Starlight

-7-

Roselyn___

          Nigeria, here we are. We arrived Lagos into the night. The night was cold and peaceful.
"We are going to lounge in a hotel for tonight. Can't afford travelling at night." Mum announced once we stopped at the hotel. We moved into the reception unit to book our rooms.
Mum got us two rooms.

One, for her and dad and the other, for the rest of us.
Naomi got the keys as we made our way to our respective rooms.

"I missed Nigeria," Naomi exhales loudly falling on the bed. I helped drag her luggage inside. Michelle watched the surrounding in awe.
She surveys every corner of the room before settling beside Naomi.

"Aunty Naomi, the foodie! Where am I sleeping?" Naomi twitched her lips at the new found nickname. Elle blinked innocently at her.

"It's just aunty Naomi. We are all sleeping on this." She pointed to the bed behind her. Elle's gaze followed her fingers before settling on her face.

"But I like the addition," she whined. We know what's she's going on about.
Naomi looks ready to launch at her if she tries using that addition again. I smiled at them. They'll never agree on the same thing.

"Don't you dare!" Naomi placed an accusing finger on her forehead ready to flick it at any time.
"Aunty Naomi, the fo... Ouch, I'm sorry." Naomi flicked her forehead and she whimpered in pain.

"Take that!" Naomi sticks her tongue out waving it at her. Elle frowned, still rubbing her aching forehead.
"Oh please! We just arrived ladies." I chimmed in. They both looked at me like I was their next prey. I giggled, I guess I shouldn't have butted in.

"She started it!" They both chorused together. They shared a look before bursting into laughter realising what just happened. I joined in, it was quite contagious.

"It's getting late. We should all go to bed. We have a flight to catch in the early hours of the morning." I reminded them.
I don't know about them but I am pretty much jetlagged.

I am so exhausted from the flight. It took a couple of hours. My ass hurts from all that sitting in one position for that long.
I need a massage.

Pulled my box towards me, unzipped it bringing out a pair of nightie and my bathrobe. I took out my bathing kit, as I like to call it.

It holds everything I could ever need in the bathroom.
Walked into the shower, I let the water fall on my hair. I got my wig uninstalled two days ago.
My hair's quite curly and afro. My curls dangle on my face and bounce each time I run my hand over it.

We are staying here for a week.
Maybe a week won't hurt.
Might be what I need to escape things_my thoughts, memories of NY.
Maybe I can heal here.

"Dara, we don't have all night. Be quick, please." Naomi's voice snapped back out of my thoughts, pulled me back into reality.
"I'm sorry, I got caught up here." I yelled out to her.
"Figures." I heard her mutter.

                               ***
We were back at Lagos' airport about boarding our plane down to Akwa-ibom state.
That's where we all come from, we are from a tribe called Ibibio. Grandma once said she didn't want to relocate abroad because she would miss the taste of fresh veggies.

Didn't want eating dried and preserved veggies as she put it.

We heard our plane being called next, we went through the custom before we boarded the plane.
Michelle was sleeping just before the plane took off.
Girl couldn't sleep a wink last night.
I guess it should be due to environmental changes.

It's better than a travelling fever.
I pulled out my headphone from my little bag, putting on some Christian music and close my eyes humming the tune.

I don't know when I drifted off to sleep but I woke up when a lady tapped me.
"We have arrived at our destination, ma'am." It happened to be the flight attendant. I looked to my side to see Elle still asleep.

I took off my headphones.
I thanked the woman, picking up my carry in luggage and Elle.
She stirred in my arms, mumbling words I couldn't make out before drifting back to dreamland.

                               ***
"Oh, Elle. Give her to me." Mum took Elle from my arms into hers. I felt relieved.
"How are we getting there?" I asked Mum rolling my luggage to where Naomi and dad stood.

"We hired a cab though. Would be here any.....oh there it is." She caught mid way once the cab came into our view. The cab driver came out helping us put our luggage inside.

"We are set," he announced cutting our little chit chat short.
"Thank you sir." Mum politely thanked him. She walked into the passenger seat.
We trail behind her.

The rest of us got into the backseat. The cab kick to life, Dad sat beside me resting his right hand on my left knee.
"My sweet girl," he beamed at me with that charming smile of his.

"Hey daddy." I smiled at him.
"I missed you, baby." I giggled.
We didn't see each other for just few hours, this man is absurd.

"Daddy, it's only been a few hours. Not up to a day, you're being ridiculous."
"Can't I miss my baby girl? Those few hours was torture."

"I heard that, Brian."
He widened his eyes at that, he didn't expect mum to invest into our conversation.
"Oh Mercy, baby. Why will it be torturous when I had you?"
"That's not what I heard."

"You definitely heard wrong."
"I like to think I have sharp hearing, there was no mistaking what I heard." She said with feigned annoyance. Naomi and I giggled at their banter.
"Baby, you know I love you right?"

"You always say that when I'm about snapping at you."
"Do I?"
"Brian James!"
"Mercy James, I'm at your service." He blinked innocently at her. I know he meant that torturous statement figuratively but mum's not having at that.

"I don't know why I fell for you." She rolls her eyes running her hands through Elle's hair who is now awake.
The cab driver had a smile on his face throughout my parent's banter.

"Because you couldn't resist my charms."
"You were just a mere banker."
"That banker that helped you each time you came with a complaint."

"You made yourself available each time."
"That's because I couldn't handle another man taking your case up and I got to see your beautiful face and smile everytime. I couldn't get enough of it."

Dad casually confessed to mum, her cheeks tainted a little red from blushing.
"You flatter me a lot."
"I'm simply stating the truth. I wanted you since when you sat on that chair opposite me." He drops another bombshell.

Mum blushed so hard. If not her being black, her face would have been red as tomato.
"Brian!"
"Yes love. You believe me now? My night wasn't torture. I had you in my arms, sure wasn't. I just missed my best friend." He smiled gazing sideways at me, I blush at his words.

The man sure has a way with words.
The rest of the drive was in complete silence. Elle watched the city leaning on mum's body.

"We are here." The driver announced making our head snap to our surrounding. Just to spot grandma walking up to us slightly with her back bent.

"My favourite people!"

###
I love their relationship. Her mum and dad....oh my! 🤍.

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God bless you ♥️.