Hope didn't think there was anything special about having dinner at her sister's house. After all, it was just family gathering to eat, but it was clear Sophie thought different with how fussy she was being. Then again, that was Sophie -- always a bit extra.
"Is everything okay?" Sophie asked for the third time.
Hope's eyes scanned the meticulously set dinning table that was filled with different delicacies. Hope was very much confident that there was more food than they could finish. Replying Sophie, she said, "Madam, I don't think it's okay at all. You should discard all of the food and prepare another afresh since it's like you sha like to work."
Hope hadn't been expecting it and that was what made the knock that landed on her head much more painful. She yelped as she turned around to cry at the culprit, "Mummy, why!"
"O ti baje ju," (you're too spoilt,) her mum replied simply. She proceeded to throw Sophie a big smile, "Everything is perfect, my darling."
Sophie returned her mum's smile, not neglecting to give Hope the stink eye. "Thanks mum."
"The food smells wonderful," Val affirmed, joining their conversation. "Thanks for inviting me, Sophie."
"Oh, please," Sophie shrugged it off. "Everything is set, all that's left is for the others to come down."
Hope wished there was a way to telepathically convey the message to the others, she wanted to eat already. Angel was busy entertaining Ella in the nursery and Alex had pulled Raymond upstairs almost immediately he'd arrived and neither of them had set foot back down since then.
"One second," Sophie said as she climbed up the stairs, presumably to get the others. A few minutes later, they all came down -- except baby Ella who Angel said had fallen asleep at some point.
"Wow, this smells really good," Raymond complimented, flashing Sophie a grin.
"We all know it's going to taste even better," Alex stated, leaning down to give his wife a quick peck on the lips.
"My innocent eyes," Hope wailed, covering both eyes with her right palm. "Can we stop with all the PDA and just eat?"
"Aunt Hope is hungry, let's eat," Angel declared, grabbing a seat at the dining and planting herself in it. Grateful, Hope blew her a kiss which Angel gladly returned.
Hope's mum shot her a dirty look which Hope blissfully ignored. Her mum hissed out, "If you're not careful, you won't even get to taste out of this food."
That definitely sobered Hope up. She knew her mum well enough to know what she was capable of. "That's a really expensive joke, mummy."
Her mum shot her another look that just urged Hope to dare her. The others started settling in, having had enough of the mother-daughter drama. Hope pulled a chair out and was about to sit when her mum stopped her. "Kilo fe se yen?" (What are you doing?)
That caught everyone's attention as they all paused to see what was going on.
"I want to sit quietly," Hope replied in a 'duh' tone. What was this about?
"Not there," her mum gritted out, making weird facial gestures that Hope found hard to interpret. Her mum let out a frustrated sound as she not so discretely pointed at Val then Raymond.
Her mouth formed an 'o' when she finally realized what her mum was hinting at. There were eight chairs in total and Alex had taken one end while her mum had taken the other. Sophie and Angel were on either sides of Alex and Val had sat down next to Angel. Hope had been about to take the seat next to Val but her mum obviously wanted Raymond and Val to sit together.
Hope mentally rolled her eyes, chuckling to herself. Her mum was taking her cupid role a little too seriously. She went around the table and went to sit beside Sophie instead while the others watched the exchange with confused looks, except Sophie who knew what her mum was all about.
Hope saw the chair beside her being pulled back at the exact moment she sat. She glanced up to see Raymond settling beside her. She threw her mum a helpless look, shrugging. It was her mum's fault for not making her intentions known earlier. Her mum glared back in return, communicating clearly that she blamed it on Hope. If she hadn't attempted to take that seat in the first place, Raymond would probably have sat there instead.
Hope tsked, turning her attention to the food in front of her. That was most important at the moment and her mum's fury could take a back seat.
Angel said a quick prayer then Sophie urged them to help themselves to the food which Hope did with all pleasure.
Raymond shot her an amused look when he saw how fast she had jumped on the food. "Are you that hungry?"
Hope returned his look with a shocked one of her own. "Have you never seen me eating before? Or just delighting in the glorious presence of food?"
He shook his head no, sporting a full blown smile now.
She responded with a silly grin and with a load of smugness replied, "Well, lucky you. Today, you get a free ticket to the Hope slash food show. It'll blow your mind, trust me."
"I don't doubt that," Raymond replied, eyeing the pile of food on her plate. "Where is all the food even going?"
Hope ignored him, shoving one spoonful into her mouth. She knew she was on the slim side and didn't need a reminder. She was around 5'7 so she liked to consider herself tall although a few people might disagree. She was one of those gifted with a flat stomach so she oftentimes got remarks about how she was able to fit all the food she ate in there, which Hope found amusing at times because she didn't necessarily eat more than the average human, she only loved food more than the average human.
The table was mostly quiet after that, the clanking sound of cutleries against plate being the only sound for a while until of course, her mum decided to breach the peace.
"So Val, tell me. Are you in any relationship?" Her mum asked unexpectedly.
The question definitely caught the girl off guard as she almost choked. She immediately chugged a glass of water and Sophie took the opportunity to shoot her mum a 'really?' look. Her mum only shrugged innocently in response.
"Sorry, my dear. Drink some more water," her mum urged Val who shook her head in turn.
"I'm fine ma," Val replied. Hope's mum was looking at her eagerly, clearly awaiting a response. Val cleared her throat, "Uhm, no ma. I'm not seeing anyone at the moment."
