Growing Yams in London Read Free Page A

dressed in a black trouser suit and stilettos. She had long brown hair, immaculately manicured nails, and wore massive
hoop earrings. Auntie Angie owned a salon in Harrow, and one in Central London, so she always looked as glamorous as the American models in the adverts for afro hair relaxers. Mel had her looks
and, like her mum, was also tiny without her heels.
    ‘Hiya!’ I said, kissing her cheek.
    ‘Seeing as you’re here, can you help me with this?’ she asked.
    ‘Sure,’ I said. I held the box as she lifted the cake out.
    ‘Young man, I don’t think I’m paying you to chat to my guests.’
    ‘Sorry,’ Mr DJ said. ‘I haven’t played a decent track for a while so . . .’ he whispered to me as he left.
    ‘Oh, right,’ I said, winking.
    Great! I’m stuck in here with Mel’s mum and a birthday cake, exactly three walls and a door away from Mr DJ.
    But within minutes I was back in the living room with everyone else, waiting for Mel to cut the cake. I was going to find her when she walked in from the balcony, reapplying her lip-gloss, with
a sheepish look on her face. It wouldn’t have been as bad if there hadn’t been a tall boy following her in, from what was now the designated kissing spot. Mel’s smirk soon fell
off her face when Auntie Angie shot her a harsh look. She cut the cake and Uncle Kevin took some photographs. I later saw him forcing Mel into one of his enormous cardigans in the corridor. Not
everyone could see them, but I could. After a minute of attempting to resist him, Mel finally gave up. She rolled the sleeves up and tied it at her waist, but Uncle Kevin made her wear it the way
he did.
    ‘Ohmigod, I think Mel’s in serious trouble tonight. Did you see the look her mum gave her?’ Tanisha said.
    ‘Yep and you won’t believe what’s happened now,’ I said.
    ‘What? Ohmigod!’ Tanisha exclaimed, on seeing Mel in the cardigan.
    ‘Makeeda, Tanisha, please sleep over tonight?’ Mel pleaded.
    ‘Um, sorry, but Dad’s coming to pick us up,’ I said, trying not to laugh as she adjusted the cardigan.
    ‘Just call him. Look, here’s my phone,’ Mel insisted desperately.
    ‘No can do,’ I said.
    ‘Nice cardigan, Mel,’ Tanisha said, and we both started laughing hysterically.
    ‘He made me put it on! A fantastic halter-neck hidden beneath a bobble-covered, grandad-style cardigan?’ she said.
    I looked over at Uncle Kevin and realised his former relaxed expression had turned into one of mistrust when any boy came within a metre of Mel.
    ‘I hope you weren’t inviting them to stay; we haven’t got any more room as your cousins are staying over,’ Auntie Angie interrupted, from behind us.
    ‘No Mum,’ Mel said sulkily. ‘Come on, let’s request a song again,’ she added, dragging Tanisha and me away from her mother and towards the decks.
    ‘So what do you want to listen to now?’ Mr DJ asked me.
    ‘Council Crew’s latest?’ I asked.
    ‘Thank God!’ Tanisha whispered to Mel.
    ‘Sure, I’ll put it on after this,’ Mr DJ said, smiling at me.
    ‘Thanks,’ I said, returning his smile.
    ‘Wait, don’t go! Can you find it for me? It should be in that bag,’ he said pointing to a black record bag. ‘Do you mind picking out two more songs from there,
please?’
    ‘I thought that was Stephen’s job,’ I said, looking through the bag.
    ‘You’re better to look at than he is!’
    I was gobsmacked. Was he saying that I was good looking? It didn’t help that Tanisha and Mel started silently mimicking kisses just out of his line of sight but definitely in mine.
    ‘Um, OK then,’ I said.
    ‘Cheers,’ he said, as I placed them near him.
    ‘Hey, are you going to dance or what?’ Tanisha said, pulling me to the centre of the room, as the intro for Council Crew’s latest track began.
    We were still dancing three songs later, when one of Mel’s cousins told us that Dad was waiting for us downstairs. As Tanisha and I grabbed our coats and said our