Stay With Me

In 2008, Yejide attends the funeral dinner. She has come not to pay respects but to find the place where Rotimi was buried. She spots Akin in the crowd. When the young woman next to him faces her, she realizes that it is Rotimi.

Akin holds on to hope for reconciliation as he, Rotimi—called “Timi” as a nickname—and Yejide reunite. Akin agrees to allow Timi to stay with Yejide at the hotel and expresses his desire to be companions again. He privately confesses that he has told Timi that Yejide left believing she had already died. They only found her in Jos after Iya Bolu bought gold from her there in the last year, recognized her, and told Akin where she was.

Akin and Timi had planned to visit Yejide. They packed bags many times, but each time, Rotimi pulled back out of fear of rejection. Yejide promises to discuss the end of their estrangement with him.

Timi calls Yejide “Moomi,” and they are both fulfilled, each understanding the pain of growing up without a mother and finding joy in speaking their deepest hope aloud. Though Yejide knows that there will be difficulties and that she will have to face Timi’s questions about her abandonment, the novel ends with Yejide hopeful for new beginnings.