Page 105 of Death of the Author
Homecoming
When they arrived at O’Hare Airport, saying good-bye to Marcy, Hugo, and Uchenna, who were traveling on to Boston, was difficult. They huddled together in a tight hug at an empty gate, glad for the privacy. The press couldn’t get inside the airport, so this moment was golden to Zelu. They brought their foreheads together and Marcy started crying. Hugo was breathing heavily, holding back tears. Uchenna was very still and quiet.
“You guys... Thank you for coming with me,” Zelu whispered. She hesitated, a hitch in her chest. “I love you guys.” Immediately she wished she’d kept her big mouth shut. These were words she spoke tono one.
“I love you all, too,” Hugo said. “Zelu, thanks for inviting us. My life is changed... and not in a bad way. Not all. Though I need therapy.” They all giggled. They all did. “Nigeria... wow,” he continued. “But with you... and you and you, as a white man, I know I am blessed by all this.” He started sniffling.
“We’re bonded,” Uchenna said. He glanced at the three of them and then just shook his head and said nothing else.
“Zelu,” Marcy said. “You’re astounding.” Uchenna and Hugo bothlaughed in agreement. “No one... I repeat,no onehas ever run thirty-fivemileson exos. The balance, endurance, thetolerance, it’s all mind-blowing.” She let go of everyone and grasped Zelu’s cheeks, looking deep into her eyes. “You didn’t know what you were doing. You were justsurviving. But, woman, you just senteverythingwe are doing—the company, the research, the hardware—into orbit.”
“We’re family,” Hugo said. “But I hope you’re open to also becoming part of the company.”
Zelu nodded. Marcy gave her a tight hug and kissed her on the cheek.
“We’ll work it out,” Hugo said. “There’s going to be a ton of media and publicity.”
“I’m... I’m down... I think,” Zelu said. “I don’t know anything about business.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Hugo said. “The four of us. Marcy, Uchenna, after you both graduate—”
“You don’t even need to ask,” Uchenna said.
“Yeah,” Marcy echoed.
Zelu looked at the three of them, feeling a swelling in her heart unlike anything she’d ever felt before. She smiled and shook her head, stepping back. “Text me when you each get back home.”
“One more thing,” Hugo said. “Post a thank-you to your fans. You know they were the reason the police got there so fast, right?”
Logically, Zelu knew that. And yet...
“They’re not all bad,” Hugo said, reading her expression. “Alotof people out there love you. Remember that.”
But isn’t that “love” what made all of this happen in the first place?, she thought darkly. She’d shared herself in her writing and many had enjoyed, learned from, been entertained by, and even grown and been healed by it. This was a beautiful thing. But in doing all this, she’d also made herself vulnerable. And being vulnerable could translate to being in terrible danger.
She didn’t want to ruin this moment, so she only smiled and hugged Hugo one more time. She knew he was right, but she just couldn’t process that at the moment. After she left them, she went to baggage claim. She walked quickly, but still, fans managed to stop her for autographs. She scribbled and quickly got moving again. If she didn’t, people would gradually surround her and soon she’d be pressed into a corner, and once that happened, being all alone, she’d never get out. She arrived at baggage claim and immediately spotted Chinyere, Tolu, and Folashade, carrying Cricket in her arms. She smiled tentatively at them, feeling a twinge of guilt. She’d once again dragged her family through drama.
“Zeluuuuuuu!” her older sister shouted, throwing her arms wide. Zelu hesitated and then grinned and threw herself into them.
“Oh, I’m so glad to see you,” she said, pressing her head into Chinyere’s shoulder. “So, so, so glad.” Her sister squeezed her back tightly.
“Oh, thank goodness!” Tolu said, wrapping his arms around them both.
Tolu’s wife was crying as she joined the group hug, little Cricket hugging and squeezing Zelu’s head as she laughed. Zelu shut her eyes and inhaled the mingling of all their scents. None of them had wanted her to go to Nigeria. They’d said it was unsafe and that she was being naive... and they’d been right. She hugged them tighter. When they all finally let go, she wiped her tears and asked, “Where’s Mom?”
“Oh, she’s at home,” Chinyere said.
“Let’s get your bags,” her brother said, pulling her arm.
“Which are yours?” Folashade asked, already looking over the rolling belt.
“Hang on,” Zelu said. “Chinyere, how come? Mom always likes coming to the airport.”
“She... she just wasn’t feeling well,” her sister said, with an edge in her voice that made the hair on Zelu’s arms stand up. “Go get your luggage. You’ll see her at home.”
Zelu grabbed her sister’s shoulder. “Chinyere...what’s wrong?”
“Get your luggage,” Tolu said more firmly. “You always have these people following you around, listening, then it winds up in the media. Let’s getoutof here.”
