Work Hard, Love Harder

He shook her a bit, and she opened her eyes again, instantly alert.

“Who is it?” she asked in a serious voice.

“My dad,” he whispered back, scrambling out of bed to find his jeans.

“Fu*k,” she whispered, searching among the debris for her bra.

“Yeah.”

Femi found his shirt and put it on, walking slowly to the door as he waited for Zoe to get decent. She slipped her jeans on and then her shirt, throwing the bed cover over the bed and opening the windows as wide as they could go. It wasn’t nearly sufficient to disguise what they’d been up to, but it was the best they could do.

Femi opened his door a crack, surveying the entourage waiting outside with trepidation. It wasn’t just his dad – his uncle Adiola and his mother too, holding a basket that no doubt contained some jollof rice. His father reached out and pushed the door open impatiently.

“Why aren’t you inviting us in…“ he began before his eyes fell on Zoe. “Oh,” he said. He turned to his uncle with a smirk.

“Wa ọmọkunrin ti wa ni ntan irú-ọmọ rẹ,” he murmured.

Femi wanted to hustle them out of there; this was no time for Zoe to be asking what they were saying. Besides, he wasn’t trying to ‘spread his seed,’ more like make a connection with a wonderful person.

“Um, Baba, could you give me a few minutes to straighten up, please? I wasn’t expecting you guys.”

“Sure, son, sure. We will wait downstairs in the car. You can come and collect us when you are ready.”

With that, his father turned and led his entourage away. Femi slumped against the door, letting a deep breath out. Their eyes met, and then Zoe doubled over with laughter. Femi frowned.

“What’s so funny?”

“Y-you sh-should ha-have s-seen y-our face. Oh God…I can’t,” Zoe replied between wheezes.

“Oh, so being caught in flagrante fu*king delicto by my parents is funny to you?”

“I’m sorry… I’ve just… never seen you so flustered,” she said trying to catch her breath even as she laughed some more.

“Well, yuck it up while you can, but do it in your room. I gotta straighten up here and then go get the folks.”

Zoe abruptly stopped laughing. “Oh… um, you don’t… want me to stay?”

Femi bit out a laugh and then held up his hand in apology. “I appreciate the thought, Zoe, but…no. Let me just see my folks alone for now. They’re not like American parents. They need time to get used to the idea of me and you before they meet you formerly.”

“Oh. Okay then. I’ll…leave.”

Zoe picked up her shoes and her jacket, heading barefoot for the door. Femi held it open for her and kissed her on the cheek in passing as she stepped out.

Still.

She’d never felt so summarily dismissed in her life.

*****

“Femi?” his mother demanded after pleasantries had been done, “who was that gel?”

“She’s just a friend, mama.”

“A friend? Who sleeps in your bed?” His mother gave him The Look. The one that made him feel like a recalcitrant child in spite every one of his twenty eight years. He looked down, thanking the heavens that he was too dark for the blush in his cheeks to show.

“Ah, mama, leave the boy alone. He is a big man now. Can’t you see?” His father came to his rescue with a smirk. “Where can we eat lunch around here, Femi? Your mother is just hungry.”

Grateful for the subject change, Femi scrambled for his keys. “I’ll show you. There is a place downtown where they do some Swahili dishes. It’s not fufu or jollof rice, but they have some excellent pilau.”

*****

Femi was avoiding her. Or she was paranoid. She wasn’t sure which. She just knew she hadn’t seen him in two weeks, ever since his parents came to town. And that was quite a fete considering he was her RA and supposedly her boyfriend. She’d received some random texts from him claiming to miss her or talking about how much he was swamped with school. She got it; exams were upon them, and on top of having to study, she was feeling like crap all the time. She woke up nauseous, got dizzy randomly, and was always so sleepy and tired. She didn’t want to think about it though. She was young when Zack had started to get sick, but she seemed to remember him sleeping a lot, or throwing up. She didn’t want to think that she was coming down with the same thing he had. They couldn’t afford to both be sick. So, she ignored it as much as she could and tried to concentrate on reading for exams. She could really have used Femi’s shoulder to lean on though. Plus, she needed a thousand dollars and fast. Thank God for dingy bars, randy men, and pool.

*****

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Liar. I know you better then you know yourself. Now again I ask what’s wrong?”

“I’m pregnant.”

Silence.

“Say something.”

“H-how?”

“Well, Femi, when two people are horny, one of them sticks…”

“Stop! That’s not what I meant and you know it, Zoe. I meant how’s it possible? Last I checked you were on birth control unless you were lying and you’re just now telling me. Also we were using condoms.”

“Dude, what the fu*k?”

“Well then?”

“I don’t know how it happened, alright? I just am. Look, I’m not asking for like, marriage or anything. I know I’m not good enough for his royal highness, Prince Akeem.”

“You sure you’re, you know, pregnant? And not just think you are?” Femi asked, ignoring the sarcasm.

“The fu*k, man! Of course, I’m sure. I took a FU*KING PREGNANCY TEST and guess what, bi*ch, it was positive. So, yes, I’m damn well sure there’s something inside of me and not just my brain fu*king with me alright?”

“Okay, just calm down, alright?”

“I’ll calm down when I want to.”

“Zoe.”

“What?’”

“Look, we’ll figure this out, alright?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Where are you going?”

“OUT.”

“You can’t go out.”

“Watch me, bi*ch.”

“Wait! ZOE, GET BACK HERE.”

*****

Zoe ran out of the dorm and just kept going. She wanted her mother. No. she wanted someone who would tell her that this would be alright. That she’d get through it and everything would be fine. She only stopped running when the dorm was no longer in sight. She fished out her phone and called her brother.

“Hey,” he picked up on the second ring.

“Hey Zack, how are you?” She could hear his labored breathing on the line.

“I’m great. What’s wrong Zo Zo?” The pet name only came out when Zack was really worried about her. It was a throwback to childhood when Zoe wasn’t something Zack was ready to pronounce.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just-”

“Don’t bullsh*t a bullsh*tter, Zoe. Spill.”

Zoe sighed. “I may have gotten myself into a…situation.”

“Does this situation involve jail time?”

Zoe snorted. “No.”

“Okay then, does it involve STDs?”

“Ugh, Zack, what do you even think of me?”

“Fine then. What? You pregnant?”

Zoe kept silent.

“Oh my God, you’re pregnant.” It wasn’t a question. Zoe continued to keep silent. “A niece or nephew…hmm; I could be down with that. How soon can we expect this brat?”

Zoe let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “I don’t know yet.”

“Well, what are you waiting for then? Don’t that campus have a clinic? Go find out!”