Reiley

CHAPTER SIX: TRUCE?

My dearest readers,

It's been nearly 3 weeks since my last update. I sincerely apologize for the wait. I've tried to make up for it with a longer chapter. I'll love to read your comments about the characters and your predictions.

I appreciate your readership, always.

With ❤️,
Rachel Omonua.

It's going to be a long weekend. My mum wants to "pamper me" by making me white soup with fufu. All my objections seem to evaporate before they reach her ears, so I've stopped trying. She believes I can make do with some extra pounds, which is quite true.

When we returned from the local market, she is exhausted. We're sorting out the different ingredients for the soup and I can tell she's regretting her decision to go shopping on a hot Saturday afternoon at the overly rowdy market. We work in silence in the kitchen, cleaning the meat and prepping it for cooking. I clean the smoked fish while she attends to the yam. When the beef softened enough, she puts the sliced yam in the pot, added some water and leaves it to cook.

An hour and 20 minutes later, we're settled in the living room with a large sized pizza and and a jar of fruit juice. You guessed right. Although the soup and fufu are ready, we've lost the appetite for such a heavy meal. So, we unanimously decided to order in. You see, my mum and I are more alike than you would've imagined.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asks, dabbing her mouth with a serviette.

Quite amused by the situation, I laugh out loud and start to choke on my juice. "Mummy, what do you mean?"

"Oh Chi, I know you're itching to say, "I told you", she tries to mimick me and it sends me into another fit of laughter.

"But why would I say that? You went through the stress for my sake, even though you knew it was going to be a lot of work. So I really appreciate it. I still find it amusing though"

"Hmm, I know. I haven't pounded yam in ages and I was hoping to break some sweat through it. Didn't expect to be completely knackered like this. Haha, I'm getting old".

"Old? Not even close, mum. Didn't you notice how people stared at you at the market? I promise you, you steal all the attention every time".

"My own daughter thinks she can flatter me,. Hmmm"

"Mummm, you're being modest, I can see, haha. See? You're blushing", I say and poke her by the side.

She chuckles. "I have too much melanin in my cells to blush, baby"

"You always say that. But you know you're the most beautiful 45 year old woman ever! I wonder how your male colleagues can even focus with you around" I say, wriggling my eyebrows dramatically.

"Chi! Okay. Get up, I believe we've had enough of this pizza. We should clean up", she says in a rush.

Finding too much pleasure in this new topic, I decide to pursue it further. "Is someone embarrassed? Are you hiding something? Hmmm, now I'm dying to hear all of it"

She starts to head towards the kitchen with her cup in hand and I hurry after her.

"Mummy, are you seeing some-"

"No!"

"No? You're hiding a whole relationship from your own daughter? Your one and only Chi?

"Reiley, put the leftover pizza in the fridge and make sure you finish the juice. I need to make a call".

"Is it him? What's his name? Is he the Law professor you mentioned sometime ago? Mummy, you need to tell me all about it"

She doesn't entertain me with any more response and simply walks to the guest room. My mum has an expressive face that easily gives her away. It's easy to tell she's hiding something or someone and I want to know who the heck it is so I can be fully prepared to break some jaws if it ever comes to that.