Know You

1.

Alison shifted on the chair so she could get more comfortable as her little sister went on and on about something. The Christmas decorations in the ice cream parlor took her focus away for a few minutes. She looked around, smiled at the tinsel around the display cases, turned her nose up at the tacky decorations hanging on the door that couldn't be still, and ate the last bite of her ice cream cone.

"Ali."

"Yeah?" She looked back at the girl sitting across from her, who looked really frustrated. "Sorry. I'm listening."

"Oh yeah? What did I say?"

"It's between the major thing or the field thingy. Or both."

Alberta, her sister, sighed dramatically. "It's both. But I was talking about the field thingy, as you're calling it."

Ali sat up and folded her hands on the table. "Okay, what about it?"

"I can't choose. Biology has always been my thing since I was little so it seems like the right choice but now, Education is somewhat of a passion. I really want to teach." Albie frowned and looked down at the table. "Mammie said I should choose the one that pays well."

"I think you should go with your heart. Don't do anything that won't make you happy while doing it. It's one of the ingredients in the pot of failure."

Albie sighed then nodded. "I guess…" She stared at Ali. "Are you okay? You need to let me come spend some time. You shouldn't be on your feet so much."

"I'm fineee, stop fussing. If you miss me, just say so. Don't blame the poor baby. In fact, you need to go back to your mom. Let's go." 

Albie moaned and groaned her way out of the parlor, with Ali laughing behind her. 

"After Christmas, we'll discuss your coming over. You're too old to be acting like a baby oh."

Albie grinned and hugged Ali tight. "Thankss." They walked over to the roadside and stopped a taxi. "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Albie sat in the yellow taxi and closed the door, staring expectantly at Ali. 

"On Christmas day? You know that's not happening. I'll be home all day. Maybe."

Albie frowned and held the window glass with one hand. Her pure light skin latched on to the sun rays, making her glow even more obvious.  "Fine. If you'll be home, call me so I can come. Are you sure you don't want this space?"

"Fine geh, I going oh," the driver called from the front. "Y'all hurry up and decide."

"Wait small na, chey." Albie rolled her eyes but only Ali saw. She laughed behind her hand and held her slightly protruding stomach.

"I'm okay. You need to go more than me anyway. I'll get another taxi."

"Call me when you get home." The car started to pull away from the curb. "But driver, you na easy oh!"

Ali laughed and waved back at the too ecstatic Albie who was waving, her body almost out the window. The car soon got out of range but her smile stayed.

It was already four in the afternoon, a clear indication that she should go home. But she didn't want to. It was Christmas Eve! There were so many places to go to celebrate. The lights strung up over the roads, the big trees that dotted the stores and business centers along the main road filled her with so much joy.

She looked down at her slightly protruding stomach and pouted. "You spoiled all of mommy's plans, didn't you?"

With a sigh, she brought the brown bag that hung at her side to the front and rummaged through it for her phone. Music was missing from her system and that was an abomination. Besides, her husband's sexy voice hadn't graced her ears in three hours.