Chapter Eight

Summary

• Maddie checks her emails expecting a job interview offer but only receives a noncommittal response from HR at CGT.
• Maddie's mother enters her room uninvited, brushing off Maddie's comment about ownership of the house.
• Maddie's mum reminds her not to overexert herself caring for her father, highlighting the presence of a professional carer.
• While doing laundry together, Maddie's mum makes pointed remarks about Maddie's age, single status, and lack of a boyfriend, suggesting that time is running out for her to have children.
• Her mother questions whether Maddie has thought about marriage and procreation, emphasizing cultural and racial considerations in choosing a partner.
• Maddie's mother shares her views on motherhood, implying that handling babies comes naturally to women and that men require help.
• The conversation shifts toward Maddie's lack of a romantic relationship, and her mother advises looking for a partner in church and prioritizes finding a God-fearing and financially stable man.
• Maddie reflects on how her parents' marriage has influenced her views on relationships, noting her father's shortcomings and the misalignment between her parents.
• Her mother continues to press Maddie about her future, discussing mother-daughter relationships and the importance of Maddie visiting Ghana.
• Maddie expresses feeling out of place in Ghana and her reluctance to return, citing cultural and language barriers.
• Her mother reassures Maddie that her father would want her to live her life fully and not be held back by their situation.
• The chapter ends with Maddie lying in bed, contemplating how to respond to a text from Ben.