Obioma looked appalled, like Obinna not immediately knowing who she was was the greatest crime known to man. “Right in Time? Scandalous? Fly Off the Wall? Any of those ringing a bell, old man? I know you don’t watch a lot of TV, but come on.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Obinna said, but he was grinning. It seemed to sink in, because his eyes grew wide. “Jesus.”
“Exactly!” Obioma gasped, startling the table over with his loud voice, yet again.
“Lower your voice,” Obiora hissed. “I’m on a contract; I’m technically not supposed to tell anyone.”
“You devil.” Obioma punched him playfully in the arm, but he dutifully lowered his voice. “Is that why you lied to us? Come on, brother, you know you can trust us with anything.”
“I know, I know, and I’m sorry. I just didn’t want it to be a big deal. And I didn’t want mummy to think that doing this show means I’m back in the dating field.” No matter how many times she told him she was only joking when she mentioned grandkids, Obiora knew, deep down, that when his mother said she wanted him to heal, her idea of that was probably him meeting and falling in love with someone new.
Yeah. Like fuck that was gonna happen. It didn’t help that her older two sons were already happily settled.
Obioma looked confused. “I’m sorry, what? Then why the fuck are you doing it?”
“Language.”
“I just need a break.” Even admitting it filled his mouth with a sour tang. “I didn’t want daddy to worry if I told him I want time off for no good reason.”
“Should we be worried?” It was the concerned dad face again.
Obiora rolled his eyes. “No, you should not.”
“Are you sure?” Obinna pressed. He had his arms crossed over his broad chest. “Why would you be wary of telling daddy you need a break?”
“Come on. You haven’t taken a vacation from work since you started working, and you’ve been there six years longer than I have!”
Obinna’s eyebrows furrowed. “That’s not true. I’ve taken many vacations.”
“Anything that has to do with your wife and daughter does not count.”
Obinna flushed.
Obioma snorted.
“Don’t you even start.” Obiora zeroed in on him. Obioma gulped. “You’re just as bad. The only time you took a vacation was when you broke your leg two years ago, and that’s because daddy forced you to.”
“Okay, so what?” Obinna said, scoffing. “Just because none of us have taken vacation time doesn’t mean you can’t.”
Obiora mirrored his brother’s pose, crossing his own arms. “You really think if I asked for vacation time, daddy would just be like, ‘of course son, here you go’, no questions asked?”
Obinna’s chest puffed up defensively. “I mean, of course he’d have questions—”
“He’d freak out. Hell, you’re freaking out, don’t even pretend. You think something is seriously wrong, don’t you?”
Obinna looked like he was fighting not to prove him right, but the ever-honest man couldn’t help it, he blurted, “But why do you want to take a vacation?” and Obiora made a sound of triumph, while Obioma groaned in the background. Obinna ignored them. “Are you feeling overworked? Is there something wrong?”
“There we fucking go.”
“Language.”
Obiora sank into his chair. “I rest my case.”
Obinna fiddled with a paper napkin, ripping it into tiny, neat squares. A bad habit he had when he was worried; he’d never really stopped since he was a kid. “So, you just want time off for … for nothing? For time’s off sake.”
“Yes,” Obiora lied. He forced himself to meet his brother’s eyes, feeling sick as he did. Looking away would only have made Obinna refuse to let it go.
Obinna dutifully stared into his eyes for several moments, before giving a brief satisfied nod. “All right. Occasionally taking a break from work is a good thing. No matter the reason. If we count our spouses as reasons—which I am, don’t interrupt—this means adding anniversaries, birthdays, and the lot—Obioma and I have had more vacations than you. It only makes sense that you should get time off, too.”
