Any lingering doubts Faith had disappeared after Hope’s call. She was completely on board with Glory’s reunion project, but convincing their mother was a trial in and of itself. Celeste refused to commit, reverting to pseudo-religious jargon about waiting “on God’s time.” Eventually, Faith drafted in Michael.
Celeste came down the stairs one day to see the three of them—Michael, Faith and Glory—sitting expectantly in the living room. She eyed her children suspiciously.
“What is it?” Her gaze shifted from face to face trying to decipher the circumstances of this obvious intervention.
“Ma,” Michael said, standing up and gesturing with a broad palm for his mother-in-law to take his seat.
Celeste sat slowly, perched on the edge of her armchair.
“Yes?” she asked again, looking up at her son-in-law.
“There is a matter that has been ongoing for some time now, circumstances have presented themselves and we can all gain some closure on this topic,” Michael said, addressing Celeste in a deep lawyerly baritone and the authority of a much older man.
Celeste nodded and her shoulders relaxed, clearly knowing where this was heading.
“We have thought long and hard about it, and we have been prayerful in our approach—”
Glory nearly laughed at this statement, never having seen Michael in church past his wedding day, let alone prayerful about anything.
“. . . it is not about the details of why things are as they are, but your daughter is ready to meet her sisters, and your other daughters would not do something like this without your blessing and your presence. Of course, Hope will want to meet you as well, and we know that there is nothing more that a caring and loving mother as yourself would want than to meet her daughter who she has been separated from for such a long time.”
Celeste considered all that Michael was saying, nodding slightly to affirm certain parts of his speech.
“So we request humbly that you would not only give us your blessing for this reunion, but that you would be present to receive Hope and her foster mother when they arrive. It is important to Faith and Glory, but it is also important for this family. This is good news after many months of trials.”
Seeing Michael in action, it made sense to Glory why he was loved and adored by the older generation. He addressed them on their terms, their contrived propriety, the saccharine flattery—he spoke like a Nigerian politician, so it was clear now why he always got what he wanted.
Celeste was convinced by his performance, but put on one of her own, the expression on her face chosen to show that she was considering all that was said and coming to her own conclusion.
“Yes, you are right,” she eventually said. “God’s timing is best and it is now time.”
All Michael had done was repackage everything Glory and Faith had been telling their mother, but Glory let the annoyance that she felt be overwhelmed with delight in hearing her mother finally agree.
Then it only took a week and a half to synchronize diaries, book train tickets and to go far enough with the plan that it would be hard for any party to back out.
Glory was grateful for Faith’s support in the planning, although, if Glory had left it completely up to Faith, she was sure there would be place names, menu cards and a section for diplomatic gift exchange. But the idea to have small gifts for Hope and Joan was still a nice touch.
Celeste finally let Glory properly begin the process of clearing out the house. After a few days of work, Glory had only managed to clear the area around the dining table, but it was still a relief to see Faith drive five bin bags of junk away.
On the morning of the reunion, Glory was in the kitchen putting the final touches on the food, although it was Celeste who had done most of the work at her own insistence. Glory was mixing up shop-bought salad with tuna, boiled egg and salad cream when Faith, Michael and the twins showed up, carrying a new tablecloth for the newly recovered dining table.
“I wasn’t sure if Joan took tea or coffee, so I bought both,” Faith said, quickly unloading a shopping bag onto the kitchen counter.
“I could’ve just asked Hope,” Glory said, wrapping the tray of salad with clingfilm.
“No! It’s nicer when it’s unexpected!” Faith said, fanning her face.
“It’s just tea.”
“It’s not just anything! It’s the details, the details matter!” Faith snapped and, on hearing his wife’s raised voice, Michael came into the kitchen, placing a large hand on each of her shoulders and gently kneading them.
“It’s going to be fine, Faith,” he said in a soothing voice, but a noise from the living room made Faith jump and crane her neck to look around him.
“What are the kids doing? They better not mess up the—”
“I’ll take them to the park, OK?”
Faith nodded, biting the tips of her manicured nails. Glory was sure she hadn’t even been this wound up at her own wedding.
She relaxed once the door shut behind her husband and children, but only marginally.
“You seem really worried about this going right, for someone who at one point was sure this shouldn’t happen!” Glory joked, but Faith didn’t smile. It looked like she was wearing a groove into the tip of her acrylic nail extension with her front teeth.
“Joan sounded lovely on the phone, and Hope is really chill, like Victor—not like either of us,” Glory said with half a smile.
Faith nodded, but her teeth still worked away.
