Ivory squirmed uncomfortably after hearing the question that Cakara's mother asked.
"No, Ma'am. I'm just a friend," she replied. She hid his trembling voice with a cough. "I'm not his girlfriend."
Cakara's mother nodded, then sighed in annoyance. "I thought you were Cakara's girlfriend," she admitted, touching her neat bun. "Are you his special friend?"
Ivory again gave an answer in the form of a shake.
"Ckckck. Caka ... Caka ...." grumbled the mother. "That boy never brought a girl into the house. He never introduced his girlfriend at all. I was worried that he might be traumatized by being disappointed by a woman to the point that he didn't want to date," she said.
"Maybe he still doesn't want to introduce his girlfriend to the family, Ma'am."
"Looks like he doesn't have a girlfriend yet," the woman replied. "This is the first time he's brought a girl to a family event," she added.
