A new friend

JESSICA

The night of the small dinner party that Veronica organized for her husband is the first time I step foot in her house. It is a nice house, fairly large and tastefully decorated, and is a home that is clearly filled with love. Her two boys run the house, as they are chased by their cousins, dodging the adults and ignoring admonitions for them to be still.

Veronica's husband, Leonard, greets me warmly and affectionately, as though I’ve been his wife’s friend for years, or as though I’m his favorite younger sister. Veronica and Leo are both in their early thirties, and their boys are four and two years old.

“I’ve heard so much about you, Jessica. It’s nice that Veronica finally found a good friend in her antenatal class. I try to go as much as possible, but most times, work doesn’t allow me, so it’s good that she has someone to talk to there. My wife loves to talk a lot, you know. Sometimes, I can’t decide if that is a good thing or a bad one.” Leo says, laughing gently as his w