A Tempest of Blondes

ley and lemon twists. Sometimes food didn't taste as good as it looked in the dish, but this was

darling." She glanced across at Kolade's pl

His mother proceeded to serve him nonethe

or you. Very

t before we return," he told Kolade. "Working in Lagos can be

eas

her some

you, da

or you,

need to. His father had begun toppi

ped his voice sounded

g your fish," Ten

I didn't wan

the nour

. "But don't

st, son," his f

have six or seven hours' sl

fternoon doesn't sound like

t to sleep

hy

give me

rned to her husband.

, in

. "They don't breed them in fish farms. Th

antically trying to escape from a cage. He set his knife and

" demanded his father

reak his stride.

lad

d, but didn'

trying to calm down, and then s

t want

. "You shouldn't leave

ave? On my head? Or should I cr

feet. "Don't you dare spe

rs. Ajibade patted

s Justice Ladi Ajibade of the Supreme Court of Nigeria thrown his son in jail? Am I

ors of the kitchen, Penelope, Rog

me the muffled voice from the dining-room. "A first – a first-class degree from a t

brought

n – is this a holiday? If I want to stay up at night and play my guita

ille employees e

you want, till I gag! Read the papers you like, do the exercises you like, buy at the shops you l

ne upstairs or to the lounge. She turned and pushed her way between th

" Sandy moaned playfully as

antic fridge-freezer and plumped it on

Penelope swe

les. One tray, one lager." She

ys

giving Sandy a playful kick in the but

ecretly slipping Roger an additional can. "Wher

ered Sandy.

ed. "Weirdl

dy ambled out the back door and

strolled after him, his extra can peepi

very and busied herself with putting fin

*

anger that had only shortly filled his eyes was now replaced by plaintivenes

d her head and lo

habit, seeking comfort from his troubles by clinging to the safe pain of the past. But this wasn't about the past; this was about UCLA. Something had hap

the caution in his spiel of years. "You

his head. "No

e th

, D

ell life whi

somewhere to pl

dipped her fork int

her asked. "On t

ose. "Excuse me." He cro

father raised

*

nside the kitchen and shut his eyes. There were many unwanted pictures in his mind, but the one he most n

a long look. He tried not to see the blond hair beneath the maid's livery cap, but decided after a mom

alk. When he was a few feet from her, Penelope stretched out her hand to him. He took it tenderly and kisse

elope stretched the other to the intercom and pressed a button. Mrs. Ajib

away,

er hand from Kolade's cares