“It’s already late, Mercy, have some mercy on your stomach. Don’t let me see you gobble on anything in my kitchen, okay?” Mercy smiled and looked at her mother as she nodded in conformity.
She returned her gaze to the system she was working on. Like an entrepreneur who just opened a new business, Mercy had been working for months, and as a caring mother, Esther had warned Mercy to simmer down as she often works late and sometimes sleeps very late.
Mercy’s mantra, ‘Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well,’ guides her work ethic. Although she just got employed as a research assistant in the university where she graduated, almost all the professors in her department finds a way to assign her a task or the other as she always ‘deliver the goods.’
Mercy’s coworkers often talk behind her back. “She gobbles on work and leaves her food, who does that?” They sometimes stylishly confront her with funny questions, “how does it feel to have an ulcer?” Mercy always finds a way to respond to her colleagues with sarcasm, as she believes she has a target and focuses on where she needs to be. “I have never had an ulcer; I was hoping you’ll have it first so I can learn from you.”
Mercy was known for her academic excellence, which journeyed with her into the work environment. “It’s just my mind deceiving me to work less. I can still work more,” she repeats these to distract herself from hunger and it often works. However, she most times end up in regret as she gobbles food anytime she eats.
The gobbling continued for a while, and even when she intentionally decided to eat on time the habit had become a condition. She knew she couldn’t approach her mother. Asides from giving Esther something to worry about, she wouldn’t want any scolding that could be a distraction from her work.
As a single lady, Mercy never had time to attend to men during her university days. She was focused on getting the A’s, and she had the support of her parents. Dave, her father, wasn’t always around but he never failed his fatherly duties.
“The only way to repay your father is to come out in flying colours,” Esther had always told Mercy while she was in the university, and like any obedient child, Mercy never allowed anything, including guys, distract her from her studies.
Esther had always wanted to change the narrative and tell her daughter that she wasn’t getting any younger. But it was a hard one to spill out because she had been the same person telling her to face her studies. “How do I tell her to start allowing men to approach her?” She said to herself. As she was busy ruminating, her phone rang.
“Hello, darling, it’s so nice of you to call at the moment. I was just ruminating over Mercy’s matter,” Esther said. “Yeah, sweetheart, I actually called to tell you I will be back this weekend, so I guess that will be a good time to discuss everything concerning that, right?” Dave replied.
“I know it is not a matter to be discussed over the phone but I think you need to discuss with your daughter when you are back, please put that in mind, okay?” As Esther concluded her statement, they both exchanged pleasantries after Dave agreed to her statement and hung up the call.
Dave already had a plan to hook Mercy up with his friend’s son who just graduated from Harvard University. As he got home the weekend, he uncovered his plan to his wife and also informed Mercy to get her best dresses ready.
“Dad, are you sure about this? You know I have never been in a relationship before.” Like a confident matchmaker, Dave smiled. “I have picked the best for you, my princess. You will love him,” he replied.
Daren seemed to be a gentle and handsome man. As Mercy was assessing his height, dark skin, and neatly shaved haircut, she couldn’t help but agree with her father. “Indeed, he seems to be the best,” she said to herself. “Wow, you look so beautiful, and your dress befits your elegance. It’s nice meeting you.”
Mercy couldn’t believe her ears “so he’s also cute with words?!” She blushed, as Daren replied with a smile.
As it was time to place their orders at the restaurant, like a spirit sent to intervene at the moment, something told Mercy to order wine alone, but she was too happy to listen to anything. “At least I am not working. Let me enjoy myself,” she said to herself.
As she was about placing her order, like a movie from a scene, she remembered her gobbling challenge, and everything about ordering wine alone made sense to her. Although she was hungry, she knew she had to pass. Luckily for her, Daren didn’t insist, so she was able to cover her secret at least for the moment.
Esther was surprised at how Mercy gobbled at her meal even though she was just returning from a date with Daren. “What happened? Daren didn’t buy you any food?” Esther asked. Dave was also shocked upon sighting his daughter. “My princess, what is going on here?” Amid mouthfuls, Mercy looked at her parents and could only signal with her hands, indicating they wait till she’s done.
After narrating her situation to her parents, Dave immediately arranged a therapeutic class for Mercy and also instructed her to reduce her attention to work. “We told you to gobble on excellence, not on food,” Dave had once joked. Luckily, Mercy got back to her normal eating habit in no time and later got married to Daren.