Honeyblonde Curls

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Gee, I wonder what it could be this time...

"Let me get this," I stand from my chair and walk outside by a fountain.

"Hello, Imani?"
"Yes?"
"How are you doing?"

Oh for the love of God...

"Really, Noni? That's why you're calling?"I rub my arms impatiently waiting for her to tell me why she really called.
"I see you want us to go down that road," implying my habit of turning almost everything into an argument I guess," Why haven't you arrived for the family meeting?"

"Oh, let's see... Maybe mama knows. She's just doing all this because she can't stand the life I've chosen to live because I am happy. I'm not doing a middle class job,scrapping for money or anything of that sort, but still she's so...so demeaning to even realise my efforts as a human being unless it involves some advancement on her end!" I raise my voice and quickly lower it after glancing around for any eyes.

"You just need to understand the type of parents we have and what they stand for. So when will you be coming for the meeting?"
"Well," I sigh," I plan to leave first week of March. Dad said it's okay if I do,"
"Okay, well then I can tell mother that too because she really needs you here," Noni says.

"Oh please. The last thing I need right now is someone repeating the same thing over and over again till I'm nothing in her eyes. Now, if that's all you called me for then I believe this can come to a close," I press the end call button and march back inside to find Christian still on the menu card.

"You certainly took your time over the phone. Were you calling a chapel organizing our wedding?" he smiles.

He's joking, right?

"No!" I laugh at his bizzare assumption of the phone call.
"But you would want to marry me, wouldn't you?" his face turns serious as he looks right into my eyes.

What?

"Why are you dropping that question in a restaurant, Christian?" as I sit down quickly and look around us.
"Oh, nothing. I just figured I'd put the question out there just to know what you'd think. Is it inappropriate?"

I don't know where this conversation is going but oh well.

"Look, let's just order what we came here for and leave on stuffed stomachs," my eyes bulge into the menu card as Christian signals the waiter to get our orders.

Our meals arrive after thirty minutes of waiting and I can't help but notice Christian's subtle glances  at me.

"Are you ok?" I drop my fork and look right into his eyes.
"Oh, um... Yeah, sure," he smiles and plays with the remaining pieces of meat on his plate.

For all I know he's probably on edge with my quick dismissal of the marriage topic, but then I'd like to believe I have every right to. We've only been together for just a month and a half max and I can't be quick without much thought. Though I know it was my loose tongue which started all this in the first place.

"Hey," his hand rests on mine and I phase out of my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"What are you thinking about?" He looks concerned, until a smirk dances around his lips.
"It's nothing," is all I say.
"If it's about the marriage thing, its okay let it slide,"
"Yeah it's cool. I mean, we're still getting to know each other..." ...and my parents may not want me to marry you either way so-
"I understand," he takes my hand and I try to smile. My mind still drifts to the conversation I had with Noni.

I know she means well(sometimes), but now that she has everything ticked off my mother's list of expectations, she's turned into her in a way and its upsetting. I remember how we used to talk about leaving the country to pursue whatever we wanted and marry anyone close to our celebrity crushes.
My parents- my mother especially, brought the pressure when Noni just finished high school and passed really well. My parents knew how much she loved designing the interior of homes and I admired that about her, rooted for her all the way, and in all the passion they made her choose medicine. And who was she to object? She is the first born, and she changed gradually into someone I couldn't say I know so well anymore.

And so she'd obviously be in full support of my parents view of living according to their backward standards. Which I cannot do because I am certainly not my sister. And for them to shove this idea of being with James and not Christian because he isn't like us is anything but justified.

I understand how they want us to live a good life, I would applaud them for that, but choosing who to be with and who to love-

"Imani?" I jump slightly in my seat,Christian looking at me, " Are you alright?" and now I know why.

My eyes are glistening and feel like they're swelling up.
"Do you want to get out of here?" He takes my other hand,pressing gently.

I nod yes because obviously it'd be awkward to be in this state where we are.
He stands and signals to the waiter, leaving the paid bill on the table and walks next to me til we're in the car.

Once he's inside after letting me in, I can't help but break down.

"Hey..." he coos, moving closer to me to embrace me, "Talk to me."

I really don't know whether to talk about what my parents think of us together or the recent call about going home - ugh, they all lead to him and I at the end of the day.

I compose myself and move away, laughing a little at how dumb this might sound.

"Um... so I was on the phone- with my sister and...ugh, where do I even start..." he holds my hand and I smile at the gesture.

I go over the call and the one I had a week ago with my parents, and dropped the big bombshell, "My parents don't want me with you because you're not from our tribe and... because you're... white." I gulp at how I worded that. But then how else was I supposed to say it?

I continue to talk about how they'd much rather have me with James and how I'm an even bigger embarrassment to them because I don't conform to the standards they've set for me like they did Noni. And how it's frustrating that my mother feels the way she feels about me.

There is a long pause and I look around us; cars driving in and out the parking lot as the sun sets in the distance. It looks peaceful, can't say the same about the tension in this car.

"Well, I can understand why they'd be like that," he begins, "Parents are like that; the whole idea of having their child's life planned out so they aren't embarrassed . But if they want to see you then sure, hear them out. I know you would want to stand your ground, just hear them out,"
"That's the plan," I sigh.
"And about us, I want you to know that we can get through this. I'm just baffled by the basis they've set for who suits you...but,I love you regardless," I turn to him and smile.
"I love you too,"
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Very short chapter but I hope it is okay. I've been away for a while and trying to write more chapters and having countless blocks but we have a new chapter here.

Also, thank you for reading this far, for those voting and yeah, ♥️I appreciate it so much.