about what your family is
thinking!”
Abel towered over my mother.
He didn’t raise his voice, didn’t get
angry.
“Mbuyi,” he said softly, “you
don’t respect me.”
“Respect?! You almost burned
down our house. Respect? Oh,
please! Earn your respect! You want
me to respect you as a man, then
act like a man! Drinking your
money in the streets, and where are
your child’s diapers?! Respect?!
Earn your respect—”
“Mbuyi—”
“You’re not a man; you’re a