Mum, I'm still a teen.

Kelvin

 "Kelvin Jones! What in nine hells are you doing?"

"Sorry, Mum, I need to talk to you about something."

"You can just tell me while I'm packing," his mum said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

When they got into his room, he asked her to sit down, and then he paced from one end of the room to the other. "What has gotten into you, Kelvin?"

Without warning, he got straight to the point, "Mum, I'm getting married."

"Yeah, congratulations, now can I get back to what I was doing?" His mum said, a hint of irritation in her voice.

"I'm serious, Mum."

"And so am I, Kelvin."

"But, Mum..."

She cut him off. "Don't 'but' me, Kelvin, what has gotten into you?"

"I'm in love, Mum."

She laughed. "LOVE! Do you even know what love is? A few days ago, you told me you were just a teen," she said, mimicking his words. "Mum, I'm still a teen." And now you're talking of love and marriage?" She just shook her head and stood up. When she reached the door, Kelvin couldn't help but try one last time. "Mum, I'm in love with Sharon, and we just shared our first kiss after I proposed to her."

"Sharon?"

"Yes, Mum, we are both in love."

Rose Jones could do nothing but stand there, baffled at her son. Deep down, she was happy her son was coming out of his shyness and the battle with introversion, but this was too much to bear. "You don't know what you are talking about, son."

"Yes, I do, Mum."

"Eh?"

"Yes, Mum."

"Then tell me how you intend to take care of her? Tell me where you will get the money to rent a house or pay your bills?"

"But, Mum..."

"Don't 'but' me, Kelvin Jones, what is wrong with you? Never mind, I understand you are still a teen, and I know I have gone through that stage before, too."

"Please, Mum," Kelvin pleaded.

"Forget it, let's get packing, we have so much to do."

"I'm not going anywhere until you agree for me and Sharon to marry," Kelvin said stubbornly.

And at that moment, there was a large crash at the front of the house, followed by a bang at the front door.

"What the hell?" Rose exclaimed, hurrying out of the room.

Kelvin rushed to his window, which faced the front of the house. He strained to see what was happening, but the awning over the front door obscured his view. He could, however, hear the gruff voice of Mr. Michael Bale, Sharon's father.

Rose ran to the door and flung it open, interrupting Mr. Bale's second attempt to knock. "That is enough, Mr. Bale," she stated firmly, recognizing the man attempting to break down her door. "Before you resort to such measures, there's a bell right there," she added, pointing to the doorbell. "You are to ring it, not bang on my door."

Mr. Michael Bale looked at her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Sorry for my poor manner," he conceded. "Where is your son?"

At that moment, Kelvin appeared on the landing. Mr. Bale shifted his gaze to him. "You! What have you done to my daughter?"

Kelvin felt a knot of fear tighten in his stomach. He hadn't anticipated this confrontation with Sharon's father. His plan had hinged on his mother's approval, and now he was faced with an enraged Mr. Bale. What could he possibly say?

Lost in thought, Kelvin was startled by a voice. "Daddy, I told you we're in love."

Kelvin looked up to see Sharon standing beside her father. Her eyes met his, and he saw her give a slight nod and a reassuring thumbs-up. Kelvin let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Bale rounded on his daughter, his voice sharp. "I asked you to stay at home while I deal with this matter."

"No."

"Excuse me, young woman?"

"I'm done, Dad," Sharon declared, her voice steady. "We are getting married, or we will run away."

Kelvin watched as Mr. Bale's anger intensified. His eyebrows shot up, his mouth twitched, and his nostrils flared.

Mr. Bale wasn't exactly known for his handsome features; some even wondered if he was truly Sharon's father. He had a receding hairline, a prominent, apple-shaped nose, and a substantial stomach that strained against his belt. His arms were as hairy as a gorilla's, and his crooked teeth were marred by a missing front tooth.

But his daughter was the opposite – beautiful and seemingly perfect, with dimples that could melt the anger from the most hardened heart.

