I belong to you

Kauna's flashback

To be honest, I really was not looking forward to my mother's return, as the mere thought of it fills me with a sense of sadness. The only positive memory I have shared with her was during my graduation from the University.

As graduation approached, my mother insisted on coming to Brighton and taking me shopping for a dress. I wasn't particularly thrilled about the idea, but I agreed to go with her since she seemed enthusiastic. However, I had already decided that I wouldn't wear whatever dress she chose, knowing her taste and clothing restrictions, it would likely result in a shapeless sack garment.

She suggested we go to Ted Baker, as we stepped into the Ted Baker store on Duke Lane in Brighton, my mother seemed to have a clear idea of what she was after. Without hesitation, she made her way to the counter and pulled out her phone, displaying a photo to the attentive sales assistant. I watched with curiosity as the attendant disappeared into the racks and returned moments later with an unexpected item - a stunning floral pencil bodycon dress.

Without hesitation, I snatched the dress from the attendant and headed to the changing rooms to try it on. As I slipped the dress over my curves, I was thrilled to find that it hugged my figure in all the right places, accentuating my every curve. The colours and patterns of the dress were simply exquisite, making me feel confident and beautiful.

It was a heart-warming moment we just shared going shopping. I felt grateful for the gesture - it was the nicest thing she had done for me in a while. The kind words, the thoughtful gift and simply spending quality time together, it was clear that she had gone out of her way to show me how much she cared.

Kauna's present

We flew back that night, Drew was dropping me off at my house, and as we approached, I noticed the lights were on. I figured my mother had returned from Nigeria, but Drew insisted on checking first to make sure it was safe. 

Upon opening the door, we were greeted by my mother, eagerly waiting to start some drama. I had no idea when she had come back, but this was typical of her. She never informed us of her return date because she believed we were always looking for opportunities to be promiscuous.

 The truth is, my late sister and I never had such thoughts, but my mother remained stubborn in her assumptions. My mother's staunch opposition to premarital sex is baffling, given her own past.

 Contrary to what one might expect, she didn't marry as a virgin; she became pregnant with my brother Samuel before marrying my father. My grandmother disapproved of her pregnancy and promptly kicked her out of the house, forcing her to seek shelter wherever she could. After some time, my father agreed to marry her, and they tied the knot when Samuel was just three months old. This is likely why there is only a one-year age gap between Samuel and my sister Alheri. It's safe to assume that Anna was conceived on their wedding night.

Despite her own experience, my mother fails to show empathy towards situations like teen pregnancies or people engaging in sexual activities outside of marriage. Instead, she is critical and judgmental, which can be frustrating at times. I often wish that she could be more understanding of people's choices, but her past has seemingly made her more rigid in her beliefs.

I knew that at some point Drew would have to meet my mother, but I also knew that I needed to prepare him for the experience. As we walked towards my house, I mentally prepared myself for whatever drama my mother was about to unleash. Drew was being so courteous, carrying my bags and offering to make sure I was safe before we even entered the house.

As we stepped inside, my mother wasted no time and immediately addressed Drew ''young man what are you doing with my daughter?' I could feel my face turning pale with embarrassment. However, Drew remained composed and replied politely ''Good evening, Mrs Numan, I was just dropping your daughter off and making sure she was safe''.

 My mother possibly not expecting his response or him not being afraid of her calmed down a bit '' really'' she replied. 

''Yes, and I was looking forward to meeting you, I, I mean we didn't know you were back, we could have come earlier to meet you'' he added.

 To my surprise, my mother seemed to calm down a bit and even started a conversation with Drew. He was so smooth and confident, asking her about her flight and making small talk, I could see my mother relaxing. 

''why are you just standing there'' she urged me ''can't you see we have a guest?'' go and bring him something to drink ''what would you like to have'' she calmly asked Drew, ''some other time, I need to get back, I have some urgent work to respond to besides you two ladies must have some much catching up to do, it's high time I left'' he answered.

 ''so soon'' my mother asks, ''I will be coming over soon to formally introduce myself, Kauna, will let you know the details'' he replied

 I was standing there still baffled at what was unfolding before my eyes, I just responded ''yes'' 

 '' It was nice meeting your Mrs Numan'' Drew said as he headed out the door to his car. My mother seemed pleased.

As Drew and I walked back to his car, I couldn't help but marvel at how he had handled the situation with such grace and ease. He was a natural at dealing with my Nigerian mom's dramatic tendencies.

'' I'm sorry, my mother can be dramatic at times'' I said apologetically

''Some Mothers can seem dramatic but they're only trying to protect their own, I love that your mother is protective of you like that'' 

''it's not so great as you put it'' 

He held my waist and kissed me.

''What are you doing tomorrow after work? I'd like us to have dinner with my parents'' he said while still holding me.

''oh, that would be nice, what time?

''7? Is that okay with you''

''Yes, 7 sounds lovely'' We kissed, I didn't want it to end but we broke off and said our goodbyes.

I dreaded going back into the house because I knew my mother would only flood me with questions that she had her assumed answers to already. 

How did my day go from awesome to this? regardless, I was looking forward to dinner with Drew's parents tomorrow.

I went back in, avoided my mother, took a shower and got into bed. 

As I was going through the memory of my day, I got a message from Drew ''Goodnight Love'' I replied ''Goodnight Papi'' immediately he replied back ''I like that''

Meeting Drew's parents surpassed all my expectations. It was a truly fantastic experience, even better than when he met my mother. I was extremely nervous at first, but their warm welcome quickly put me at ease. I chose to wear a beautiful knee-length dress for the occasion, and I felt confident and elegant.

