The Arrangement

New Year New Me?

I eventually left the living room, not like I could stay in there forever. I took my plate to the kitchen and washed it. "Mommy," I turned at the sound of my little man's voice. "Yes Darling?" I picked him up and placed him on the counter top so that we were level headed.

"Will we go back to South Africa?"

"Yes baby. Why do you ask?"

"I miss my grandparents."

"We will visit her when we make time okay?"

"No, not Makhuyu from Eastern Cape, Grandpa Liam and Grandma Livy" he played with his fingers, looking down. "Okay baby.. uhm," I was gobsmacked.  "Let me...mmmm....how about I talk to your daddy and see what he says, hmmm?"

"No!" He shouted, throwing his arms around me and crying. "Why, w-whats wrong with that love?" I try to pull him off but his hold tightens. "Come now Baby, talk to mommy,  tell me why I can't tell daddy. Please" I pick him up and walk up to my room where I find Belle asleep.

"Daddy doesn't like them! And-and..."

"Its okay baby, tell me." I sooth, "and they h-hate daddy too!" He crys out loud. "Oh my love. I handsome little love. It's okay. I'll find a way for you to visit them okay" he nods whilst crying. I hold him closer, rubbing his back as he continued crying. When his crystal lessened,  I grabbed the fleece blanket and threw it over us as I continued to rock him to sleep.

When I was sure he was fast asleep, I placed him besides his sister on the bed. The clock on the bedside table read 08:45pm. I walked out and headed down to the kitchen. I met Scar making what seemed like a green shake. "What's that?" I asked, peering from the side.

"All green shake." I hummed and walked to the other side of the kitchen where the coffee cups reside. I grabbed one, got the hot chocolate powder out, milk and sugar. I took a small pot and poured the milk inside. "Is it nice?" I asked, seeing him basically inhale the thing. "It is. Want some?" I shook my head no, stepping away from him. "Your loss."

"I'll take it like a champion." We chuckled. "Can I ask you something?" I pour the hot mixture into my cup, adding two marshmallows to the mix. "Yes you may." I roll my eyes with a little laugh at the end.

"Do you know Amanda's parents? Kelvin's parents? I mean, does Siya have any relationship with them?" He sets his glass down to pour more of that green juice. "I do know of them. I've only met them once and that was when we had to fetch Amanda because she was carrying Kelvin. They have hated him since."

"And Kelvin?"

"When Amanda gave birth, Boss wanted Amanda to sign her parental rights over to him and her parents fought for her to keep her rights and when he saw that raising a child in this job can't happen, he asked that they keep Kelvin."

"Hmmm...that must've been hard."

"It was. He made it look like I wasn't but we all felt it. The training got more intense and-"

"There you are. Are you guys coming?" Christine walked in  headed for the cookie jar. "Where?" She walked to the door. "Common room. We are playing drink or tell."

"You still play that game? I thought you'd grow out of it." I said, half surprised."

"Sone things never change Darlin'.  Now Come on." She walked out afterwards. "What is Drink or tell?"

"Its sort of like truth or dare. The no-deadly kind. It's quite...hectic. So you are asked a question, refuse to answer it, you must drink. If you drink 3 times, you are out." I explained.

"Sounds dumb" he rolled his eyes. "Are you coming or not?" I asked, pouring myself a second cup. "Sure. I could do with some entertainment." We walk to the common room. Upon entering, we found the bunch sitting in a somewhat semi circle.

"Great! You're here!" I sat besides Christine and Sinokuhle. "How old are you exactly?" I ask Sinokuhke as Jordan fetched the alcohol. "22"

"Really! You are so small!" She let out a little laugh. "I get that a lot. My mom and I would laugh about how people called her my sister and not my mother." Her face turned sad in the blink of an eye. "I miss her so much" she covered her face, facing downwards so that no one notices her change in emotion.

I pulled her into my embrace. Soon enough, I felt other arms wrap around me until only two people were left, Stacy and Scar. We pulled apart and Sinokuhle wiped her eyes and laughed half heartedly. "Enough with the sad stuff. It's new years eve people." A chorus of yes sounded throught the room.

We proceeded in the circle and began playing Drink or tell. At around 11pm, almost everyone was very drunk. I stood on wobbly feet and walked to the kitchen. Every thing felt so light and my brain was fuzzy. "Oh dear. What have you done." Nana sat me down on the bar stool.

"Everythibg is funny" I let out an uncontrollable fit of giggles. "Here. Drink up. We must get these toxins out of your body." She pushed the glass of water to my lips. I drank it selfishly. Having feeling unsatisfied, I asked for a second and third glass.

By then, my bladder felt like it was going to explode. I laid my head on the cold countertop to stop the dizziness, when I felt stable enough to stand, I rushed upstairs to pee. I walked to my room and found my two munchkins fast asleep. I had the urge to vomit so I ran out to the bathroom and threw my guts out.

I heard the countdown from the bathroom but ran out just in time to scream 'HAPPY NEW YEAR', I was in the bathroom for a longer amount of time than I though so Nana took the courtesy to wake my babies up. I held them close tk my chest as we celebrated the new year. From the corner of my eyes, I saw two figures, one short and one tall and build, kissing.

When the fireworks were over, we walked to our bedrooms and, after bidding one another a prosperous new year, we went to sleep. Since it's a new year, I'd try to have new things in my life, talk about...

new year new me...