“They’re ten minutes away!” Glory hollered through the house when the text from Hope came through.
Faith sprang into action, going upstairs to help their mother with anything that might delay her in joining them. Esther and Elijah got up and started dancing, for some reason, and Michael tried to settle them down before Faith came back and their unruly energy worked her up some more.
Glory checked the time. Victor was due to call any moment from now, she just hoped he would call when Hope and Joan had arrived and everyone was settled.
Glory went to the kitchen and put an anxious hand on the coolers of food set out next to the cooker. Everything was perfect serving temperature. There was a tray of chin chin and drinks ready to be brought through. She filled the kettle and started the water boiling so that they wouldn’t have to wait if anyone wanted tea or coffee. Faith’s forward planning was beginning to rub off on her.
When the doorbell rang, Celeste was still only halfway down the stairs. Glory rushed to answer it, Esther and Elijah at her side, ready to see who these secret guests were.
Glory opened the door. Hope stood on the doorstep, chewing on her bottom lip. Joan stood next to her, older, more wrinkled and perhaps ever so slightly stooped over, but still recognizable as the woman with the warm smile and frizzy halo. Her hand was looped through the crook of Hope’s elbow, exactly how Celeste would loop her hand through Glory’s arm.
“Hey!” Glory said in an excited rush. “Welcome! Welcome!”
But Esther and Elijah stood in the way, their little faces puzzled as they looked at these strangers, one who looked so much like their mum and aunt.
“Hello, little ones!” Joan cooed in a sugary voice. “You must be Esther and Elijah!”
That broke their trance and they scuttled back inside to the arms of their parents, throwing suspicious looks over their shoulders as Hope allowed Joan to enter ahead of her.
“My, my! Look at you, Glory!” Joan reached out and Glory hugged her awkwardly.
She stepped to the side to allow Joan to enter and Hope to follow, but Hope hesitated.
“Oh my!” Glory could hear Joan call out behind her. “Celeste! So good to see you after all this time!”
Celeste laughed, for a moment unable to speak, and the two older women hugged each other tight. Time froze as everyone waited for the connection to break and when they finally pulled away from each other, both of them had eyes shining with tears.
Celeste was gripping both of Joan’s hands in her own and mouthing the words “thank you,” her throat still choked with emotion. Joan was shaking her head so hard the tears fell loose. They hugged again.
The house was silent, entranced by this spell. After releasing Celeste a second time, Joan reached into her handbag, recovered a tissue and pressed it against her eyes, turning to see Faith standing next to Michael.
“My little Faith!” she exclaimed. “You’re a woman now, with two beautiful children, and I suppose this handsome man is your husband.”
Joan chuckled and Faith dipped into a curtsey before remembering herself and opting for a hug instead. While she was introducing Michael to her former foster mother, Glory realized that Hope hadn’t moved two steps beyond the threshold of the front door.
“Come,” she said quietly to Hope, holding out a hand, and Celeste, momentarily distracted by the sight of the woman she had trusted to look after her three precious children, pushed past Glory, pulling Hope away from the door and into the living room.
She gasped, cupping two trembling hands around her daughter’s face, who had to bend slightly to allow her to do this, but then she was weeping freely. Hope started crying too, so hard she looked like she might collapse. Sensing this, Celeste gripped her tight, holding her up against her bosom.
By now, tears were freely exchanged between everyone in the room. Still hanging on to her daughter for dear life, Celeste struck up a praise song, her voice cracking from the weight of her tears and joy.
“Olúwa Olúwa wa, Ọlọ́run Olọ́run mi, Olówó orí mi, ẹ mà ṣeun, modúpẹ́ tí ẹ kó mi yọ . . .”
She repeated her shrill refrain until she eventually released Hope, a sodden patch on her blouse where Hope’s face had been against her shoulder.
“You know what that means, ehn?” Celeste asked and Hope shook her head, sniffing and trying to dry her face with her sleeve.
“It means, My God, my Lord, the lifter of my head, thank you, I’m grateful that you delivered me. Do you understand now?”
Hope nodded quickly, then Celeste turned to look around at everyone witnessing this.
“Because he delivered me, didn’t he?” she didn’t wait for anyone to respond. “My enemies thought I was cursed, they thought I would never be happy again, but Baba God delivered me from that dark place and I am here with my daughters. All three of my daughters! He brought Hope back to me!”
She started up the chorus again, this time with a bit more vigor. Glory and Hope both started laughing, and Esther and Elijah hopped down from their parents’ arms to join their grandmother in her thanksgiving dance.