Christmas eve

...It was going to be fine, she prayed.

"Sis!" A happy Dupe ran out to come greet her.

"Put me down, this is totally illegal!" Her sister had lifted her up the ground in a hug.

"No one told you to be small."

"I would have you flogged if you keep talking like that."

"Tito!" her mum called her nicknames that she felt she was getting old for. Mrs. Ire stood outside their 5 room duplex all smiles and happy to see her... Well till they disagreed on something which would happen soon enough she was sure.

"Hello mum" she went on her knees as she greeted her mother, "Where is dad?"

Her mom ignored "Have you been eating well, you look thin." she turned her around

"Mum! I'm good and I do eat"

"Mum it is the stress of the job she does" Dupe who now held her bags cut in.

"What job? How else will you eat if you don't work?"

"I'm fine mum, let's go inside the sun is hot right now"

"Hey sis! I knew I heard you" her brother came out of the house holding a knife

"What's going on?"

"I'm out to kill all those who crosses our path," her brother joked.

"Don't let anyone hear you, shut up" their mother screamed.

"Mum it's a joke!"

"All of you inside now," typical Mrs. Ire, her mum always worried about the small stuff

"Dad! She screamed when she got inside.

"Is that my daughter? Her father called out from up the stairs as his chubby face came around the landing.

"Dad! What about me?" Dupe replied first.

He walked down the stairs to meet her "Hi dad," she prostrated in same manner .

"You have been gone for long; you didn't even bother coming to see your mum and me. What happens when you get married?"

"She will be out of the country then."

If looks could kill, she looked at her sister with dagger eyes.

"How have you been? Come and tell your daddy all about it."

"Dad I need to unpack first"

"Do you have to? You are here with us,"

"Yes dad I have to," she didn't want to talk with her dad yet. She had goggled how to write a really good resignation letter on her way here. If anything she wants to talk about how to boldly do what she wanted to do.

"OK then you go ahead and be quick about it."

"Daddy the knives are ready" her brother called out from the kitchen.

"What are we killing?"

"Turkey," her sister replied not happy

"Why? You don't like turkey?"

"I wanted chicken."

"Go help your sister unpack and stop being a baby," her mother yelled at her

"But mum."

"Come help."

Dupe suspected there was going to be some kind of reward so she joined her sister as they both climbed the stairs to her room

Her room remained the same, she had grown up here for 20 years, it changed as she aged but those changes stopped two years ago.

"So sis, what's up?

"Nothing is, you just have to help me unpack"

"Sis!"

She opened her closet to find most of her clothes gone.

"Where are my clothes?"

"In my room, where they should be."

"I can't with you" Dupe gave her a cheeky smile in response.

"So how is your sexy ass boyfriend?"

"sssh!"

"Don't get worked up, I know how it is"

"Do you!"

"How is he?"

"He's good. I invited him over tomorrow." She walked in to her closet.

"What! You did what." her sister was at her closet door now.

"You heard right, I just thought no one should spend Christmas alone."

"Wooo, you like him, you like like him!"

"No I don't, I mean I don't in the way you think I do."

Her sister laughed then she remembered they had parents who may not be welcoming

"What are you going to do about mum and dad?"

"I was thinking you will help me with that? You and Tayo of course"

She unpacked the little clothes she came with as she set to get them hang them

"Well dad is always cool when it comes to things like this and mum don't mind, well because you are old enough to get married and we should be having men lined up now, where they at?"

She smiled coz she knew her sister was trying to ease her off the thought that everything could go sour tomorrow.

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"I don't know. Mum and dad disown you, you move in with Su Yan and start a family against their wishes and I have the most adorable nephews and nieces in the world."

"Gee thanks I feel better already"

"Are you pregnant?" Her mum appeared in the door way.

"Mom!" They said together

"No!"

"I wish!

"Are you?"

"No!"

"You should be thinking of marriage."

"Mum! Christ no not now!"

"Don't worry mum, she has a prospect already"

"Who, and why haven't you brought him here?"

"Mum she is kidding" she pinched her sister as she plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Well even if she isn't it's a good thing."

If that didn't tell her she was getting old she didn't know what else would

"Dinner is ready" come down quickly "Dupe follow me give your sister space

Her sister gave her a push before running out of her room

"What can I help with?" she was relaxed enough to join them in the kitchen.

"Sis open your mouth," her brother who had been busy prepping the turkey to be cooked held a raw Turkey breast to her mouth

"Aaahh will you stop," she dodged him laughing. Family she thought. She was home now

"Tayo, don't worry your sister, put that down now!"

"Mum its OK" she didn't mind, no not one bit.

Government Residential Area PHASE TWO...

"She invited you for Christmas! The two of you are really going on a speed aren't you?"

"We need to go shopping,"

"Shopping? OK now I believe miracles do happen. You don't even know how to."

That statement made him recall how his life was growing up. Everything was done for him, everything.

"I need to make a good impression."

"Are you getting married already? No need for that. You have a room full of clothes yet unworn here, pick one!"

"OK fine convinced but what do I wear?"

"How did I become your personal assistant stylist, special advisor all at once?"

"You started it"

...

It was dinner time in the ire family

"So how has work been?" her dad asked.

Tale had settled on not telling her parents about her wanting to quit till after she does, that way no one can influence her decision. Taking control right?

"It has been great." she lied.

"Hope you adjust well and are friendly with all of your colleagues?"

Her mum always had something to say about her not been friendly with people and she wasn't sure why.

"So sister is bringing a friend over tomorrow?"

She chocked on the water she had started drinking.

"What are you doing?"

Her brother joined in "Yes, she invited a friend for dinner and we've met him."

"Yes mum and dad, he's amazing" her sister concluded.

"It's Christmas, the more the merrier," Her father replied calmly.

Tale nodded. She prayed her father kept that spirit tomorrow when Su Yan arrived.