The car filled with chatter and laughter, the air with excitement. Debi was on her way to the airport and in a few hours she'd arrive in New York city , the big Apple.
"Oh you'll love it, so many shops and restaurants..." her father trailed off with a sigh.
"Ygolon 3aleha Land of opportunity." Her mother joined her father's daydream.
after long silence, Debi said "I'll miss you." Her parents smiled sadly,
"Aww. f'dait, we'll miss you too." Her mother started.
"Don't worry you'll be enjoying yourself too much to even think about us." Her father added. They laughed.
Debi, her parents and grandmother entered the airport building. Good-bye was long, but felt short, sad, but Debi was happy to go to America.
On the plane, Debi was already feeling homesick but soon anticipation took over and she was nearly jumping in her seat. Hours went by slowly, then finally an announcement was made saying they had arrived in New York and will be landing shortly. Debi quickly turned to the window, her nose pressed against the glass as she stared out wide eyed like a child looking through the window of a candy store. She wore an ear-to-ear smile and an excited twinkle in her eye, her breath quickened to match her frantic heart beats.
While the plane was landing, Debi bounced in her seat impatiently until the plane stopped moving and the doors opened. Then she bounced off and was the first to exit the plane. She ran out, ignoring the air hostess who welcomed her to America.
"Wake up." She heard Toni whisper.
"I'm awake." She sat up.
"Food's ready Adi, my dad will be here in three, two, one." Toni' s father burst into the room.
He was a huge man, not in a body builder way but like a rugby player.
"Hello!" His voice was like thunder.
"Hello uncle." Adebisi said not at all scared of the large man, in fact finding comfort in his big smile. He opened his arms wide and hugged Adebisi lifting her off the ground and when he put her down, she was a little out of breath. Toni looked nothing like her father, he was dark tall and had all the true Nigerian features from the full lips to the big nose and eyes.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine thank you,"
"Good, good, how was the flight? Have you rested?" The smile never leaving his face.
"Yes."
"Welcome, welcome." His Nigerian accent thick.
"Thank you, I have something for you." Adebisi rummaged through one of her suitcases and removed a bag, it was quite heavy so she assumed it had many things in it.
"Here it's from abi." Adebisi said.
"Oh, my friend, I'll call him and thank him today." He laughed.
"Okay now girls, I'll be downstairs." He said and left the room.
"My father can be quite intense, don't be afraid of him, he's softer than my mom actually." Toni smiled apologetically.
"I like him." Adi said and Toni's worries were immediately put to rest.
Adebisi's family did not eat together at the dinner table, so it was not strange to her when Toni's did not either but then again her family was not normal. The only meal they ate together was breakfast but only occasionally. Most times they would go without it just to avoid their father's early morning moods. Often one of her siblings was victim of the 'dawn demons' as they called it, they made a joke of it most of the time but really it was just sad. Like the time her brothers were all whipped by a belt as their mother just encouraged the beatings. Adebisi never spoke much but that day she said to them with deep sincerity laced with hatred and disgust, "You and Abi have issues." Then walked away before her deluded bravery formed by anger was overcome by logic. She expected to get the beating of a lifetime but she got away, either her words really sunk in or they were too stunned.
Toni and Adebisi ate outside, on the front steps and her parents ate in the living room while watching television.
The night was beautiful, cool and quiet, it was not a dark night however, the moon shone its silver light over the world. Everyone in the neighbourhood had settled in their homes after a long day.
"What.. do we get out of all this?" Adebisi said abruptly, she was known to say the most random things after long silences. To her though her question was not out of the blue, she had journeyed in her mind for a while to reach the point where she formed that question.
Toni was a little uncomfortable, "What do you mean?"
Adebisi thought for a long while before she continued.
"What do we get out of life ya3ni." Adebisi explained.
"Adi are you suicidal?" Toni asked because she was having none of it.
"No!" It sounded like 'Noh!'
"Okay then, well... we get nothing out of life really that is worth living for, going through all the carp for but afterwards we are rewarded with paradise, if we're good." She hoped her answer was satisfying because she did not like deep conversations that infused to suicidal thoughts.
"Hmm." Adebisi thought then dropped the subject.
It was awkward for Toni, they had been sitting peacefully on the front steps, the cool night air on their faces. The mood was perfectly calm and they were both quiet. Then the intense question nearly had Toni choking on her chicken. The mood shifted and suddenly it was too cold, too quiet and too dark.
"Let's go inside." Toni was already opening the front door
"I want to go for a walk, is it okay?" