6 Bummi is lying on the green lounge chair in the garden of the Herne Hill house she shares with Kofi the sun is importing its vitamin D directly on to her skin Kofi is in the kitchen behind her cooking their evening meal they too married in a registry office, and went on a two-week honeymoon to the Scilly Isles, which they loved, the people so nice and friendly Bummi misses Omofe more now than she did when they split up ideally she would like to have both her and Kofi in her life – a pipe dream because only men are allowed to be polygamous these days Omofe works in Sister Moto's salon and, according to rumour, is living with her as Bummi had long abandoned the Ministry of God, their paths do not cross, except for one time when she was back in Peckham and walked past Sister Moto's salon and peered in the window Omofe was at the reception by the window, and glared at her as if to say, what are you doing here? lilac wisteria spreads across the shed at the end of the garden in front of this is a patch of different types of long grasses, what she calls their meadow, which rolls into their long lawn
the apple trees that line the left side are their orchard the small pond Kofi dug out is little more than a big puddle, she teases him he insists on naming it Lake Kofi Freddy and Carole visit most Sundays for lunch Freddy brings her flowers and chocolates and says, hello Mum, it's good to see you, you're looking marvellous as usual, and gives her a big hug and a kiss sometimes Kofi's children and grandchildren join them Bummi sits back and sips on the lemonade Kofi has made from fresh lemons and brought out to her she wishes her mother was alive to enjoy her new life see me now, Mama, see me now.
LaTisha