CHAPTER 21

IVAN:

I arrived at mexico Friday evening, thank God it was Nana and papa that picked me from the airport. I was not ready to face Mum and Diana just yet.

"look at my boy! He got tanned" Nana joked as she hugged me.

"come on Nana! You know that's not possible"

I laughed remembering when I was younger, I would lay in the sun all day with the hope of getting tanned only for my behind to get burnt and run to Nana for her magic touch. I finally gave up when I was fifteen and accepted that my skin wouldn't tan.

"You only seem good at burning your butt" Nana kissed my head .

I chuckled "I missed you Nana!"

"I got my bags packed already" she replied

"Told you I'll get the message across"

Papa interjected "I think I finally realize where you got those genes"

Nana was papa's mother. As a child Nana lived in Atlanta before her parents moved to Spain, at age twelve her adventurous parent moved again to Norway where they stayed til she was sixteen before returning home. When Nana turned eighteen she travelled to London where she stayed with her aunt three years, she finally came home where she met grandpa Pablo. They had three kids papa being the second child and only male.

My aunt Fernanda lives with her husband and child in south Africa, My other aunt Louisa lives in Argentina with her Argentine husband and two kids, looks like papa who refused to catch the adventure fever passed the gene to his children .

My father married a mix raced, Teresa woods. My mother's mum Ma perry was Mexican while her father pa woods was English. In other words my papa married a half Mexican woman and stayed in Mexico.

Grand pa Pablo died almost ten years ago from stroke after he and Nana returned from another of their trips, Nana was really devastated yet she strong the whole time .

However, she was living her life to the fullest now and enjoys the constant competition between her children and grandchildren over who will house her for the next months and, this time I get to keep her.

The drive home was relaxing as Nana filled me in on everything that happened in SA.

"Nelson said he'll come visit Nigeria soon" Nana told me. Nelson was my nephew from Aunt Fernanda. The lad was eleven and I'd like him to meet Rufi.

As I open the front door Callie's "mi hermano es el hogar! esta en la casa!"  I had my little sisters love.

"Si amor! Soy en casa" i replied as she races down the stairs and swing into my arms.

"I miss ya so o much" she screamed and tightened her hold on my neck. I must have gone pale because Nana stepped forward and tugged callie.

"If you miss him that much then don't strangle him"

She let go "I wasn't trying to strangle him" she looked mortified " was I?" She looked at me

"No" I replied quickly, hating to see Callie like this.

"The girl has you wrapped around her little finger" Nana said "If you hadn't looked so white I might have believed you"

No doubt I'd do anything for my little sister.

"¡Ay, No!"

"Come one cal, I need you to tell me everything about Denmark" I smiled at her.

"Come on then" she dragged me towards my room.

"Come down in time for dinner" Papa called after us.

**********

RUFI:

Ana-Blaire and I saw Ivan off to the airport this morning and I knew secretly he felt special though he kept on complaining about how we shouldn't be up that early. We left home as early as five this morning.

Soon as we got to the airport a sickening feeling came on me and it took me a while to realize it was because the last time I was here I was helpless and clueless.

Ivan noticed my uneasiness and enquired why I was nervous, so I told him.

"You are not alone anymore Ruf" He said calming me as he placed a kiss on my head.

"Me too" Ana-Blaire said patting her head.

I got myself a jealous one there.

Today was the last day in the month of July which meant I resume work at 'The Honey source' on Monday, I hope not to see that wicked interviewer my first day of work.

Feeling clingy after letting go of one of the most important part of my life go to another continent I pulled my first love Ana-Blaire Alicia Brown and hugged her.

"I love you momma" her little voice calmed me

"I love you too sweetheart" I kissed her.

With all the restless energy in me i felt the need to work.

"You want cookies?" I asked Ana-Blaire.

"With ice-cream?" She replied

Ana-Blaire and ice-cream, thank God it was not making her fat.

"Just one"

"One very big ice-cream?" She tried manipulating

"Very big?" No way.

"yes"

"Big ice-cream, yes. Very big, no!"

"Ok, big ice cream" she said her deal tone struck me.

"One"

With that we set to work. We made enough cookies, too many cookies I might say. I sent a bowl to Mrs wellington, another to the cute lady, one for Samuel and another for Henry.

At four, Ana-Blaire and I sat in the living room with two big bowls of ice-cream and a bowl of cookies between us to watch cartoon. Even with all these activities my mind was with

Ivan, he was still mid-flight and won't touch down until 12:00am.

And I bet he won't call me when he does.

You shouldn't be awake this late.

That's what he'll say this time.

I'll have to wait til at least 6am.

Ivan could be really papa pikin without meaning to.

At 5pm victor came came in shouting "bring out the cookies!"

"Uncle victor!" Ana-Blaire jumped up

"My beautiful princess!" Victor opened his arms for her to race into.

"mmuuaahh!" He kissed her noisily as she giggled

"Rufi, I came for my cookies" he turned to me.

"Cookies on the cabinet, help yourself" I told him.

"Sure" he winked at me reminding me of Ivan . Ivan winks better though

''Any ice-cream left" he continued

Ana-Blaire's ears went pink at the mention of Ice-cream.

"In the fridge"

Victor came out with a bowl of ice-cream and two bowls of cookies in a polythene bag.

"The cute lady ordered me to come time with another bowl for her" he said explaining the extra bowl.

"Sure, the three of us can't finish all those anyways"

"How many bowls did you make.

"Thirteen"

"were you planning to sell?"

"No, its OFN"

"You are feeding the nation indeed"

"what is OFN" inquisitive Ana-Blaire

"Operation Feed the Nation"

She nodded like she understood.

At 5:53pm Maria came in with Henry right Behind her.

"cookies!"

"Oven" I replied between giggle

By the time it was nine I felt as heavy as a log, I managed to drag myself into the room I shared with Maria.

A slept as soon as my head touched the pillow.

Last thing I thought was----

Three hours from now Ivan will touch down at mexico.

****************************

IVAN:

When I did not see mum at dinner I knew something was up.

"Where did mother go" I asked Callie when she came into my room.

"she and Diana travelled to Paris"

"what for?"

"To get cloths for Nana's party"

"They travelled to Paris? For cloths?" I'm definitely cutting mum's allowance.

"Positive, crazy right?"

"Madness, did they know I'll be home today?"

"No we thought it better this way"

definitely, breathing one night free "Thanks sis"

"You're welcome, you look like you could use a few hours of sleep"

"Jet lag!" I yawned " I've been in Nigeria for two months now, they are six hours ahead"

"I understand, Good night" she hugged me  "sleep tight"

As badly as I want to sleep my goodnight rest depends on hearing Rufina Rose Brown's voice.

Its 11:30pm which equals 4:30am in Nigeria. I'd have to wait til it was at least 6:00am Nigerian time .

At 12:30pm I couldn't wait longer. I called the one person who held the key to my beauty sleep.

"Ivan!" Her sleepy voice cried out.