Omniscient
5 years later.
Normani sits at the table quietly eating her dinner as her mother recounts her day.
Her older sisters Ryan and Justine are pretending to be engaged in the conversation but they all would rather be somewhere else right now.
Every Wednesday evening, they consistently carry out this mundane routine.
Sitting at a table with their perfectionist mother, putting on an act of perfection to match her perfect standards.
The matriarch of this family, Judge Nia Hamilton can be, for lack of better words, judgmental.
When things don't meet her standards, she expects you to make the necessary changes until they do.
Nia's harsh criticism is exactly why her daughters lie to her.
About everything.
Nia knows virtually nothing about the 3 of her daughters she's in contact with.
She has decided to cut communication with her fourth daughter because of Monaleo's determination to remain authentic, despite her mother's disapproval.
Leo's authentic self 'doesn't align with Nia's standards' so she doesn't speak to her.
"Ryan, your cloth napkin should be folded halfway." Nia says noticing her daughter's poor table etiquette mid-story.
Ryan internally rolls her eyes and folds the napkin in her lap, apologizing softly.
"Anyway, so, Judge Ross and I went to lunch..." she continues.
As she drones on, Normani discreetly checks her phone seeing a new message.
🧸Meggy🧸: I miss you.
She smiles softly, knowing that she'll see her girlfriend soon.
She has a plan.
"Excuse me, mom." Normani says interrupting her mother's story.
"Yes, Normani?" She questions turning to look at the girl she's barely acknowledged throughout this dinner.
She hasn't accomplished enough to garnish much attention from her mother.
"I have a study group at 7:30. May I be excused?" She asks sweetly.
Nia will always say yes to anything related to education and Normani, being the only sister still in school, is the only one able to use that excuse.
So she does.
"Of course." Nia says.
Normani thanks her mother as she gets up, ignoring the subtle glares from her sisters.
"I'll see you guys next week." She says kissing each of their cheeks before dashing out the door.
She sighs a huge sigh of relief once she's in her car.
She can't wait to get home to Megan.
"Baby!" She yells out when she enters the house, chuckling when Megan pops her head out of the bathroom door.
The room is still steamy from the hot shower Megan had just taken.
"Hi, my love." She smiles rubbing her moisturizer into her gorgeous bare face.
"Hi." Normani smiles back standing on her tip toes to kiss her leggy girlfriend.
"How was dinner?" Megan asks watching the younger girl take the bobby pins out of her pristine bun.
