Chapter 17: OVERREACTED
After her call with Daisy, she ran to her mother's room to tell her about the news.
"Mother, he accepted" Valeria shouted with happiness
"He told me already" Geraldine replied walking out of the room
"Mother, what's wrong?" Valeria asked noticing something has been wrong since their discussion last night.
"What did I tell you is wrong?" Geraldine asked not looking at her
"You don't seem happy, you look upset" Valeria replied not minding the sarcasm
"You lied Valeria" Geraldine said angrily
"Lied?" Valeria asked with confusion
"Yes! How dare you lie to my face last night? Have you forgotten I'm your mother?" Geraldine asked angrily making Albert who is yet to go for work to come out
"I still don't understand you mother" Valeria replied forgetting about what the lie she told the night before
"What's wrong mother?" Albert asked knowing its been a while since their mother got angry or shouted at any of them
"Ask your sweetest sister" Geraldine replied walking away. Albert gave Valeria a questioning look
"Don't give me that look Albert. I really don't know what happened, she said I lied but I can't remember telling any lie" Valeria defended
"Think of whatever you talked about last night" Albert said walking up to his mother. Valeria stand there looking dumbfounded before she remembered telling a lie the night before, she walk close to Albert and Geraldine
"A part was a lie but not all" Valeria said and Albert gave her a questioning look
"I really did bring up the business idea but it was all in my head until Aunt Zarah talked about it" Valeria said looking at her feet
"You could have said the entire truth yesterday" Albert said not understanding their conversation but still blamed her for lying
"I'm sorry mother, I didn't mean to" Valeria apologised
"But you still did it Valeria. What other lies have you told us?" Geraldine said trying to calm herself
"Mother, last night never happened. She made a mistake and she's the same person saying she's sorry" Albert said not wanting his mother to make narratives
"I will consider the apology if I'm sure they are no more lies" Geraldine said and leave the house for her marketplace. Albert and Valeria watch her leave
"What have you done Valeria?" Albert asked and Valeria narrate everything to him.
"You could have discussed this with we your brothers first before saying it to mother or father" Albert said rubbing his temple
"Father accepted already, I really hope she doesn't tell him where the idea came from because I will be done for" Valeria said and Albert nod confirming her fear
"We will talk about this over dinner, I need to go" Albert said and leave. Valeria went back to her room, dress up and leave for Daisy's house.
****
Valeria got to Daisy's house after few minutes, she didn't expect her mother to overreact because the mother she knows always talk it out with them. She entered the house after a knock, she saw Zarah in tears.
"Aunt Zarah" Valeria called running to her
"What's wrong Aunt?" Valeria asked sitting next to her on the couch
"We went to the market today and she was teased by some women about being a drunkard" Daisy said from the kitchen
"Is that why you are in tears?" Valeria asked knowing it comes with the change
"They also teased her for always sleeping in the gutters after losing a gamble" Daisy added
"It comes with the change aunt" Valeria said consoling her
"She's probably crying because they asked her not to come to the market and she's worried about how to provide for the family I've been providing for" Daisy said with anger
"Don't do that! Aunt, you will go to the market and stand against bullying" Valeria said. They continue their day after Zarah calm down from the tears, they planned for Zarah's business, how it will start and where it will start. An hour later, they've come to a final decision.
"Audu will bring the materials on credit, Aunt Zarah will make jewelry designs, Daisy makes a flyer at the printing shop and distribute it, the carpenter comes to make a stall in front of the house and Valeria does the decorations for the opening of Zarah's beadings" Valeria reads the plan to them and they rejoice. She left the house after Zarah called Audu and all the plans are solidified.
****
Valeria got home before her mother and brothers, she made dinner while waiting for them to be back. After dinner, Geraldine called a meeting with her children.
"Good evening everyone" Geraldine greeted
"Good evening mother" They chorused
"One of you have hurt my feelings and the wound is so deep that I can see my bone under my meat" Geraldine said and the children look at themselves except Valeria and Albert
"I feel like I'm not enough as a mother and that's why this person has decided to lie to me right in my face" Geraldine added still leaving her sons puzzled
"Why did you have to lie to me Valeria?" Geraldine asked making the puzzled brothers to look at their sister who is now in tears
"What are you talking about mother?" James asked still puzzled as others
"Ask your sister" Geraldine said pointing to Valeria who is wiping her tears to face what she has caused
"Enough of the suspense" Benedict said not liking the silence. Valeria explained everything that happened to them
"Mother, this is something you can scold Valeria on" Benedict said not liking the overreaction
"I concur but Valeria shouldn't have lied too" James said sincerely
"She didn't lie, we've talked about this before but she buried the thought" Francis said defending Valeria
"Francis is right, Aunt Zarah only helped in digging it up back" Valeria said defending herself. Geraldine now felt bad for overreacting but has to be a mother and an elder
"I am your mother and I want know about your deepest secrets and fear" Geraldine said sadly
"I'm sorry for keeping it from you, I didn't want you feeling hurt" Valeria said and they hug it out. The family retire to bed after having fun night.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Ray_Miyan
Ray_Miyan Was Geraldine's reaction necessary or she truly overreacted? Tell us in the comment section! Don't forget to vote with power stone
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone