Regina couldn't believe the words coming out of her mother's mouth.
She's a college graduate, sitting right at home looking for job, she's had enough with her mother nagging her about marriage and other little stuff that doesn't deserve nagging.
She grew up with a drunk as a dad, always battering their mum, then things went rough, he died, leaving them with debts.
When they almost recovered from it, their mother got herself another man, who turned out to be a fraudster, which left them in a very vulnerable position.
Her elder sister, Stephanie, got married when she was still in college, to a rich family of lawyers, they were saved a little, but she got herself in trouble and ended up with a messed up marriage, as greedy as she is.
She never discuss her marriage with them, though.
Then Nora, the youngest, whatever she does in the states, nobody cares to ask.
When Regina met Toby, truly he was real, but he was no different from other men, he took advantage of her and left her, that's what she thought.
She was a fool to have allowed that at all, she always tell herself.
She's not interested in marriage whatsoever.
No matter what her mum says-no- she's not even going to allow herself to pay attention to her, at all. That way she can survive.
Though everything that happened to them, happened in different, separate years, they were enough to keep her mind straight and strong in what she wants and needs and her moms nagging won't change that.
She drank the remaining milk on her cup and walked up the stairs to her room and slammed the door to stop hearing her mom's voice.
She sat on her chair and rested her head on it, staring at the ceiling. She turned her head and it made a 'crack' sound.
She ignored it and thought of how she could leave the house, to avoid her mum for good.
She has nowhere to go, no money and that's the worst.
She's been looking for a job but to no avail. Her mom just won't let any of her child work in a bar, she said she's against it and that's all, unless you want to leave the house.
That's what you get when you have a black christian mother.
Her phone beeped and she lazily picked it up to read the message. Her friend Nicki texted to meet up with her.
She thanked God and dressed up, finally she has somewhere to go.
She walked down the stairs, her mom was on her usual chair, crocheting.
She watched her through her eye glass as she walked down the stairs. She's been wearing that glass ever since they were little, when things were a little better.
"Where are you going Regina Rachel?",
"To see a friend", she said reaching for the door,
"Am talking to you young lady", Regina stopped and turned to face her,
"I told you that friend of yours is no good, what will people think of you when they see you two together, have you ever asked yourself that?", she said with her glasses on her nose.
"Mom I'll be back soon",
"Since you don't listen to me anymore cause you're a grown lady and keep companies, at least do it for yourself, no man wants a lady who keep bad friends or works in a bar", she said and pushed up her eyeglass and went back to her crotcheting.
Says someone who is perfect
Gina thought and rolled her eyes.
Usually she would turn and walk back to her room but instead she opened the door and slammed it behind her and walked down the street.
Her mom had hated her friend Nicki since she was found in the neighborhood, early in the morning, on the road, high on drug and alcohol, half naked, with some street guys. Ever since, she's been warned not to be near her.
To Regina, Nicki might be a kind of bad girl but she's better than some people.
Nicki had helped her when they were in school, though she later dropped out. She had been her friend through thick and thin.
When Nicki dropped out of school, she helped her with some of her own tuition fees through working in the bar, even though she was looking after her sick mom.
Nobody helped Nicki and her mom, who later died, now everybody is judging how she lives.
She took down her hoodie and stopped a taxi. Nicki texted her again asking where she is, she texted her back telling her she's almost there.
When she got to the restaurant, Nicki waved her hand.
They hugged and sat down.
"What's up? your face.... ", Nicki said running her finger across Gina's face.
"Well, my mum as usual", she said waving for a waitress.
"Marriage stuff?",
"Yaps and more, she's getting more annoying day by day",
The waitress came and took their orders.
"So, what's up with you?", Gina asked.
"As usual, you know, leading the pack, well I got something for you",
"What?",
"You still looking for job right?",
"Yea, of course", Gina said with full attention,
"I got two jobs for you",
"Well, let it out!",
"Okay! Now, there's two, one will pay you enough to survive and stop asking your mom for money, for awhile till you think of something else to do and the other can get you enough money to live your whole life and maybe shut your moms mouth for good",
Regina chuckled at the thought of her mom shutting her mouth,
"So spit it out!", she said.
"So, the first is to work as a waitress in our bar, I'll pay you so well, and the second is surrogacy", she waited for her response.
Regina took a long sip from her cola, thinking it through, disappointed actually.
