Worst Cupid Ever

Mama Bear

"She is staring really hard at you," Ada mumbled through the corner of her mouth.

Genevieve's grip tightened around her fork as she gulped down a mouthful of pasta. It tasted like hay. Sorry, chef Jude. The poor man had laboured over the meal spread before them. His creamy garlic pasta had tasted sublime at first, flavour bursting in her mouth and taking her senses on a trip. Then her mother had ruined it all, talking about Genevieve's senile trip to the North East.

It was evening and they were stuck in one of Senator Amanda's Sunday traditions. Dinner at the table and every family member residing or visiting her home must be present. Apart from Genevieve and her mum, Lisa was the only other relative available this time. Oblivious to the rising tension, Lisa cheerfully picked at this and that. Munching happily and doing a fine job of acting like nothing was amiss.

"Sometimes I wonder where I went wrong." Senator Amanda delicately brought a napkin to the corners of her lip and patted. "Why are you doing this?"

Drawing a breath for strength, Genevieve placed her fork on her still full plate. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Ada summon a large bucket of popcorn and reclined as if in a movie theatre. "This should be fun."

Genevieve stifled an eye roll and chose to go with the partial truth. "I promised Chima I'll visit his post."

There was collective silence, even Lisa paused her movement, her cat eyes enlarging comically before dropping to her plate.

Senator Amanda's expression grew volcanic as she slapped her napkin to the table. "Do not tell me you have gone back to that rudderless boy."

Yes, Chima was one of her two minutes boyfriends but he was hardly rudderless. They had been friends for years and he was the sweetest most selfless person she knew. She even broke up with him because he was that. Too... nice. "He is a medical doctor from a good family. I—"

"And you think I care about his family or profession?" Senator Amanda asked, flaming glower shooting from her eyes. Gosh, if looks could melt. "That boy has no clear set goal. He strikes me as the type who goes wherever the wind blows. I will not let that charlatan drag my only child into his latest existential crisis."

It was happening all over again. This... this obsession with running a background check on anyone who so much as breathes Genevieve's way. Old anger pressed to the surface. Gritting her teeth, she fought for calm and failed. It was always like this with her mother.

"Are you okay?" Ada dumped her popcorn and placed a gentle hand on Genevieve's shoulder. The little contact, even though she could barely feel it, dampened her anger a bit.

"I am not back with Chima," Genevieve said through clenched teeth. "I am visiting the North-East because I want to."

Lisa's panicked eyes bounced from Genevieve to Senator Amanda. Her cousin hated being caught in the middle of one of their many quarrels. She had begun living with them when she turned fifteen and her mum, Senator Amanda's twin sister, married a Jamaican she had met in one of her many trips. She had not returned to the country since then, only calling now and then. Where Senator Amanda held on to Genevieve in an iron grip, Aunt Angela lived like a butterfly, never hesitating to dump her responsibilities on others; Genevieve didn't know who was worse between the sisters.

"I understand a trip to the Maldives. But this? What is the purpose of a trip to Borno?" Senator Amanda's words came out low like she was exhausted and pained which was weird. Her mother was never pained. "Convince me."

"I do not need to convince you. Last I checked, I'm an adult capable of making informed decisions."

"Again with this needless adult talk." Senator Amanda sighed. "You leave me no choice but to—"