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Dinner was supposed to be a family bonding moment, but for Lora, it quickly became a battlefield. The long wooden dining table, polished to a shine, was covered with an impressive spread of Nigerian delicacies. The aroma of steaming jollof rice, egusi soup, pounded yam, and fried plantains filled the air, it was a feast meant to welcome her but Lora's appetite dwindled under the weight of Mama Bisi's steady gaze.
It felt more like a test than a celebration.
Lora adjusted her dress nervously, glancing at Andrew for reassurance. He smiled at her from across the table, his eyes silently urging her to relax. But Mama Bisi's presence made that impossible.
"You're welcome," Mama Bisi said as she set down a steaming bowl of pepper soup. Her words, though polite, felt more like a reminder that this was her domain and Lora was an interloper.
"Thank you, Ma," Lora replied, her voice soft.
Lora adjusted the folds of her dress nervously, her smile wavering as Mama Bisi served everyone. She caught Andrew's reassuring glance across the table and took a deep breath.
The room was too quiet, the sound of cutlery scraping against plates felt magnified, every moment stretched thin by the tension. Lora tried to make small talk.
"This food smells amazing, Ma," she said, attempting a smile. "You're a wonderful cook."
Mama Bisi's lips curved slightly, though her eyes remained hard. "Cooking isn't about smelling, my dear. It's about doing so…Lora," Mama Bisi began, her tone deceptively calm, "do you know how to prepare egusi soup?"
Lora hesitated, the spoon halfway to her mouth. She was trying to make it lively and it kind of backfire on her….The question was casual, but the intent behind it was clear.she hesitate before replying dropping her spoon "I've tried once or twice, Ma, but I'm still learning. Andrew has been teaching me some recipes and he has been helping me practice" she admitted smiling shyly
Mama Bisi's brow arched, her lips curling into a disapproving smile. "Teaching you? Helping you? Ah, Andrew, my son, I didn't know you've become a chef in your own house? Hmmm?. In my time, a woman learned these things before marriage. It wasn't the husband's job to train her."
Andrew set his fork down, his jaw tightening. "Mama, things are different now. We help each other and Lora is doing her best, and she's learning."
"Help each other?" Mama Bisi repeated, her voice rising slightly. "Ah, so now marriage is fifty-fifty? In my time, a woman learned how to care for her husband and home before entering marriage. It was not the husband's job to train her. But if this is how things are done now, who am I to say?"
She continue waving his words away
"Learning is good, but how will she manage a household? What will people say if they hear Andrew's wife can't cook proper meals?" She turned her attention back to Lora, her gaze sharp. "My dear, marriage is not just about love. A wife must know her duties."
The words hit Lora like a slap leaving a sharp ache in her chest as her words sliced harshly through her….She forced a polite smile, determined to maintain her composure. "I understand, Ma. I'm willing to learn everything to be a good wife to my husband."
Mama Bisi leaned back, her gaze sweeping over Lora once more "Willing," Mama Bisi repeated with a scoff.
"We will see, my dear. Marriage is not about wanting. It is about doing."
The room grew quieter, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. …Silence hung over the table, the clinking of cutlery the only sound. Andrew cleared his throat, breaking the tension trying to steer the conversation away from its uncomfortable turn.
"Mama when is Kunle,Efe and Tolu coming back from their trip"
" Oh that…. I think this weekend" he nodded before asking her the main question that has been on his mind
"Mama, how's the women's association project going? You mentioned last time they were organizing a fundraiser…the charity event the women's plan on organizing"
Mama Bisi's face brightened slightly as she launched into a detailed account of the event. Lora listened quietly nodding where appropriate, but the earlier sting lingered lingering like a sour taste. She couldn't help but feel like an outsider, her every move scrutinized and judged.
After dinner, Lora offered to help clear the table. As she reached for the first dish... Mama Bisi's voice stopped her.
"Leave it. You might break something," she said curtly.
Lora froze, her hand hovering over the plate she quickly withdrew it blinking back the sudden burn of tears. She quickly mumbled "Yes ma" before glancing at Andrew, who was already on his feet, his expression a mixture of frustration and helplessness.
Andrew looked ready to speak, but Lora shook her head at him, silently pleading for him to let it go. She wasn't sure she could handle another confrontation.
Later, as they retreated to their room, Lora let the facade crumble. She sank onto the bed, her shoulders shaking, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.The faint hum of the city filtered through the open window, but it did little to calm her
"She doesn't like me and I don't know what I did wrong," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Andrew knelt beside her, his hands warm against hers "You didn't do anything wrong,she doesn't know the you yet, give her time….Angel…. This is just how Mama is. She's testing you."
"But why is she like this,she's being too harsh on me???" Lora asked, tears spilling over. "Why can't she just give me a chance?"
Andrew sighed, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. "Mama is… complicated. She's been through a lot. After my father died, she took on everything—raising me and my siblings,running the house, keeping the family together. She's not used to letting anyone else in, she's always been this way,She feels like she has to protect the family, and that includes me. It's not fair to you, but she'll come around. I promise."
Lora looked away, her throat tight. "That doesn't make it fair."
"No, it doesn't," Andrew admitted. "But you're stronger than you think, Lora. I know you can win her over."
Lora nodded, but the knot in her chest didn't loosen. She wasn't sure to believe him. The image of Mama Bisi's disapproving stare lingered in her mind a reminder of the uphill battle she faced
As she lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, Lora couldn't shake the feeling that no matter how much effort she put in, it would never be enough.
If this was just the beginning, she wasn't sure how much more she could take.
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