"So?", Nicki asked,
"Nicks you know I can't do any of those",
"Why not?", she said, annoyed, "girl life ain't easy, you got to give it back what it gives you if you want to survive",
"Nicks it's not about that, I need a job badly but I can't do a waitress job.at.your.bar. What difference does it make? I have to stay home all day with mom and work my ass out at night, with some guy tearing me down with his eyes, mom won't even accept that",
"Okay, what about the other job?", she asked trying to contain her anger.
Sometimes she wonder herself, why she's still friends with her, they live different kind of lives. Regina is the perfect girl and she's the girl with flaws.
Maybe it's to remind her about her old self or maybe she just likes her, but she totally don't like the way she lives her life under her mom. She hate her mom the most.
"I can't do it",
"Why?",
"Nicks!",
"What! For goodness sake Gina, all you have to do is get that shit inside of you, get pregnant, give him the baby and get paid, millions! Billions! what's wrong with you?", She looked around an lowered her voice, "you won't even have sex with him. All you have to do is get pregnant, christ!what are you so afraid of? we've been through this", she couldn't control herself, she wasn't asking her to be like her, she just wants her to grow up.
"I don't know, its risky and dangerous. What do I tell my mom?",
"What's risky in it, what's dangerous? And the hell with your mom!".
She held Gina's hand, "girl you need to grow up, the deal came to me, I could've done it or chosen one of my girls who really need it, but I chose you cause you're my friend, I need the money too, I always need money, but I have a friend who needs it more, you need to get a life, travel, do something fun, do something different, get.a.life, not under your mom. Just think it over, tell your mom you got a job, far away from home and do the shit, that's just it",
Nicki's phone beeped, "I have to go, think about it, okay", she pecked her and left.
Regina sat there in conflict with her mind.
Surrogacy? Me?
Surrogacy? Ha! No way!
She strolled down the street, a lot twisting around in her mind.
She felt that what Nicki said is right, but too hard to accept. She just can't work in that forsaken bar and she's not so insane to be a surrogate for some guy in a far away city and...
She sighed.
Life was never easy, she thought,
What's in it?
Grab the chance, do the job and live a normal life.
Then she laughed, she doesn't see surrogacy as normal, by the way when was life ever normal.
What's normal?
Her elder sister Stephie, she had
a rough life too, got married to a rich family who cares more about legacy and all it brings.
She ended up seeking power and wealth and brought shame upon herself, that's what she think happened, her sister has always been like that. Greed for things she don't have.
Nora, who was sent to the
states for college ended up in
prostitution and drugs, their
mother doesn't know yet, but the
sisters know their secrets well,
though not all of it.
To their mom, Nora is her perfect
best child.
If only she knows what she's been up to.
She opened the door to find her
mom eating, with Nora beside her,she didn't know Nora was coming home.
She walked to the table and
greeted her mum,
"well where have you been?", She asked not looking up from her plate,
"I told you.. ", she cut her short,
"yes you told me you're going to
meet that God forsaken child,
what?! Did she introduce you to
one of her guys, did you look at
the damn time, I was calling
your cell but you ain't answering",
"Mum i turned the volume down
last night, I forgot to turn it up",
Her mum flew her hand at her
and continued eating.
She stood there biting her lips and squeezing her hands, holding back tears.
"Nora, Why are you here?", she managed to say,
Nora got up and moved to the
sink, ignoring her for a minute.
She watched her sit back down on the dining chair.
"You should've made dinner for momma if you're going to stay out late",
"You said what Nora?",
"Ain't she right, you want me to
die, so you can have the house to
yourself, invite your friend and turn this place to a bar", her mum said standing up from the table.
Its goddamn 6:25pm!
How is it late?
Am 26 for goodness sake!
Gina thought.
"Nora can you repeat yourself?",
Gina said walking close to Nora,
"What? You are the only one at
home, you should take care of
mom or get married or something, its not like there's anything you're doing",
"You slot!", Gina said and before
she could attack Nora, her mom
slapped her in the face.
"Don't you dare say that in my
house!",
Gina held her cheeks as tears
rolled down her eyes, she couldn't bear it, she ran upstairs to her room and teared up.
Nora had the gut to tell her that
she doesn't take care of their
mom.
Where were they when
their dad died and she had to
work part time and go to evening
school so they all could eat, she
personally raised her and she said that to her face.
And their mother supports her because she sends her some money, really?
She dried up her tears and lay on
the bed just watching the ceiling.
Their life wasn't normal and it will never be, to hell with her family.
Maybe its actually time to live her own life without putting anyone in it.
Surrogacy?
What harm could it do?
She slept with a new heart and
decision, maybe being a surrogate is the best decision.
