Suspicion
1085 Words
Meeting Sophia was another thing on my never-ending list, but it felt like the most important one today. As soon as I closed off work, my chest carried both excitement and nervousness. I ordered an Uber, watching the car icon crawl across my phone screen, each second dragging as though time itself wanted to test my patience.
The city outside the glass walls of my office looked tired, painted in shades of gold and shadow as the sun dipped lower. People moved in hurried steps, vendors closed their stalls, and the faint hum of traffic became louder. My phone buzzed suddenly, jolting me out of my thoughts. It was Mom.
Why was she calling me now of all times?
I picked up reluctantly, pressing the phone to my ear.
“Mom…”
“Where are you?” she asked immediately, skipping over greetings.
“I’m off work,” I replied carefully, “I’m going to see someone.”
“I’m at your workplace. I brought some fruits for you.”
I sighed inwardly. She never did things without reason. If she came all this way, it wasn’t just fruits, she wanted something from me. “Mom, just go home. I’ll be back in a few hours, okay?”
Her voice sharpened, the way it always did when she wanted control.
“Where are your manners, Leigh? Share your location with me.”
“Mom, I’m....”
She cut me off before I could finish.
“No, no, no. That’s final. No arguing, Leigh.”
Her firmness left me speechless, as always. She had this way of pulling the ground from beneath my feet, making me surrender even when I wanted to resist.
The Uber driver glanced at me through the rear-view mirror, as if sensing my storm of thoughts. My fingers tightened around my phone. I couldn’t share my location with her, if she knew, she would only complicate things further. Maybe the easiest way out was to cancel the dinner with Miss Sophia.
My chest sank with disappointment as I leaned forward. “Sir, could you stop here, please?”
He slowed the car, looking puzzled because we hadn’t gone far. I paid him quickly and stepped out, the cool evening air brushing against my skin. I decided to walk back to the office. Ten minutes at most. My heels tapped against the pavement, echoing my frustration with each step.
Just then, my phone lit up again, Miss Sophia.
I hesitated but answered. “Hello?”
“Is anything the problem? I’ve been waiting for you.” Her voice… it was like silk woven with elegance, soft yet commanding. The kind of voice that lingers in your ear long after the call ends. My throat tightened. How was I going to tell her I wasn’t coming?
“Umm…” I stalled. “Just now my mom called. She said she was at my workplace and needed me to come, and I’m on my way there.”
Silence stretched on the line for a few seconds too long. I could almost see the way her expression fell. Her disappointment was subtle, but it pierced me.
“Is it urgent?” she asked finally, her voice quieter now, almost hesitant.
“No,” I admitted, “she just needed my company.”
There was another pause, then her tone shifted into something softer, warmer. “Okay… then I invite the both of you to come. It would be so nice.”
I froze mid-step. “My mom?”
“Yes,” she said gently, “I’m sorry. Feel free to decline, maybe next time.”
Her words weren’t pushy, but they carried a kind of grace that made me feel foolish for even considering rejecting her. Against my better judgment, I heard myself say:
“No… we’ll come together.”
The walk back to my work place felt endless, every step weighing heavier than the last, and there she was, my mother. She stood tall in her pale blue dress, her hair pinned neatly back, a basket of fruits resting by her feet. Her eyes locked on me instantly, sharp as always, and I knew there would be no escaping her questions.
“Finally,” she said, tapping her foot against the floor. “Where were you wandering off to?”
“I wasn’t wandering,” I muttered, trying to keep my voice calm. “I had somewhere to be.”
Her brows lifted, suspicious. “Somewhere? Or someone?”
The way she said it made my skin prickle. I didn’t answer right away, which was mistake number one. Silence to her was the same as guilt.
She sighed, picked up the basket, and handed it to me. “Take this to your office, atleast you’ll have something healthy to eat. You’ve been looking thinner lately.”
I wanted to roll my eyes but didn’t dare. Instead, I held the basket, its weight pressing against my arm like an accusation. My phone buzzed again. Miss Sophia. My heart skipped, and I pressed the screen quickly before Mom could see.
Her message was short: “I’ll be waiting”
My breath caught. Sophia’s words always carried a softness, but underneath, there was a quiet authority that unsettled me.
“Who is that?” Mom asked suddenly, eyeing me like a hawk.
“Just… someone,” I said, my voice unsteady. Mistake number two.
She leaned in, lowering her tone. “Leigh, you know I don’t like secrets.”
I forced a smile. “It’s not a secret, Mom. Actually…” My throat tightened, but the words tumbled out anyway. “She invited us both to dinner. Tonight.”
Her lips parted in surprise. “She?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “Her name is Sophia.”
Mom studied me for a long, silent moment. Her eyes flickered, calculating, as if trying to read more than I was willing to reveal. “And who exactly is this Sophia?”
“She’s…” My voice trailed off. How could I describe Sophia? “She’s a friend.”
Mom arched a brow. “A friend who invites us to dinner?”
I knew I had walked straight into mistake number three.
Still, there was no turning back now. “Yes. Come with me. Please.”
Her sigh was heavy, reluctant, but beneath it was curiosity. My mother hated surprises, but she also hated being left out more.
“Fine,” she said at last. “Lead the way.”
- Writer