When we arrived at the family villa, I was in awe. The house was simply magnificent, a testament to the wealth and elegance of Drew's family. His mother was a stunning Indian woman, with long black hair and sparkling eyes that shone with kindness. His father, on the other hand, was a handsome white British man who seemed to be ageing gracefully.

As we settled in for the night, I chatted with Drew's mother, and we quickly found common ground in our shared love of Indian culture. She was amazed by my knowledge of Indian romantic movies and how much time I had invested in learning about her country's customs and traditions. We talked for hours mostly about Shahrukh Khan's movies, that man can get your emotions running wild. 

The experience was truly remarkable and left me feeling grateful for the warm and generous welcome extended to me by Drew's family. It was a night of unforgettable moments, filled with laughter, love, and an exchange of cultural experiences. I only wished I could have reciprocated the same warmth and hospitality when Drew met my mother.

s we drove back, Drew seemed lost in thought and the atmosphere was quiet. I ran my fingers through his hair in an attempt to comfort him and he turned to kiss my hand.

''what's troubling you?''

''work'' ''I think I'm taking on too much'' ''but I just can't seem to stop either'' ''I want to have more free time'' ''time to spend with you'' '' but'' he seemed lost with words, I gently wrapped his hand and placed it on my thigh, he sighed with relief. 

As the journey continued, he dropped a bombshell. He casually says ''by the way, my mother asked when are we getting married, she really likes you, I told her I was waiting on you to pick a date'' he continues ''To be honest, I want to know too'' 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. We had only just gotten engaged, and the thought of picking a wedding date had not even crossed my mind.

I Said ''I like November?''

''too far'' he replied

''when then'' I asked 

''uhmm…'' as he thought and said ''next month''

''next month?'' I repeated surprised ''next month is in 3 weeks'' I added

With so much confidence he says, ''that's enough time to plan a wedding, everything else is money''

Money truly had the power to make things work. But what really captivated me was the way he said it. He spoke with such ease and simplicity, as if money was not the most important thing in the world. His words made me realise that his focus was not on money. which made me wonder, why does he overwork himself then, what is he chasing?

As I was lost in thought, Drew playfully interrupted me and asked, "So, where do you want to go?" I couldn't help but tease him back, "For someone who's engaged to me, I've never even seen your place." A mischievous smile crept across his face, and I knew exactly what it meant. "Well then, let's go!" he exclaimed as he slammed on the accelerator.

As we arrived at his penthouse apartment, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at how stunning it was. The decoration was simple, yet modern and elegant. There wasn't any unnecessary furniture cluttering up the space.

We made our way to his bedroom, and I couldn't help but notice that there was only a king-sized bed in the room with a nightstand. I couldn't resist the opportunity to tease him a little. "Why do you only have a bed in here?" I asked, feigning innocence.

He didn't miss a beat. "It's called a bedroom," he replied with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile at his playful banter. As we stood there in the room. He goes on ''It amplifies the echo in the room'' leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear, "Everything sounds louder in here."

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn't deny the electric tension between us. I knew that whatever happened next was going to be intense and unforgettable and it certainly was.

We lay there in bed, spent and exhausted after the passionate lovemaking. My curiosity finally got the better of me, and I decided to ask him a question that had been nagging at me for a while.

"I've been meaning to ask you," I began hesitantly. "Your family's company name is Davenport and Sons, but I've never heard you speak of having a brother. Do you have one?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I could see his demeanour shift. His eyes darkened, and his lips pressed tightly together. I could tell he was struggling to find the right words to say. Finally, in a low, mournful tone, he spoke, "That's because he died."

My heart sank as I tried to process the news. "I'm so sorry," I managed to say. "How did he die?" I asked, hoping to offer some comfort or support.

But instead of answering my question, he grew visibly uncomfortable. "Can we change the subject?" he asked, his voice strained. "I don't feel comfortable talking about it."

I immediately regretted bringing it up. "I'm sorry," I said softly. "I thought... I didn't mean anything by asking. Sorry, I asked. It seems to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm not uncomfortable," he snapped, getting out of bed and hastily putting on his clothes. And with that, he walked away, leaving me feeling rejected, unloved, and sad.

The way he had just treated me was completely unexpected. I had never felt this way around him before. He had always been so loving and supportive, but now it was as if I was a stranger to him. The rejection stung, and I couldn't help but feel a deep sadness wash over me.

Despite his clear discomfort and the tension between us, I couldn't let it go. I needed to know why he was so resistant to talking about his brother. So, I got up, got dressed, and followed him. But even with me pressing him for answers, he refused to tell me anything more.

"I need to take you home," he said abruptly, and my heart sank. Here I was, trying to comfort him and get some answers, and now he was not only pushing me away but trying to get rid of me altogether.

I could feel the anger boiling inside of me, and I could tell he could sense it too. "Fine," I said coldly, "I want to go home now anyway."

The ride back was tense and silent, the once familiar surroundings now feeling foreign and hostile. I couldn't shake the feeling of being shut out by someone I thought loved me.

As soon as we arrived in front of my house, I didn't bother waiting for him to open the car door. I flung it open myself and stormed out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind me with a loud thud. Although I could feel his eyes on me, I didn't turn around to look at him.

I was too consumed with anger and hurt to care about saying goodnight or goodbye. How could he shut me out like that? I couldn't understand why he couldn't see how much I cared about him and wanted to be there for him. I had shared all my stories with him, from my childhood to my late siblings and my parents' relationship. So why was he closed off from me? Why couldn't he share his pain with me?

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall in front of him. I turned on my heel and walked briskly towards my front door, making sure he knew I was angry and hurt.

As I closed the door behind me, the tears finally spilt over, and I collapsed onto my bed, feeling utterly rejected and alone.