As Gabe hugged Orisa, Julius faced his mother. Their hug was short-lived, like two boys forced to shake hands after a fight.

‘What are these clothes?’ Bunmi asked suspiciously.

‘A washing line,’ Julius said, shaking his head and tutting loudly. ‘Do you think it’s safe to walk through town in St Gilda’s uniform?’

She accepted this grudgingly. ‘You were always the clever one,’ she conceded. ‘I am grateful you looked after Gabriel.’

While his mother remained stiff, recent awkwardness with Orisa was forgotten as the cousins hugged.

‘I was scared you were gone for good,’ Orisa said, dabbing her eye. ‘I prayed with my whole heart for this!’

‘Where’s our stuff going?’ Gabe asked as he eyed his PS4 sticking out of a box.

‘We will stay at the governor’s mansion for a while,’ Bunmi explained. ‘The security there is superior.’

‘Their indoor pool is the best!’ Gabe said brightly, but Julius’s first thought was about sharing a home with Collins.

Teddy approached warily, one spindly finger on his Breitling watch.

‘I know this is a family moment,’ he told Bunmi, barely above a whisper. ‘But the timings for Julius are extremely tight.’

Bunmi nodded to Teddy, then glanced at Orisa. ‘Are Julius’s things packed?’

‘Timings for what?’ Julius asked, sensing a ride to military school in time for some thuggish induction.

‘Come to my office,’ Bunmi told Julius. ‘Teddy too.’

They waited for cops with boxes to pass before Bunmi led the charge to her office.

‘Shut the door,’ Bunmi said. She took a tin out of a glass cabinet. ‘You know what Teddy does?’

‘He’s your political-campaign advisor,’ Julius said as Bunmi clanked the tin down on the desk.

‘Your behaviour is continually scandalous,’ Bunmi said. ‘In a major crisis, you risk the centre of town to see this Duke.’

‘I went to the only people I knew I could trust,’ Julius blurted.

‘Balogun is our enemy!’ Bunmi snorted. ‘Your homosexuality is known around St Gilda’s. It is only a matter of time before it causes a publicity scandal, during a finely balanced election campaign.’

Julius sighed and shook his head as his mother kept talking.

‘Teddy pointed out that your behaviour could still cause scandal if I send you to Army Boys Academy, or any other Nigerian school.’

Bunmi opened the tin and Julius saw the family passports stacked inside.

‘Here,’ Bunmi said, flicking Julius’s passport across the desk. ‘Teddy has the details. Your flight leaves for Lagos at 7 p.m.’

‘Tonight!’ Julius blurted.

‘Collins needed plastic surgery,’ Bunmi said. ‘That incident caused a family rift and it is not sensible for you to stay at the mansion.’

‘I can stay here,’ Julius said desperately.

‘To sneak off and cavort with Duke?’ Bunmi scoffed.

‘Where am I going then?’