Lies, Lies And More Lies✔️

10: We Made Bad Choices

"Tell us a little about yourself, Derrek." Dad said after wiping at the corners of his mouth with a napkin. We'd all just finished our first course meals which was delicious. "You know, where you were born, what you do for a living..."

Everyone turned to Derrek, including myself and the man in question simply smiled as he swallowed the last piece of his food. He took a sip of water before speaking.

"Well, I was born and raised in London, England but I'm Nigerian by blood." Derrek began. His British accent becoming even more pronounced. I almost rolled my eyes at him. He was obviously trying to impress my parents with his posh British accent.

"Both you're parents are Nigerian?" Mom asked, arching an eyebrow in question. Derrek was golden skinned with silky looking dark brown hair which had natural loose curls. He also had brown eyes which were so light they almost looked gray. He had other features as well that suggested him being of mixed races and it was easy to assume that he was.

"No, actually." He responded with a slight smile. "My mother's part Italian, part British. My dad's the Nigerian. He's from Cross river."

Mom nodded at the information shared, looking very impressed. She'd always loved the idea of interracial marriages but dad had always preferred that I got married to a Nigerian man. Derrek was both, so, both their wishes had been satisfied.

I caught myself as my lips began to pull up in a smile. For a moment, I had actually forgotten that this was all pretend.

"Tiara." Derrek's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I arched my eyebrows at him. "I was just telling your parents how we'd planned to go to the Calabar festival this year."

I was confused for a moment, having no idea of what he'd been talking about but then he reached for my hand under the table, giving it a little squeeze while he gave a small nod that told me to play along.

"Oh, yeah. Yes." I nodded. "Derrek's really excited about it. He's never been to one."

"Your parents don't visit Nigeria often?" Mom asked once again and Derrek turned to her as he let go of my hand.

"Not since I was a little boy." He shook his head. "My paternal grandmother died when I was five. She was my dad's only family here in Nigeria and it was too painful for him to come back here when there was no one to come back to, I guess."

"Oh. That's so sad." Mom gave a heavy sigh. "What about his father? He died as well? And siblings or co—"

"Mom!" I called before she could interrogate him any further.

"What?" She eyed me and my dad sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"You shouldn't have let him meet mom and dad." Adiola commented from beside me, shaking her head. "He's gonna run for the hills by the end of dinner."

"Keep quiet my friend!" Mom scolded from across Adiola. I guess she'd heard what her youngest daughter had said.

"Sorry, ma." Adiola gave an apologetic smile.

"You seem to forget she's got super hearing." Benjamin said to Adiola in a hushed voice and she giggled in response, earning a glare from my mom.

"Where was I, my son?" Mom turned back to Derrek who gave a subtle nod before speaking again.

"My granddad passed away shortly after my dad graduated college. My dad was an only child. As for my grandad, he had step siblings who were much older than he was. They didn't really get along much as they were all contending for their father's property."

"Typical." Mom nodded as if she had expected his response. "Have you got siblings?"

"I do. An older brother and younger twin sisters."