"Kelvin, are you trying to ruin my daughter's life?" Mr. Bale demanded, snapping Kelvin from his thoughts. Kelvin turned to his mother, seeking support, but she stood firm, arms crossed, watching him.

"Mum…"

"Don't 'mum' me," she cut him off. "You want to marry, yet you can't stand up for yourself."

"We are getting married."

"Not with my daughter."

"Yes, with her," Kelvin insisted, his voice gaining strength. "She's the most important person in my life, besides you, Mum."

"Oh, Kelvin, that's so sweet," Sharon said, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Will you be quiet?" Mr. Bale fumed, rounding on Kelvin. "You're still a child, you have no idea what you're saying, son. Love is a tricky business. While she may seem like your whole world now, as you grow older, you'll realize it was just a fantasy." He turned to Kelvin's mother. "Miss Rose, I implore you to talk some sense into your boy, while I do the same with my daughter."

"No one's telling us what to do," Sharon declared defiantly. "We're getting married, and that's final."

"Mum, if you truly love me, then grant my wish," Kelvin pleaded.

"Kelvin, I'm not Santa Claus, and I can't grant wishes. You're still a teenager, and you don't know what you're talking about. A kiss with Sharon doesn't mean you're in love; it's just your hormones playing tricks on you."

As the word "kiss" was mentioned, Mr. Bale's eye bulged, and he rounded on his daughter. "So you have been kissing, eh?"

She looked at him defiantly, "Yes, Daddy, we kissed, so?"

Rose turned to her son, "You told me you're still a teen, and now this nonsense."

"I'm not going back on my proposal, Mum."

"And I'm not going to take back my kiss of acceptance, Dad."

At that moment, the phone rang, and Miss Rose went to answer it while Mr. Bale looked as though he could kill. He looked at the grinning faces of the two and wondered why this was happening to him. He debated in his mind whether to send Sharon to her mother or grandmother, but wondered who was worse between them.

Thinking of Sharon's mother always caused his heart to ache; it was always painful, but they had to separate for peace to reign.

He had done everything, yet his best wasn't good enough, and she chose her lifestyle over family. Sharon had no idea who her mum was, and he was happy to keep it that way, and when he thought of his mother, he got angrier even more. She was a drunk and an addict who even advised Shelly to leave him because of money and fame.

He was brought out of his melancholic thoughts by Miss Rose's return, and one look at her face spelled trouble. "What is wrong?" he asked her, forgetting about the kids and their problem.

She ignored him and beckoned both Kelvin and Sharon to come closer. After they stood in front of her, she sighed and closed her eyes. "She is so tired," she thought. "Kelvin and Sharon, I will agree to let you marry on one condition."

Mr. Bale's head turned with such force that there was an audible click in his neck. "Look here, you have no right, and I will never agree to that."

"What's the condition, Mum?" Kelvin asked.

"Look here, I'm not going to let this happen," Mr. Bale fumed.

"Calm down, Mr. Bale, and let me finish," Miss Rose said. He grumbled but remained silent.

"What is the condition?" Sharon asked, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

Miss Rose took a deep breath, anticipating a protest. The phone call had already added to her stress. "We will allow you to marry when you turn eighteen, which is in three years."

Kelvin and Sharon exchanged a look, then both shouted, "No!"

"Excuse me, no?"

"That's a very long time, Mum."

"It is not a long time. Besides, it will teach you patience and responsibility."

"But Mum, we're moving very soon."

"That reminds me, Kelvin, the call I received was from work. I have a new posting."

"A new posting to where?"

"Africa."

"What? That's not acceptable, Mum, you need to reject it."

"Shut up, Kelvin, we're going to Africa, specifically Nigeria."

Mr. Bale was now smiling. He savored how smart Miss Rose was, unlike the "dumb ass" he used to marry. "Three years, indeed. Anything can happen." He saw it as a form of infantilization. "That is great. I agree with Miss Rose's condition," he said, grinning.

"Three years isn't a very long time, and if you guys are madly in love, then you can work it out," Mr. Bale said, a smug look on his face.

