Chapter 6: Meddling Family

That night I was a boiling mass of rage,when I drove home. It was a miracle that I managed to even get some sleep hours later.

The next morning when I walked into the living room already fully dressed in white slack and a maroon sleeveless shirt, my heels click clack on the dark wood flooring.

I could hear the low timbre of my grandpa and grandma voices. They were both at the dining area having breakfast.

“Hi Sweetheart,” my grandpa said with a smile. I drop off my blazer, phone and purse on the couch, then stride to where they both were.

“Good morning,” I greeted, before making myself a cup of hot coffee.

“Morning, how are you feeling now?” my grandma asked, taking a bite of her sausage.

“I'm good,” I replied, biting into my toast bread.

“I take it we aren't allowed to ask what happened to you yesterday,” she asked again.

“No, you're not.” I could see them through my peripheral exchanging a look with her husband.

The sounds of several cars parking outside momentarily saved me. But from the sounds of it not for long, the fact that none of the cars were retreating announced their arrival.

My aunts and cousins. A few minutes later I heard the familiar different click-clacks and thumping of shoes on the dark wooden floor accompanied by their voices all chatting animatedly to each other.

I sighed and exchange a questioning look with my grandma, then grandpa they both shrugged.

“What the hell did I just hear about a sologamy Gia?” my aunt Kristen bursts in, throwing her bag on the couch and waltzing up to the dining area like a general in the war field.

And so it begins.

For a moment I didn't understand what she was talking about, then it came to me. I'd completely forgotten about the phone call with Chloe last night when she called to remind me of her mother, Kristen's message.

That I shouldn't forget about the blind date she'd set up for me. I glared at Chloe who throws me an apologetic look. I really couldn't blame her, my aunt is a force to be reckoned with.

“What's a sologamy?” Mia asked, she's my aunt Gabby's daughter, she's only eight and at that inquisitive stage where she wants to learn everything, and fast.

“Who's having a sologamy?” my cousin Jace asked, I'm sure he and the three other boys were forced into coming here, after all, not all teenage boys want to be trapped in a house full of meddling aunties and cousins.

“Gia, are you having a sologamy? Why? Don't you have any boyfriends?”

“Well idiot, have you seen her with anyone? Who do you expect her to marry? To marry you've got to date actual men and we all know how much she hates them,” Mercy said.

At fifteen she's taller than me and has grown into a beautiful young woman with blond riotous curls unlike my dark red hair.

“That's not true, I'm a man and she adores me, right Gia?” Clay said, puffing out his chest. He's three years younger than her and my favorite cousin. He's my aunt Kristen's son.

“Dumbass, you're family that's why she loves you. But Gia is a misandrist, she hates all men.” You could hear a pin drop with that statement.

My aunt Gabby smacks Mercy over the head. While I stare at my young cousin.

I was horrified to think that my family thinks so little of me. Yes I don't date and yes I have no plans of ever getting married but it's not because I have something against all men.

Only those like Colton and a few others I have come to know and the ones I'd unfortunately had bad luck of going on a blind date with.

And of course the asshole I met yesterday, men like him are dangerous preying on innocent women. I smiled at thirteen year old cousin.

“Of course I love you Clay, and not just because we're family but also because you're smart and brave and simply you.”

“And Mercy who told you that I'm a misandrist? Just because I chose not to date or marry a man doesn't necessarily mean that I hate men,” I stated calmly but I could see that she didn't believe me and none of my aunties looked like they do either.

“If you don't hate them why did I hear mom say you've fired more than two dozen men since you became the director, not to mention the ones who quit because they couldn't take your sexism,” she said, acting smart as always.

“Aunt Gabby?!” I whirl towards my aunty who wore a guilty expression, then glance at Bridget.

“Hey, don't look at me like that. I never said you were sexist. The men did, I don't know how Mercy heard that,” my aunt denied.

“Obviously someone must have been running their mouths again,” my grandma said glaring at my aunt Gabby who never censors what she says around her kids.

“And Mercy…”grandma said, directing that stern look at Mercy who suddenly looked nervous.

“This is not something you should be concerned about at your age, now take your brothers and cousins to the kitchen. There's a fresh batch of that chocolate cookie you kids like so much.”

They all filed out with the exception of Chloe who is the second eldest grandchild in the family, me being the first.

“So, that means you'll be going to the blind date won't you?” My aunt Kristen asked with a raised brow. The woman is tenacious. I'll give her that.

I rolled my eyes at Chloe, I can't believe that my family really do believe I hate men.

That really hurts but I didn't let it show on my face. Instead I concentrated on my breakfast. I picked up the knife while their voices picked up once again.

As gracefully as I can I cut the sausage on my plate into small chewable bite size. Using my fork I stabbed the chunk and put it into my mouth chewing nice and slow.

Pretending half a dozen people weren't around me blowing my ears off isn't an easy thing to do. They've gone back to asking about the sologamy.

With a family like mine I've learned to control my reactions, stand my ground and not give into their demands.

I have a huge family, a nosy meddling grandma, equally weird and nosy aunties who think they have every right to meddle in my life and business.

And a lot of nosy cousins all of whom are currently in the house I share with my grandma since I broke up with Colton years ago, I'd after all grow up in this very house.