🌼🌻

The knock on her door was constant, and Genevieve hurried to open it. Her eyes dilated and her heart sank in the moment she laid eyes on her mother. Beside the elderly woman was her sister-in-law, Queen, who carried her youngest child in her arms.

"Aunty Gene." A young boy cheered, as he suddenly ran into her, wrapping his small arms around her legs. Only then did she notice her young nephew was present as well.

When he let go of the embrace, she squatted so her eye level matched his and with a warm smile on her face, she cupped the young boy's face in her hands

"How are you? You've grown so big." She added, and he giggled.

"Of course, he has to you because you rarely ever visit." Her mother chipped in as she made her way into the apartment. Gene stood straight once more and spared her a look. Queen made her way in and Gene stroked the sleeping child's cheek, flashing a weak smile to her sister-in-law, who in return reciprocated a cheerful and warm one.

Suddenly, the little boy ran past her, heading for the couch. He stood on it and his mum yelled at him. "Emmanuel, get down. You still have your shoes on." She ordered and soon, he lapsed down on the couch.

Queen shifted her eyes back to Gene, who busied herself with shutting the door. Once their eyes met once more, Queen could see the worry that laced in them.

"Don't worry. My husband has said nothing to your parents." Queen stated and watched as Gene lightly nodded as she let out a sigh.

Genevieve shifted her eyes away from Queen in search of her mother, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then she realized. The older woman must have made her way into her bedroom. At first, the thought didn't bother her, but soon, she recalled something she'd left on her bedside table and wasn't ready to let her mother discover it.

Quick, she hurried her way into her room. Gene halted on her steps the moment she walked into her room and met her mother holding the small container of pills. Her eyes glued to it as she read the writings on it. Genevieve could feel her heart racing. She was too late.

Mrs. Ukaji shifted her eyes to her daughter, a furrow laying in between her brows.

"Queen, you took these pills when you were pregnant, didn't you?" She questioned her daughter-in-law, who stood a few steps behind Gene.

"Y-yes. I believe that's it." She replied and Gene momentarily shut her eyes as she bowed her head. That wasn't how she wanted her mother finding out. She'd planned to tell them about her relationship with Elliot first, before talking about her pregnancy. Nothing seemed to work for her.

Once she opened her eyes as she lifted her head, she watched her mother walk up to her.

"Tell me the truth... are you pregnant?" She queried, her gaze burrowing into her daughter's. Eventually, Gene sighed.

"Yes." Her mother's eyes dilated at her. "But I was going to tell you soon. I was going to tell everyone..."

"Who's the father?" The dreaded question came through and she stared at her mother, her silence lasting longer than her mother would like.

"Isioma, I asked you a question. Who is the father of the child you're carrying?" Her mother called her by her native name. She usually called her by her native name once she upsets her. Gene wanted to say this in a better way, but there really wasn't one.

Genevieve rubbed her hands together as she lowered her eyes. "Elliot."

"Elliot!?" Queen exclaimed in surprise.

"Ell... Which Elliot? Who... wait... Are you talking about the same Elliot I know, your brother's friend?" Her mother queried, a bit calmly, and Gene lifted her eyes to her as a sigh left her lips.

"Yes." she replied, a little bolder.

Mrs. Ukaji stared at her daughter with a blank expression. Suddenly, a laugh came through.

"This is good. An excellent joke. It's funny, I admit." Her mother stated as she walked back to the bedside table and left the container where she'd picked it up from.

"Mum." Gene called as her mother walked past her. She could see right through her. She was trying hard to brush off the truth.

"It's not a joke." Gene explained as she followed her out of the room.

"Well, it is to me." Mrs. Ukaji added, before attending to her grandson. Genevieve could see her mother was still ignoring the truth, then she realized maybe it would be best if she put it all on the table.

She drew in a deep breath to boost up her courage as her shoulders hung high. "Elliot and I are in love. We're in a relationship and he has asked me to marry him... I said yes."

Instantly, her mother's eyes lifted to her. Any trace of amusement disappeared from her eyes, or even facial expression.

"You said yes to a man that doesn't know who his father is?"

Gene slightly gulped down. Her juice was lessening and her shoulders lapsing. "It doesn't matter."

"You and I know that's not true." She was quick to counter her daughter. Strange silence hung in the air. "He's your junior... I can't believe you would stoop this low. As your mother, I've been trying. I've done everything to find you a good man, but you did this to yourself..." She shook her head. "... I'm disappointed in you." She added, and the look in her eyes differed from anything Gene had ever seen in them. It broke her heart to see she'd broken her mother's heart.

"Come Emmanuel, it's time to go home." Mrs. Ukaji told her grandson as she stretched out her hand to him. He took hold of it. "Queen, let's go." She added without sparing her daughter one last look, she made her way towards the door.

Queen dabbed Gene on the arm, her expression that of comfort. "It's going to be fine." She told her before heading off, shutting the door after herself.

It would seem like a while since Genevieve stood still in the silence of her apartment. It reminded her of her mother's words and the look in her eyes. Suddenly, she bursted into tears, burying her face in her hands.

Elliot knocked on the door and waited for a response. Soon, the door was unlocked and in front of him was Gene. Her smile was faint and brief as she barely steadied her eyes on him, walking back in. He sensed something was wrong, so he made his way in, shutting the door behind him.

"Gene." He called as she turned to him, still trying her best not to meet his gaze and when she eventually did, he noticed something different. Her eyes were red.

"Have you been crying?" He asked, quite confused and heartbroken that she looked this way. She nodded.

"Mum came over. She found out about the baby and I told her everything... including us." Gene explained, and he could see how hard it was for her to talk. She was trying hard to not cry.

"You should have seen her... she looked at me different... I've never seen her look at me that way. I wanted to be strong, but I..." She bursted into tears once more and he hurried to her aid, holding her in his arms. He'd never seen her this way, so beaten down. His heart tore to pieces.