Genevieve spared her mother a questioning glance, who, simply smiled at her.

"Gene, you remember Kainyechukwuekene, right?" Her mother mentioned as she dragged her daughter along with her towards the young man who had made his way towards them.

Gene felt too dumbfounded to speak. She couldn't believe he was here after she'd messed up their first date.

"Please, call me Kainye." He addressed with a brief smile, as he looked from the older woman and to her younger daughter, who clearly seemed puzzled by his presence.

"How have you been doing, Gene?" He asked and waited for a reply. Gene barely opened her mouth to say something, but no words seemed to come through.

Her mother let out a light laugh to ease up the awkward silence. "She's fine. Oh, she's very fine." She answered in her daughter's place.

"Let's sit for dinner. The food is getting cold." She urged once more and dragged her daughter to the dining and directed Kainye to take his seat right next to her daughter.

Genevieve couldn't find it in her to counter her mother's actions. She had greater troubles that tormented her internally. It scared her that a reaction from her and someone might suspect something was wrong somewhere. Not then, she can't tell the truth right then. Maybe, sometime later, when she feels it was the right time to do so.

Gene lifted her eyes and drifted them to the living room, where her father had gotten up and was making his way to the dining table. Beyond him, her eyes fell on Elliot and he shifted his eyes to meet hers. They stared at each other and it would seem the two had something to say, but Gene was first to look away.

"Good evening, dad." Genevieve greeted just as her father had his seat at the head of the table. He smiled at his daughter.

"How are you doing?" He asked in a low, yet caring tone, and she whipped up a smile on his behalf.

"I'm fine." She replied and watched as he smiled a little broader at her. Unlike her mother, her father was quiet and barely ever said a word, but that didn't mean his words could were taken for granted. He was a good disciplinarian and had worked as a civil servant for a long time till he eventually retired. Post retirement, he sat home, watched the news and tried not to get in his wife's way of handling the family.

Words couldn't explain how Elliot was feeling. In fact, he wasn't sure what his feelings were, but one thing was slightly clear and that is, it upset him.

At the request of his friend, he'd followed him to his home in order to share a dinner with his family. Elliot was grateful for the invite, but what he didn't expect was to meet the man Genevieve had gone out on a date with. He recalled her saying she might have ruined it, but sparing the tall and averagely handsome man a glance and the fact he was there, it would seem she'd believed wrong.

He'd matched her gaze for some time and wondered if he could tell what she truly felt about the situation. Elliot mentally shook his head. What was he expecting? The situation shouldn't trouble him. He tried his best to convince himself that this was good for her, if it made her happy.

"Elliot, are you awaiting a special invitation?" Victor teased, the moment he caught sight of his friend, who sat on the couch.

Elliot shifted his eyes up to him. He flashed a simple and brief smile before he was on his feet. As Elliot neared the dining area, it would seem they had taken all the seats and his friend noticed his dilemma.

"Um." Victor started as he glanced around, quite confused about what to do next.

"It's okay. You have a guest and I'll just wait in the living room..."

"Nonsense. You're our guest too." His friend intervened. "Queen." He called his wife, who slightly widened her eyes at his call and during this time, Gene never lifted her eyes to them. In fact, she wished more than anything that she could run home and curl up on her bed. She wanted to be alone, but she couldn't leave without being forced to explain why she wants to leave and she was a terrible liar.

"Come, let's eat in the living room." Victor beckoned to his wife.

"No, no, you don't need to leave your seats on my behalf. This is your home." Elliot countered, but it would seem his friend wouldn't listen as he urged some more at his wife to heed to his words.

Kainye looked away from the scene and spared Gene a glance. He noticed she didn't look so good and she'd barely said a good sentence since she walked into the house. At first, he'd been understanding the fact that his presence might have taken her by surprise. Well, it was a surprise to him as well.

Her actions were indeed questioning, but strangely amusing. She was the closest to reality of all the women he'd lately been on a date with. The search was real, and he would not bring home any kind of woman for his kids to grow under, so he felt he needed to know more about her.

He leaned a little closer to her. "Are you okay?" He asked in a low voice, having noticed how terribly quiet she was and how she seemed to prefer lowering her eyes. Almost as if she was avoiding everyone.

She spared him a glance. "I'm fine." She replied in the same low volume he'd used.

Elliot hadn't planned on taking notice of Gene and Kainye's quiet conversation, but he did, and eventually, there was an uneasy feeling growing deep down.

Elliot advanced towards his friend and kept a hand on his arm to stop him just as he was about to leave the dining table with his wife. "I told you, you don't have to." He declared, and Victor stared at him.

Elliot let out a light chuckle. "I must have forgotten. I have an important video call to attend to about..." He spared his wristwatch a glance. "... twenty minutes so I've got to run." He announced before shifting his attention to the other.

"But..."

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Ukaji, for the dinner. I would have loved to taste it, but there'll surely be a next time." Elliot appreciated as quickly and cheerfully as he could, barely giving anyone a chance to speak up.

"Elliot..."

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow." He interrupted his friend as he spared him a quick hug and made his way towards the door quicker than they expected.

"Ell..." The door slammed shut, and he left.

Victor shifted his eyes back on his family and they spared him the same confused look as he had on.

Gene lowered her eyes away from her brother and couldn't help thinking to herself, maybe it was for the best. Although there was this pang of guilt in her and she wasn't sure why. Maybe because she was keeping the existence of a child between them a secret from him, or maybe she simply felt sorry and she still wasn't sure what her feeling sorry meant.

Gradually, she let out a silent sigh.

Once Elliot was outside the gate, he let out a sigh as his head dropped low, eyes shut. What did he just do? He felt silly for excusing himself the way he did, but he knew it had to be done. He felt uneasy to watch her cosying to another man, and he also knew he didn't have any right to feel the way he does.

Elliot knew there was something different with him. He was sure of it and maybe it was stupid of him, but these were facts he couldn't deny.