Hope's mum hummed, pleased at the answer. She didn't say anything else as she went back to her food. There was another moment of silence until her mum spoke up again, this time not looking away from her food. "You know, Raymond is single as well."
It was Raymond's turn to choke, this time on water so he was left wheezing, trying to clear off the water that had gotten into the wrong pipe.
"Are you okay, my son?" Hope's mum asked, shooting him a concerned look.
"Really, mum?" Sophie asked. "Really?"
Her mum took on an innocent and confused expression. "What? I was just clarifying that the both of them are the only singles here."
"Only? What about Hope?" Sophie demanded.
That got Hope to shift her attention off her food as she tried with her eyes to plead with Sophie not to get her involved.
"Hope ke?" Her mum laughed like that was the funniest thing she's heard in a while. "Hope doesn't count, she's still a baby."
Hope blinked, not really shocked at her mum's response but feeling insulted anyway.
"Hope is twenty one, mummy. I'm not sure she can be considered as a baby anymore," Sophie stated.
"That point is very much arguable," her mum insisted as she pointed a finger at Hope. "You better don't start getting any funny ideas."
"What did I do again?" Hope asked, throwing her hands up for dramatics. "I was here on my own, minding my business when you people included my name in your conversation oo."
"Just don't get any funny ideas," her mum repeated sternly.
Hope huffed but didn't offer any response.
"So Raymond, as I was saying . . . " Hope's mum started again.
"Mummy, can we at least finish this food before we start having these . . . discussions?" Sophie pleaded, interrupting what was surely the beginning of yet another round of awkward conversation, if it could even be referred to as that.
Her mum looked like she had a lot to say but didn't give space to any of her thoughts. Instead, she muttered, albeit displeasingly, "Fine."
Sophie shot her a look full of gratitude as they all went back to being silent all round the table.
• ~ •
After dinner, Hope and Val decided to help Sophie clean up. Ella had woken up during the course of dinner so Sophie and Alex had gone upstairs to attend to her. Angel had then decided to hog the TV all to herself and that left Raymond in the company of Hope's mum who was concocting the best way to sell the idea of her niece to the young man who had become like a son to her.
"So Raymond . . . " she started, waiting for some sort of response from him to continue.
Raymond grimaced. He knew Hope's mum enough to know conversations with her usually led to discussion about marriage -- his marriage -- and as much as he adored the woman, he was currently not in the right state of mind, but he doubted there was any way to get out of the conversation without being rude.
"Yes, mum?" He reluctantly replied.
She perked up, pleased he was giving her audience -- like he had much of a choice. "So, what do you think of Val?"
The woman definitely didn't beat about the bush at all, Raymond gave her that. The scene however, was a bit too familiar and he liked to think he was already quite adept at handling it. There had been several occasions where she'd asked him what he thought of other women -- her friend's daughter, her neighbor's daughters, her church member, just about anyone she knew who was young and a woman. It was obviously her niece this time, although Raymond had to admit this was the one time his interest had been somehow piqued.
Choosing his words carefully, he replied, "Well, seeing as I don't really know her that well, there's nothing much I can say but she does seem like a good and responsible woman." Short and precise, he didn't want to say too much so he didn't end up digging his own grave but unknown to him, he had given her the leverage she needed.
"Exactly my thought!" She exclaimed, "To think you already recognize all those traits in her even though you both haven't yet spent time together. I can only just imagine how easily you both will get along when you actually start sending time together."
Raymond didn't fail to notice she had used 'when' rather than 'if' and that unsettled him for some reasons. "Er. . ."
She continued, not sparing him time to string his words together. "You know Val will be staying in the house with Hope pending the time she completes her NYSC program. Hope plans to enroll in tutorial classes and she'll probably be busy most of the time and I can imagine how bored Val will be all by herself."
"Oh, I guess she would be?" Raymond said, although it came out as more of a question. He didn't think so at all. It wasn't as if she'd be home all day.
She nodded. "So I want you to do me a favor and try to keep her company once in a while?"
"Uh. . ." Raymond trailed off, unsure of what to say. He wasn't oblivious to the fact that this was just an elaborate scheme she had cooked up. Besides, he was a busy man himself so he doubted he would have the time to 'relieve' Val's boredom.
"Please, dear." She urged, "At least check up on them once in a while. Not just Val, Hope too."
Somehow, Raymond sensed a bit of sincerity in her request so he conceded and gave a grave nod. He felt as if he was laying himself down for slaughter, but a part of him -- although a very tiny part -- was curious as to how this was going to play out. "Alright, mum."
"Thank you, my son," she replied, taking one of his hands in hers and giving it a light squeeze.
He nodded again, more genuine this time. They didn't talk about anything else, at least not until Hope and Val came back and announced they were ready to leave.
"I'm leaving as well, let me drop you both off," Raymond announced, jumping to his feet.
Ecstatic, Hope's mum stood as well to give Val and Hope hugs in turn. "You both take care of each other, okay? And come around as much as you can."
"Yes, mum," they both replied.
"Especially you," she insisted, pointing to Hope. "You better not give me silly excuses about being too busy. I want to be seeing you at least twice in a week."
"But mummy. . ." Hope thought better of it and decided not to complain, lest her mum change her mind completely. "Yes, mummy."
"Good." Her mum nodded, satisfied. "Now, you all say goodbye to the others."
They nodded in the affirmative and left to do exactly that.
• ~ • ~ •
Hit that very much attractive star button at the bottom of your screen, guys.👇🏽
Please comment and share as well. I really want to know what y'all think of the story so far.