As I write these words, I ponder on how wide her smile is, how her eyes nearly shut when she laughs, and how she turns heads on the days she decides to look sixteen.
God, she is beautiful.
My mom shushes me when I and my daddy are going at it.
Her eyes widen and go back to normal in the space of a milisecond, and she mouths the words, "it is enough" in our Bini language.
Forgive me, I do not know how to spell it.
My mom held me when I cried as a baby, and she did so again recently.
This newly minted adult was bawling like a baby, eyes red, nose runny.
My mom held me, rubbed circles on my back and let me use her wrapper to wipe my nose.
My mom doesn't say "I love you" often.
She only started to say it recently.
The first time I told her I loved her, my mother said "thank you".
Such Bini-woman-ness.
And yes, my mom does make me laugh.
My mom calls me.
She sees my status updates and asks about my friends.
She asks about the boyfriend, and then says "if he's not buying a trailer load of cement, say no to his proposal."
It is a running joke in the house now, our bride price will be paid in bags of cement.
My mom doesn't care.
She has said her piece.
My mom is a worrier.
She has the energy of a million women.
You're talking, she's doing.
She doesn't let you do things for her.
And sometimes, she doesn't know when to stop.
She's a work in progress.
My mom.
My mommy.
My mother.
Iye Peace.
Robinson's wife.
Okotiebo and Oghorose's daughter.
There's so many things that I want to write. So many words I want to speak.
So many hugs to give you. And plenty jokes to crack at your expense.
Because what's a mother and daughter relationship without small small quarrel and plenty gossip?
I love you mama.
I know your cheeks will turn red when you read this, and I will understand if you are speechless after.
It's one thing we share.
Happy Mother's Day, mummy!
Photo by willsantt on Pexels.
I picked the picture because I am forever my mommy's baby.
Such beautiful words
ReplyDeleteThank you Jude!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDelete