CHAPTER 22

RUFI:

After I spoke with Ivan i wasn't able to go back to sleep, we spoke til it was about 6:30am and since it was a Saturday I could sleep until eight but instead I went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Since we still had a bowl of cookies I decided to make sponge cake, that way we'll have sponge cake, cookies and yogurt for breakfast.

By 7:30 the whole house smelt like sponge cake 

"Ms baker, good morning" Maria yawned

"Good morning to you" I smiled feeling complete

"It seem more excellent than good coming from the grin you have on your face"

I had been unable to wipe the smile off my face since Ivan called

"We up for cake?"

"Yup"

"And cookies" she grinned

"Ditto"

"Plus ice cold yogurt"

"punto"  I laughed

"por favor!" She giggled "I'm not the one dating a Spinard"

If there was one thing Maria and i learnt from watching Mexican soap it was their language. We pick random words out and use them as much as possible .

We might need them!

"Ready for breakfast?"

"si" I sent her a look "apenado" she smiled back.

"could you for the love of God speak in English" I huffed.

"thought we are preparing you for the trip to Mexico"

"Umph!" She laughed and carried the tray of sponge cakes out.

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

IVAN:

I woke up to the noise downstairs. My head buzzed. I checked the time by my bed side 11:37am.

When was the last time I slept this late?

By the time it was 12:20am I was freshly bathed and dressed. My stomach was preparing for riot as it were.

"Are you people telling me Ivan will not come home?" My mother growled

Are they still at this? For one hour?

A voice replied, not loud enough to pick out the words.

My room was the farthest from the living room so for me to hear my mother she must be screaming.

"What do you mean I'm screaming, your Nana's birthday is tomorrow and your brother is not here?"

Trust Callie to never keep her mouth shut.

By the way, why have they not told her I'm around?

Is this my family's way of protecting me from Diana?

No one argues with my mother, well except for Callie and right now I was team Callie.

"Shut up Callie! If not for his obsession with Nigeria would he not be here?"

"Maybe! Maybe if you aren't pushing Diana in his face he'd be here!" Callie's normally low voice screamed right back.

"what?" Mum retorted

Time to intervene.

"Enough cal--- Ivan you're up" Nana spoke quietly

"Ivan!" Mother screamed trying to get past Callie to me

"Good morning Nana, Mum" I said after kissing my Nana.

"let me go" she struggled with Callie

"Cal. I got it"

That's when she stepped back. Trust my little sister to stand up for her big bro."

"How dare you lie to me!" Mum asked no one in particular

"You want an answer? Honestly?!" Callie look furious "will you be able to stand it?"

"Callie!" I called out

"Stay out of this Ivan!"

This is not about me being home anymore.

And if my sis says stay out, then as the gentle man that I am I sank into the couch and watch the scene unfold.

"you better start talking!" Mum yelled .

As if she wasn't being yelled at Callie sank into the sofa next to me.

"The reason we all lied to you is to protect Ivan"

Protect? Me?

"You see mother, I might not be the stay home kind of child but I know stuffs "

"What do you know?" Her fear was evident

Oh sweet Callie!

Callie stood gracefully from the couch and went to mum, really close, then said in her usual voice like she was talking about weather

"I know you and Diana, mother, your little secret is not so confidential anymore"

Little secret?

Diana and mum? Weird!

Callie never says something she's not sure of. Something was definitely wrong here.

Cal and I needed to talk.

Mother was white as snow!

The confirmation I needed.

........

IVAN:

"Callie tell me what happened in there was a joke" I said the moment I got into her room

Callie placed the wine bottle she just poured from on a stool, sipped her drink before looking at me from under her lashes her look saying I was smarter than that.

"realmente?!"

I ran my hand through my hair "Talk to me Callie" I pleaded.

She held my gaze for God knows how long taking pity on me

"Sit Brother" she prompted

"Ivan you are blinded by too many things and top on that list is Mother. I don't know what it is for sure but I know its bad" she paused "on Monday Diana came over to welcome me back home. When it was past ten she left or so I thought. At about eleven i decided to go to town since I could not sleep due to jet lag, When I passed by the guest room I heard mum and Diana arguing and I quote Diana in her exact words 'whatever you'll do to get be back into Ivan's good book I don't care, you fail to do that and I'll tell everyone your little secret ' "

"¡¿Que?!" I was stunned

"They did not expect me to be awake that late, I guess someone forgot to tell them Denmark is seven hours ahead of Mexico"

'Short of words' would not explain the way I felt right now. Mother was using me as a ransom for her secrets.

"There's more" Callie continued "Remember that road trip we took the year you turned nine?"

Barely but I nodded.

"you probably don't remember, but whatever this is started then. Diana said something like mother should have  been careful when there was a seven year old on a trip with her father"

I'm so confused right now.

"if you remember it was when we returned mum started her matchmaking thing"

Right! Anger rushed through me.

"Ivan don't!"

"What?"

"I know what you're thinking right now, you want to go to mother and demands she tells you her secret, right?"

Callie held my face in her hands "It doesn't work that way Ivan and you know it"

She hugged me.

I'll never be able to thank God enough for giving me Callie Esperanza Martinez"

"Time Ivan, all we need is time" she whispered in my ears.

Time? I've got lots of it.

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

RUFI:

Ivan must be really busy seeing he hasn't called since that morning.

We ate dinner in silence which was strange considering Ana-Blaire was at the table. She must be missing Ivan so much that she was not in the mood to make conversations.

I sat in the living room with Ana-Blaire laying next to me when my phone buzzed. Ana-Blaire raced to it with the speed that confirmed my thought. She misses Ivan.

Her face lit up telling me who was ringing even before she said it.

"Ivan!" She grinned

"Hello!" I smiled

"Hola mi armor"

He sounded slightly bothered

"Are you ok?"  I was worried, he was in Mexico after all so many things could go wrong.

"I'm not Ruf I swear, I want to squash someone's face"

"What happened?"

He explain to me everything Callie said to him.

I sighed

"I wonder what secret is big enough for her to sell me" he groaned

"Ivan, I understand where you coming from but, Callie is right time is what you need, give it time and you two will uncover it"

"I pray so Rufina, I do" he sounded broken.

"As least you are one step closer to the truth now"

"yeah"

I smiled.

"You have a very important fan of yours pulling at my sleeve right now"

"Ana-Blaire? " he laughed.

"One and only" I laughed glad Ivan no longer worried.

"Well then! Hook me up with my most faithful fan"

"si señor" I gave the phone to Ana-Blaire before going out.

I had always wondered if there was any other person on the face of the earth like Alex I just found out there was another.

Whatever made parents' become enemies of their own children is beyond my understanding.

I looked at Ana-Blaire and just knew there was nothing she'll do that will ever make me turn against her.

"Mama!" she called  as she came out and handed me the phone.

I spoke with the one man that completed my world.