 

God help me. 

Today was for Tutu and he couldn't afford to be moody. The memories were hounding him again but he shook his head to dispel them. 

Not now. 

God help me. 

He jerked in response to the sudden cry of BTS' Fire from his phone. I really need to change my ringtone. 

He checked the video caller ID to see it was his mum. He smiled in response. 

"Good morning, mum."

From the way she was angled on the phone, she had her phone propped in the phone holder he had gotten for her on his last visit. He had gotten it because he was tired of her always showing him only her forehead, or sometimes, just her nose, on their previous video calls. Apparently, it was a typical old generation thing to do so. Now, she displayed her full dentition, flashing her gap-tooth. "My son, good morning. How are you? How have you been? What's been happening with you?" 

He laughed. "Which one should I answer first, mum?" 

She frowned. "I didn't ask you too many questions now, did I? I can't even ask my only son questions anymore. Oh my Jesus! What have I done to deserve this?" 

"You can ask me questions, mum. In fact, ask away."

"Godspower Oluwafifehanmi Oghomena Richard Efe! I can see you rolling your eyes."

He had forgotten that it was a video call. "I'm fine, my favourite mummy. Nothing has been happening. Just work and it's all good."

"Hmmmm. You seem to have many other mothers somewhere."

And that's what she heard in everything I said. He sighed. "You are my one and only, mum."

He hoped that would stop her line of thought but his hopes were dashed to the ground with her next statement. 

"Well, that sounds nice. But I don't want to be your one and only, if you know what I mean." 

His mum was wiggling her brows and he didn't want to know what she meant. 

"Mu–"

"How can my one and only son not bring a daughter of Zion home to me? Handsome boy like you, ehn. What is the problem?" 

He couldn't resist this time. He rolled his eyes. 

"Mum, I'm not thinking of that now. Besides, it's not compulsory to get married now, is it?" 

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say because his mum's eyes widened and a sound like a dying whale's erupted from his phone's speaker. 

Oh oh. 

"Who is causing my wife to wail this early morning? Who would dare?" 

Here we go. 

"Good morning, dad. How are you?" 

"And you just disrupted my good morning by making my wife cry. So, it's not good anymore, son," his dad mumbled. 

GP watched through his phone screen as his dad hugged his mum. He knew they were partly putting on a show and were partly serious. But he had nothing to allay their fears or lack of it. 

So, he resorted to what he could do. He deepened his already deep voice and said, "Ehn, two hands in the air for my mother. The only one chosen and predestined by God before the foundation of the world to mother me. See as you fresh like today bread. Skin like honey, teeth white as milk. Your boy is loyal. Ehn! Tuale, mama!" 

He stomped his feet so they could hear it and raised one hand in the air while his other hand held his phone. 

He was ready for every reaction but still couldn't hold back his chuckle at the look of bewilderment on his mum's face and the way his dad's mouth was ajar. His parents looked at each other and shook their heads. 

"I can't believe this is happening," his mum was saying with the laughter evident in her voice.

"He sure takes after you," his dad replied. 

"Are you trying to say I'm the thug in this family?" 

"Thug?? Who said anything about thugs?" 

"But you said he," she pointed at him through the screen without looking at him, "takes after me. And he just behaved like a thug. So that means I am a thug!"

"I never said that. You did."

Oh boy! His dad was definitely digging his grave and using the sand to bury himself. It was up to him again to bail him out. 

"My sweet mum, you never told me how you are doing. But from the way you're glowing this auspicious morning, I can tell you are doing very well. It's a wonder that you will be 60 years old soon but can still pass for a 30-year-old lady. Daddy must be doing a very good job."

She was smiling now.
"Of course, I am doing very well. And it is God that is taking care of me. All your daddy does is try to add wrinkles to my skin but my Jehovah is bigger than him."

GP watched his dad sigh in relief before he said, "Yes, it is God, my dear."

"Psssh. Anyway, I just called to check on you. And tell you that I saw that our old neighbour at a function I attended some days ago."

"What neighbor?" 

"You used to go and do your assignment with their son."

His heart skipped a few beats. Wande. 

"You mean W-w-wande?" 

"Yes! That is his name. And she told me quite some things. Apparently, Wande is now a pastor of a church in Lagos. Who would have thought?" 

GP was silent as he forced a smile. 

"Anyway, I'm happy you're doing okay, my son."

"Yeah, me too, mum. And dad."

"Yes, son. Call us frequently, you hear?" his dad spoke. 

"Okay, dad."

"Bye, son. We love you."

He smiled as they waved back at him before he tapped the END button. With a sigh he didn't know he had been holding in, he heaved. 

Wande. Now a pastor. Wonderful. 

He didn't want to go there. He didn't want to think on it. He simply wasn't interested. 

His phone pinged again. It was the group chat with his friends. He opened it and it was a message from Toyin. 

I'm going to need to tie Tutu up but I can't do it alone. Who's going to be here in a few minutes? 

He snickered as he replied. I'll be there soon. Hold her down. 

At least, he had something to distract him. He stood and padded to his bathroom to get ready. 

**********

The sound of a low murmur could be heard from the third floor of The Cartridge building where Adetutu's shop launch was taking place. Camera flashes here and there from the few media outlets present due to the presence of the caliber of people present among the small crowd of about thirty guests mingling and chatting. The low sound of music from the sound system being operated by DJ Kazeem. Apparently, it was a side gig of his even Tayọ had been surprised to discover. 

