Family Eats

Chapter 16

"Don't worry, I'll text you the location. And please, don't hesitate to come, I have something important that I want to show you." Thomas replied.

James stared at the phone's screen in confusion. Something important? He mumbled before replying, "Okay, Dad. I'll be there."

Meanwhile, in the dining room, there were moments of silence as the clinking of spoons echoed in the room against the metal plates. Everyone seemed to be really enjoying the meal.

The silence lingered for a moment, not until Olivia's phone vibrated and began to ring, disrupting the hushed moment. Everyone paused, all gazes fixed on her.

Olivia dropped her spoon and wiped her mouth before retrieving her phone from the table. Glancing at the phone's screen and seeing who was calling, she hesitated, looking at everyone.

Letting out a deep breath, she picked up the call, her voice moderately calm, "Hello, Mr. Joshua."

Immediately she said that Grandma Aurora's face lit with excitement, knowing who Olivia was speaking with. She stopped eating, leaning forward in her seat, trying to be within earshot of the conversation.

A deep, almost frustrated, but corrective voice came from the other end, "Hey, Olivia, haven't I told you several times to stop addressing me as Mr. Joshua? I'm Joshua and—-"

"But I'm from a middle-class family, and you? Son of an influential family. Who am I not to address you in a way that you deserve?" Olivia cut him off, shifting slightly in her seat.

A frustrated sigh pierced through the speaker from the other side, ".... that's by the way. So, are you ready? I'm coming to your house to pick you up myself?"

Olivia's eyes connived, a flicker of confusion crossing her face, "Coming to my house to pick me up? Why?" She asked, even though it sounded odd to her but she kept her voice politely.

"Do you have any problems with me coming to your house to pick you up?"

Olivia reluctantly shook her head, even though he didn't see him, "Not really," she replied, "but this isn't what we agreed on when we met."

"I know but I insist, please?"

Olivia's voice dropped in defeat, "Alright, then," she said and ended the call, dropping the phone on the table.

Immediately, she dropped the phone. Grandma Aurora, already over the moon, asked sharply, "That was Joshua Arthur, right? What were you discussing with him?"

Olivia hissed, a little frowning, "He just called to inform me that he'll be coming over to pick me up. That's all," she replied.

"Wow!" Grandma Aurora clapped her hands, clearly elated, "I can't wait to have my son in my arms." She added.

Olivia frowned in confusion as she looked at Grandma Aurora, not understanding the meaning of her statement.

Evelyn, completely lost and disoriented, glanced between her mother-in-law, Aurora, and her daughter, Olivia, a flicker of confusion flashed through her face.

"Joshua Arthur, your son? What do you mean?" She raised an eyebrow at Grandma Aurora before turning to Olivia to ask, "And why's he coming over to pick you up? Do you have any business with him?"

"No, Mom," Olivia responded, shaking her head, "he asked me out for dinner tonight. I accepted it, so he'll be here to take me off."

Evelyn's eyes widened in disbelief, and a hint of disgust ran through her eyes, "That's not going to happen!" She protested, her voice steady. "You're married and you ain't meant to go about with men, especially unmarried men. Pick up your phone, call me to inform him that you can't go out with him."

"She will do no such thing!" Grandma Aurora sharply intervened, her expression tightening, "Don't act like you don't know who Joshua is. He's a rich guy from a wealthy and prominent family and do you know what our family will stand to get if Olivia gets closer to him?!"

"Get closer to him?" Evelyn blinked in confusion. "Have you forgotten, Olivia is married to—" She didn't finish when Grandma Aurora stopped her with her hand.

"Oh, stop it! I don't want to hear his name!" She was ridiculed, and her eyes flashed with disgust. "That boy has done nothing meaningful in this house. He's just reaping off our good, that's all he does."

Leonard nodded his head in agreement and chirped in for the first time, "More reason why Olivia has to get closer to Joshua Arthur, who knows…"

Evelyn's gaze shifted to Leonard's, with disbelief and surprise, "What do you mean by that?" She asked, ambiguous. "Olivia here is legally married to James' wife and whatever you're thinking about isn't going to happen. She's —"

"Mom?" Olivia cut her short, shaking her head and glancing at her mother, her father, and her grandmother with a dissatisfied expression before finally fixing her gaze on her mother.

"Can we stop this argument already?" She asked, her voice neutral and devoid of disrespect. "I'm now a lady no longer a girl that you all used to feed. I can make decisions for myself so there's no point in you all quarreling because of me."

Evelyn interjected, trying to argue but Olivia stopped her because she could, "That's enough, Mom. I have heard so much already and I think I'm satisfied now." She said, looking intently at Evelyn.

Evelyn, her mother, swallowed hard with a motionless expression. From her look, she seemed to have so much to say but she didn't.

After looking at her for some minutes, Olivia added, "Can we all now eat in peace?"

Evelyn hesitated and nodded, "Alright," she muttered, swallowing her words.

Just then, the clinking of spoons started to fill the air again as everyone resumed back to their meals. Their expressions are now more focused. But unbeknownst to everyone, Grandma Aurora occasionally stared at Evelyn with an angry gaze.

She didn't like the fact that she was always defending and supporting James.

Soon, Olivia was done eating, leaving her meal unfinished. She announced, "I got some unfinished work to tackle," getting up from her seat.

She retrieved her laptop from the sofa and headed upstairs, leaving all the family members in the dining room, still eating.

As she got to the living room, she saw James already in a nice outfit, looking like he was going out. He was putting on black trousers and a blue shirt.

His hair was neatly combed, adding to his handsome appearance. He was looking great even though his outfits weren't newly bought. They were still his usual outfits.

Olivia looked at him, puzzled as she didn't hesitate to ask, "Look like you're going out? Where to?"