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ELISEO
MRS NISAH'S GAZE WAS JUDGEMENTAL.
She'd sat me down and offered me a hot drink with hospitality but everything in her posture insinuated she wanted to do anything but.
I thought Mrs Nsiah was supposed to like me. She allowed me to hang out with her daughter and never sent me away but right now, she wasn't being very smiley.
Perhaps because I'd knocked on her door at 8:00am on a Sunday morning and asked for her daughter like I was asking for her hand in marriage.
Should've used the window.
"Are you sure you are okay?" Mrs Nsiah sat on the edge of her couch, glasses shielding her harsh eyes, "I don't mind making you some hot chocolate."
To be honest, she looked like she just wanted to go back to bed and do everything but make me some hot cocoa. I would spare her of that trouble.
"No, it's okay," I smiled at her politely, trying not to appear ungrateful, "I already had something to drink."
Mrs Nsiah fiddled with her robe, sighing loudly like I said the wrong thing anyway. "Fine," She looked away to the entrance of the room, "Let me just call her down-Adina!"
I pretended to look around curiously as Mrs Nsiah screamed for her daughter, hoping she wasn't waking everybody else in the house too.
"Ada!" She bellowed the fifth time, "Come down here!"
Ada's hoarse and tired voice eventually hollered back. "Hold on, Mommy! I'm coming!"
I fought off a smile, looking down at my hands.
I was here because today was my day and I wanted to make the most of it. And I didn't want to spend it with anybody else but the girl in waiting.
Mrs Nsiah's foot swayed impatiently as we both waited to hear Ada's footsteps patter down the stairs, the awkward tension between us tangible.
It never mattered to me whether or not Ada's parents truly liked me. Only because for the most part they trusted me and my family with their daughter and that was the most important thing. They didn't try and take Ada from away from me and my family. They respected our relationship even if it was obvious they weren't very fond of it.
