FAMILY DINNER

Sitting in the midst of them feels so good to Ella, it looks as if she is discussing with her parents, and it's been a while she saw someone as a parent.

"What do you want to become in the future?" Malik asks.

Miss smith writes. "A business entrepreneur."

"Wow!." Malik exclaims. "No wonder you want your assets to be monitored, because you want your money to keep multiplying."

"But your father was a doctor, a very rich one for that matter. What do you choose to be a business entrepreneur?" Lola asks.

Ella writes. "I don't like the hospital at all, the smell coming from the ward is very offensive and annoying. Besides, I mustn't choose to be a doctor because my father was a doctor."

"Wow, my baby girl is so unique." Lola says with a smile.

"Tell us the things you will like to do but can't do due to one reason or the other." Malik says paying full attention to her.

"I think doing those things will make you feel more better in all ramifications." Lola adds.

Ella writes. "I will like to have a family dinner with all of you."

"With us?" Malik asks.

Ella nods and writes. "Family dinner is meant to be held with families, but I have no one else aside you people. Having this family dinner will make me very happy because it passes a lot of message to me."

"Really? What kind of message?" Lola asks.

She writes again. "I couldn't attend the last family dinner I planned with my family members, because they were all killed by those people that same day."

Lola and Malik exchanged short glances, they feel very sorry for the poor girl having to keep such memories in her head.

"But how come you survived?" Malik asks again.

Miss Smith smiles painfully and writes again. "Two days before our family dinner, my mom had a terrible dream that someone killed us all, she was so scared that she asked Miss Vivian to come and take me to her place. I was mad at my mom and threw tantrums, not knowing she was doing all in her best to protect me."

"Oh my God! This is terrible!" Lola exclaims with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Stop crying Lola, this isn't good for her health." Malik cautions.

"You went through all this when you are this young, coming to Burundi to hide wasn't easy either. You had to fight bullies and-" Lola breaks down in tears.

"Please stop this." Malik pleads.

Ella bows her head and writes. "Stop crying, it won't change anything."

"If brave was a person, then it would be you Ella." Malik whispers.

"Teach me to be brave like you Ella." Lola whispers with tears.

She writes again. "Will you teach me how to cry again?"

The entire room grew silent, the tears stopped rolling out of Lola's eyes and Malik's mouth went agape for a while.

"What did you just say?" Malik murmurs when he finally finds what to say.

"Teach you how to cry?" Lola asks too with utmost disbelief and shock.

Ella nods and writes. "Ever since I lost my family, I stopped crying, and it hursts me so bad. Most times, when something terrible happens and I feel like crying but the tears aren't coming out, I sometimes ask or pray for death in my mind. Cause, the pains are just too much for me to handle."

"What are we going to do about that? Don't you think it will damage your heart?" Lola asks with a lot of care.

"Ella, I don't know how to console you but please don't carry your problems alone, I will share them with you. Let me take the position of your father. I promise to never betray or hurt you?"

Ella looks at Malik scornfully and writes. "I won't trust any other person again, and I won't believe in promises anymore."

"Why?" Malik asks.

"Ella, I thought we already talked about this." Lola says.

"Why did she says she doesn't want to trust people anymore?" Malik asks.

"It's because of what Vivian did to her, after the death of her parents and grandparents, she saw Vivian as the only person left for her on earth. Now, she is nowhere to be found."

"I see." Malik whispers. "So Ella, what does this family dinner look like?" He says with the hope of changing the topic and fortunately it was successful.

Ella happily bows her head to writes. "We cook a nice delicacy and prepare some snacks, the females wear nice dinner dresses and the males wear tuxedos."

"I think I can already picture the fun." Lola says laughing with a lot excitement.

"It would be really fun to do so, when do you think we should do that?" Malik asks.

"I think we should do it this Sunday. It would be really nice that day because it's said to be a relaxing day."

"Yes, I agree with that too." Malik adds with a chatty voice, obviously the mood has gotten better than before.

Ella smiles and writes. "But can a police officer like you own a tuxedos?" She asks Malik mockingly.

"Hey kid!" Malik exclaims almost offended with what she said but realizes he does not have a tuxedos. "Come to think of it." He says scratching the back of his head. "I don't actually have any."

"Seriously?!" Lola asks and bursts into laughter. "This is so hilarious."

"You both should stop mocking me, it's because of the nature of my job." He tries to defend himself.

Ella smiles and writes. "I think you should get one before Sunday. Does shamim have one?"

"Of course, he has lots of it." Malik answers with a little boast. "Even though I didn't have any, I made sure my son does have a lot."

"You should have at least tried to get one for yourself because of cases like this." Lola teases.

"Fine! I will get one soon." Malik finally surrenders.