I lose my mind and hug her so tight that I’m sure I’m hurting her. I call the doctors, the nurse, just about everyone. And as they tend to her, I look out and see them all around the room: dark figures, dressed in stark white clothing and textured head wraps. They nod toward me, glide out the window, and take flight.

Thank you, ancestors.

Thank you for returning my heart . . .

Epilogue

Six Months Later

“You are shameless!” I shout as I wag my finger in front of my mom. She vowed that we would finish the newest season of Insecure next week. The rules were very clear. And now, I come home and find her in front of the TV on episode five! Five! That’s half the season. I place my hands on my hips and demand, “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I didn’t even know what I was doing, Getti,” she says. And now she’s going to play her new favorite card. “You know my head ain’t too good.”

She has a ways to go before she’s fully recovered, but the doctors are really happy with her progress. They told us it’s nothing short of a miracle. There’s even more good news: I’ve been talking to my dad!

When I first went back to the shop and told him who I was, I thought he’d die of shock! It took a little while for the news to sink in. He never imagined he’d be a dad. But once he found out, he delayed his trip back to Nigeria so we could get to know each other. He’s showing me how to make jollof rice! He’s also started introducing me to relatives on his side of the family. It turns out I have about like a hundred uncles and aunties.

He was really upset with my mom for not telling him about me. But in the past three weeks or so, he’s let that go—mostly. He wants to try and fix things between the two of them so that they can be friends and parent together. He talked about moving here permanently, but I can tell that’s not where his heart is and I talked him out of it.

He loves Nigeria, and there’s no reason he should have to give that up, but he’s promised to come back to the United States every two months to check on me. Also, next year, I get to go to Nigeria and meet my new relatives in person!

I take my cell out from my back pocket and view a series of pictures my dad and I took the last time we hung out. I have his eyes and his smile. I look in my contact list and see the word “Dad.” It feels good to see that.