Guests stood at various corners of the shop right from the front of the welcoming reception which had mannequins sheathed with fabrics to the reception with milky walls and containing a coffee brown desk with a flower vase holding fresh white carnations which had been delivered that morning anonymously. The reception also had a waiting area with a three-seater sofa and opened to a wide open space which Tutu planned would have shelves holding various fabrics from a variety of laces, chiffon, jersey, cotton, silk, wool, linen, denim, corduroy, velvet, satin, organza etc in a wide variety of colours. After this area was another space big enough to hold six sewing machines and four other rooms of which the two smaller ones were changing rooms, one for Tutu's office space and another held an industrial-sized machine. 

The sewing area had been arranged to host the guests standing around to a cocktail. A long table arranged against the longest wall was laden with soft drinks and juices with finger foods and three servers stationed to help. 

Tutu had given her speech thanking everyone for coming. Prayers were declared by their church lead pastor, Pastor Toba Bamidele, after which everyone just stood around as they chatted. 

Gerald had his camera hung around his neck as he took pictures, Funmi went to speak with the servers and caterer again, Posi was seated in an area while Tayọ made the rounds ensuring everything was going well. Toyin was by her side. Moses was nowhere to be seen because she had given Moses the day off. It took some convincing to do but he finally agreed. 

"I told you you had nothing to worry about, didn't I?" Toyin whispered to her. They were standing side-by-side beside the table holding the food. 

"Yes, you did." Tutu smiled in relief. 

"You even got interviewed!"

"I know, right. We are off to a good start. Besides, Sis Posi is such a gem. How was she able to get ready these paintings within this time?" Tutu commented as she looked around the framed paintings hanging on the walls. 

There were two framed sewing jokes. One said People who sew are so blessed because they have a singer in the house. Another said You're sew-phisticated. 

That will be in my office. 

The others were pencil-drawn illustrations with fabrics glued to them, making them look lively. 

"I wondered why she asked for my sketch book the other day."

"Yeah, she wanted to get you something but didn't know what. She ended up coming up with these."

Tutu smiled and sought out her sister-in-law and brother, only to see the others also gathered around them in a corner of the room. 

"Whenever I see everyone huddled together like that, I feel apprehensive of the mischief they will definitely birth," she whispered back to Toyin as she gestured for them to move in that direction. 

"What are y'all devising there?" she asked the moment they got to them. 

They all turned to face her and broke into variants of a smile. 

"Oh oh. What is it, guys?"

"Nothing now," Funmi said as she looped her arms around hers. "You did good, sweety."

"Awww. Thank you, sis."

They all congratulated her and they continued to chat. 

*******

GP stood by as the others took turns congratulating and giving Tutu hugs. Then it was his turn. He couldn't help feeling like the others had conspired to have him be the last one to congratulate her. And his suspicion was further affirmed by the way they somehow found some other thing to do like Toyin and Kazeem and the Cokers, or found another side of the hall to be like Tayọ and Posi. 

He shook his head before turning to face her. 

"They are so obvious, right?" 

"Yes, they are. Too obvious."

"And something tells me that they will deny it if we ask them." 

"Right. Anyways, congratulations, Icy. You did good."

He moved to embrace her and she settled in. He felt the same way he always did whenever they exchanged a hug; like the space was meant for her. 

He stepped back and shook his head. 

"Thank you. But I didn't do anything. You guys handled almost everything."

"Ah, well. Give yourself some credit."

She smiled and his breath hitched again. She seemed to be radiating more and it took everything in him to resist. Well, she was a beautiful young lady but it went beyond that, at least for him. 

She was dressed modestly in a knee-length gown with flamboyant sleeves sewn from a wine, white and rose-coloured kind of lace. 

"What's the name of this fabric?" He heard himself asking. 

Oh, wow! Guy! 

She looked amused too as she answered him. "It is called brocade."

"Hmmmm."

Suddenly, there was a gentle unrest in the crowd. GP turned his attention towards the entrance to see a couple walk in, the lady was petite while the man by her side stood one foot above the rest of the crowd. 

Then, he heard a gasp from his side. He turned to look at Tutu but she was staring at the couple with a smile playing on her lips. Before he could ask if she knew them, she was already halfway to meet them, with her arms stretched out to embrace them. 

Wonderful. 

"We meet again, Miss Nwachukwu," Tayọ said with a smile. 

"Oh, wow! Such a pleasure, sir. Imagine my surprise when I found out while interviewing Miss Adetutu that she was your sister," Miss Roseline Nwachukwu from The Next Shot magazine enthused. 

"I know right. And I apologize for my behaviour at our previous meeting."

"Oh! That's nothing, it's all water
under the bridge. Besides, you apologized before," she spoke, smiling. 

"Thank you for being gracious. I need to take my leave now. My wife's waiting."

"You're welcome. No problem, sir. It was a delight seeing you again. My regards to your wife. I still have some work to do to put together the next edition of our magazine."

"Alright then. Do enjoy yourself. Till our next chance meeting."

She smiled in response and watched him walk away. He was so different from the sullen man she met the previous year. The whispers within her circle said he had met God. It was really a wonder what God could do to anyone who would just walk into His arms.