CHAPTER 23

NORA

Nora lays on the bed fantasizing about Spence,

they have spoken that day yet it still feels like a

dream, she wonders if this is how her mind will

keep being preoccupied with his thought "Is this love?" Well, she loves it, at least she has more than work and what to cook to think about now. Her mom knocks on her door and walks in "Nora, how are you?" Nora sits up as she sees her mom's face "I'm fine mom, what's wrong? You look troubled"

"Nora, help me talk to your sister, they are through with their exams but she doesn't want to come back home" Nora shakes her head as her mom speaks, she knows what it feels like being policed around and she is glad her baby sister wouldn't accept that, at least she is braver than her "Mom let her be, she is not a baby anymore, you don't need to watch her like a mother hawk, she is twenty-five mom! Let her do what she wants, she will come home when she feels like" she advises her mom who immediately flares up "Mbanu! I won't tolerate that, her mates are at home with their parents but she is sitting there in school, what is she doing? Flexing around? Or following boys around? An Idle mind is a devil's

workshop, I won't watch my daughter go wayward! Not when I am still alive! And it is not her fault, it is because your father is retired, if not an escort will be the one taking her and bringing her home". Nora lost it at this point "as you did with me? Take a look at me and see how my life turned out" her mom looked at her "You turned out great! You are successful and .." Nora cuts her "and what mom? and what? I am thirty-two and no man has ever walked up to me to ask me out, I don't even have an experience of a fling not to talk of a serious relationship because of your restrictions. I can't walk without a military man on my tail, who do you think will approach me with a military man policing me around? I never enjoyed my teenage years and even my university days, I can't network with my classmates! Do you think everything is about

education? Networking and socializing matter but you killed that aspect for me, now you ask me for a husband like I will pick one on the internet and marry! Did you even allow me to mingle at the age I was meant to mingle and date people?" Her mom shivers, she has never seen Nora angry in such manner "Nora please.." She ignores her mom and continues to vent "Every now and then you remind me of my distant cousin getting married, your friend's daughter getting married, go and ask them if they also lock their female children at home and attach a bodyguard on them to know their whereabouts. No mom! Go and ask them how their daughters meet their soul mates, is it while they are locked in their bedrooms? I am glad Laura didn't allow you to mess up her life as you and dad did mine, perhaps I am the scapegoat that everyone learns their lessons from" Nora's mom burst into tears at this point "Nora that was not my intention, I was doing what I thought was best as a mother, I was just being protective" Nora cuts her

"You were over-protective mom, cut us a slack, you don't train a child by caging her, that way when she is set loose, she will be lured into the world because everything in the world will entice her. Every child needs exposure, teach them to identify the good from the bad then leave them to decide on their own. Afterward, support them with advice and prayers, that's the best way to train a child, we are all allowed to make mistakes, let the child make her mistake so she can learn from it, I don't have one but I could have done a better job raising one than you did" Nora smirks which made her mom sit quietly as she listens to her child "I'm so sorry I caged you, I didn't know it would affect your emotional life" Nora scoffs "It has happened already, there is nothing we can do about it, as far as Laura and promise are learning from my experience, I am certain they will make right decisions. Don't worry I will call Laura but she is doing what she is meant to be doing at her age, let her be out there, getting to know people" her mom sighed "Thank you, just tell her I miss her, she can come home anytime she wants" Nora smiles "That's better, well I will be going back home today" her mother suddenly becomes sad again "But you said you will be spending two weeks with us, it's not even a week yet, did you change your mind because of this issue?" Nora quickly replies "Not at all mom, some emergency came up at work, I will come back soon, don't worry" she kisses her on her cheeks "okay" her mom accepted.