"Mom, he was my date for the wedding."
"Listen, Xenia, you have a daughter. You can't be inviting random guys home."
"Gregory is not a random guy," Xenia approached her mother to take Sia from her hands.
"Don't you dare touch her with that man's scent all over your body? I can whiff the emanation of fornication from here."
"Argh," Xenia shrieked, left the living room, and headed to her bathroom.
Ann-Catherine posed Sia on the floor, who started to play with Oasis. The little girl was unfazed by the episode, strangled her cat happily while her granny went to open the bathroom door.
"Mom, please, I'm taking a shower," Xenia said under the water.
"I carried you nine months; I'm a woman too. There's nothing you have, which I've never seen before."
Xenia sighed; nothing stopped her mother once fired up.
"Really, Xenia, this isn't a healthy life, Mark-."
"Please leave Mark where he is. He cheated on me, left me pregnant, and broke."
Ann-Catherin rolled eyes, "you must have done something for a good boy like him to cheat on you."
"I can't believe you are still defending him after what he did, mom; it's as if I told you must have done something wrong for dad to leave you."
"Don't compare, Xenia."
"You're the one asking for it," Xenia stepped out of her shower.
"You should come to church and meet a nice man who fears God. You can't be leading a life of debauchery. Who is this man? What does he do for a living? Are you sure he is single?"
"His name is Gregory; I work with him. He's an auditor from London, and yes, he is single, I think."
"Good lord, London, you live in Paris, Xenia. Are you planning for a long-distance relationship, because this man will have to go home sometime soon? Maybe he is married. How could to give yourself to him without having the certainty of that, at least? What will happen when he leaves? You'll move on to the next?"
"Mom, I've only known three men in my life. I don't think a few more would be a crime."
"Three, I thought Mark was your first," Ann-Catherin said in shock.
"Mom, you didn't think I'd tell you everything, did you?"
"You lied to me, Xenia."
"It doesn't matter, mom, okay."
"And it's not just a legend, but white men-."
Xenia cocked an eyebrow, "mom, don't even go there. It's not because Louise's father left to marry a white woman instead of you that they all do come to fool around. Not all white men see black women as exotic fruits. Color has nothing to do with men or women's tedious behavior."
"I don't want you to end up like me."
"I won't, mom; I will not end up having kids with three different men who will ditch me. I won't bring my two day-only boyfriends home, ignore my children, and pressure them to find rich men to marry because money is always a reasonable consolation prize. Or by default, scream and beat the shit out of my kids, so they have the best results at school because being black, they have to work harder to rise above socially."
Ann-Catherin eyes became slits, "Xenia, how dare you."
"It's the truth, mom, though; you come here to criticize my lifestyle, the way I raise my daughter, and right now, you are treating me as if I was selling my ass at Pigalle."
"Watch your mouth; your daughter's in the living room," Ann-Catherine wagged her finger at Xenia's direction in a warning, "I supported you. I did my best, but you aren't doing anything to get back in line. Look at your sistersㅡ."
Xenia shook her head, "here we go; I'll tell the story to save you some breath: Yes, Gloria is married to a dentist who has his practice, and they live in the beautiful suburb of Saint Gratien. You see Xenia, oh, and Louise is a brilliant medicine student," Xenia said, mimicking her mother. "You are always shoving my sister's in my face. I've never been good enough for you. Gloria and Louise have always looked better in your eyes."
"No, that's not true," Ann-Catherine said, offended.
"Yes, it is. When we were younger, it was: Oh, why couldn't you all have the same type of hair? Why is yours so coarse, Xenia? When people recognized Gloria and Louise as sisters, you would say, if only you shared your sister's fair complexion. Then it was school, our boyfriends you compare us all the time. I'm tired, mom; I'm me. If you can't accept it, then just leave me alone.
"Okay, Xenia, if that's the way you want it. Don't even think of dropping Sia at my place during your so-called busy weeks at work. You're on your own now, don't bother Louise for her to come and babysit. She has got exams."
"Mom."
"Don't mom me; you are ungrateful, Xenia. Everything I do is for your good. You think you are almighty now that you have a temporary man and a job. Watch out, Xenia, don't even think of coming and crying to me when your bubble of happiness bursts.
"You see me; I've had my fair share of shit, age and experience have made me wiser. That man I just met there has something to hide, and there's a chance that his secret is going to affect you. I'm your mother; I would never want you to get hurt. Please don't get in too deep with him. Protect your mind, body, and soul.
With these words of wisdom, Ann-Catherine departed, leaving Xenia with a bitter sensation. This was her reality. Ann-Catherine was there to remind her like a sanity asylum that prince charming only existed in books.
Like always, Xenia went to lock Sia in the strongest of hugs. The little girl was her only source of oxygen.
"Maman, câlin fort."
"Oui, ma chérie," Xenia replied, eyes filled with tears. The woman's mood drastically dropped to her feet. She forgot Gregory and focused on Sia.
Gregory waited, he who never waited for anything, but now his gaze automatically searched to see his phone's screen. The day was flying by, and still, there was no news from Xenia.
At nightfall, he knew there was nothing more to expect. The excitation due to the moment was almost a memory. Gregory shut his eyes, trying to remember the moments which made his heart flutter the most. Another Monday awaited him the next day with its trials and tribulations.