Page 53 of Becoming His Muse
Her mother placed the vegetables in the wok on the stove, the light sizzling filtering into the air momentarily.
“Your aunt is dating, but child, that’s not the half of it.” Her mother turned to look at her. “She’s dating a few men. They’ve been coming by the house to pick her up.”
Olani took a drink from the can. “Maybe they’re just friends, Mama.”
“Friends don’t kiss like that. I saw them through the camera thing you got us for the doorbell. She was tonguing those men down like it was an Olympic sport. But that’s not even all of it.”
She wanted to know why her mother was watching her aunt through the camera but refrained from asking. Her mom would give her some excuse about making sure her aunt was safe. However, Olani knew it was primarily because she was nosey.
“These men,” her mother continued. “Are at least ten years younger than she is. Gone mess around and slip a disk.”
Olani pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “Well, what did she say when you asked about the men?” She knew her mother asked because it just wasn’t in her nature not to.
“Do you know she told me she was in her prime and living her best life?” Her mom turned back to the wok, shaking it on the stove as she flipped the vegetables around. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy for her. She needs some fun and male company after all these years. But I’m not trying to pick her up off some man’s floor when she breaks a hip.”
“Mama!” she exclaimed as she laughed. “You’re talking like the two of you are just so old.”
“We’re going to knock sixty over soon. She better slow down before she’s man down.”
Olani shook her head, taking another drink from the can. “I wonder if Xola knows.”
“Mm. I’m sure she knows about one of them. He popped over while she was there when Zin was sick. The other two came after she’d left.”
“So, she’s dating three men?”
“Yep. That I know of.”
“It took me forever to find one man worth dating, and Aunt Zinnia is around here bagging multiple men,” she responded, placing her can down. Her mother whipped around and looked at her.
“You’re dating someone?”
Olani opened her mouth, only to close it again and fill her cheeks with air. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud. She wasn’t trying to hide her relationship with Elion from anyone, but they hadn’t been dating long. They were coming up on three months, and she always tried to not mention or introduce anyone she was dating until six months in. She felt that the relationship was changing and becoming more serious at that stage, even if that wasn’t always the case.
With Elion, the circumstances were different because they’d have to decide soon. Olani didn’t think their twelve weeks would end with them going their separate ways. They could continue to date if that’s where they were led, but she couldn’t be too sure of that, and the thought caused a sinking in her stomach.
“Olani Michele. You are, aren’t you?”
“I am, but we’ve only been seeing each other for a couple of months. It’s still new.”
Her mother hummed. “But you like him so far? He treats you well?”
She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “I do, and he does. He’s extremely good to me.”
“I suppose you’ll introduce us when it’s time.” Olani nodded, and her mother turned back toward the stove. “Until then, what does he do?”
“He’s an artist.”
“What kind of art?”
“A sculptor by profession, but he draws. Oh, and we made this on one of our dates,” she stated, going to the cabinet and pulling out the owl mug they’d made.
Her mother turned to her, taking it out of her hand and smiling at it. “It’s cute. This little owl is adorable.”
“Isn’t it?” Olani took the cup back and put it back in the cabinet.
While her mother finished cooking, she answered questions she asked about Elion and left out that she’d met him on a dating site she’d created to find a husband. She knew her mom would support her either way. She just wasn’t ready to tell her yet.
They made their plates and sat down at the table when the food was ready. The conversation shifted to her parents’ upcoming anniversary and the surprise her mother wanted her to help with.