"Africa? That is a continent. How can life be so cruel to us?" Sharon wailed, tears streaming down her face.

"You want to be an adult, and you think life is a bed of roses? You think life won't be cruel?" Mr. Bale asked his daughter, his voice sharp.

"I'm sorry, Sharon. We will have to work it out," Kelvin said, looking at her.

"But how?"

"I don't know, but we have to be strong for each other."

"Well said, Kelvin." His Mum added, "Now get in and start packing; we don't have much time."

"Yeah, keep the positive spirit, son, the sky will be your limit," Mr. Bale said, unable to hide the big smile on his face.

"I promised to keep in touch," Sharon said, hugging him.

"We will see how that goes," her father said, laughing out loud this time.

"Do you want to bet?" He asked Miss. Rose.

"I will pass," she said with a small smile.

"Safe trip and good luck on your posting."

"Thank you, Mr. Bale."

Chapter Two

A NEW LIFE IN A STRANGE LAND.

It was Kelvin's first time flying a Boeing 737, and he had mixed feelings about the experience. He'd heard the seating was comfortable, and that modern 737 variants offered improved cabin pressure, reducing fatigue and discomfort. He also knew they had advanced technology.

However, he frowned at the limited legroom and cramped seating in economy class. He wondered why they weren't in first class, considering his mum was a high-ranking executive in the oil industry.

Overall, the flight was pleasant. The snacks and beverages were a nice touch, and Kelvin complimented the crew.

Upon landing, they went through customs. Kelvin was surprised by how friendly the officers were. "Mum," he said, "it seems like what I read online was wrong."

"What was wrong?"

"The officers are so kind and courteous."

"Of course, they are, what about it?"

"I read online that they're mean and take bribes."

His mum laughed and ruffled his hair. "Kelvin, don't believe everything you read online. A lot of it is untrue."

"Okay, Mum."

The first thing Kelvin noticed as they left the airport was the heat. It hit him hard, and he staggered. His mum steadied him with a hand on his back. "What's wrong, Kelvin?"

"Mum, it's the heat."

"Sorry, son. This is Nigeria, and the weather is different from what you're used to."

"How so?"

"Here, they have only two seasons."

"Which are?"

"So your reading didn't cover the weather conditions?" his mum asked with a smile.

"You got me there, Mum."

"They have just dry and rainy seasons, while you're used to Winter, Spring, Autumn, and Summer."

"It will get better once we reach the hotel."

"How far is the hotel?"

"Not far, just a five-minute drive from the airport."

"So this is Abuja? The capital of Nigeria and the so-called giant of Africa?"

"Yes."

"Why the giant of Africa?"

"I guess it's due to their population size."

"I thought it would be more."

Miss. Rose raised an eyebrow, as if inquiring, "More? How so?"

"Well, for starters, this is one of the countries with the largest producers of crude oil."

"That's right, their main export is crude oil."

"So, how come the country's capital looks like a county in Nevada?"

Kelvin's mum couldn't contain the laughter that escaped her.

"Mum?"

"Yes, Kelvin."

"Why are you laughing?"

"Nigeria used to be one of the greatest countries in the world, and its currency was even stronger than the US dollar."

"So, what changed that?" Kelvin asked.

"The country used to be one of the biggest exporters of Cocoa and Groundnut products. Back then, in the South-West, if I'm not mistaken, a state called Oyo State used to have a pyramid of groundnuts."

"Wow! A pyramid?"

"Yes."

"Like the one in Egypt?"

"Yes, but this was made entirely with groundnuts, you know, bags of groundnuts arranged like a pyramid."

"Wow!"

"Yes, surprised, right?"

"So what happened?"

"Well, crude oil happened to the country."

"Crude oil?"

"Yes, after it was discovered in 1958 in a village called Oloibiri in Bayelsa State, the government stopped investing in agriculture."

"That was stupid."

Kelvin's mum ruffled his hair. "Yeah, it was a rather short-sighted decision."

Kelvin made a face; he hated when his mum did that. He looked up only to see her grinning.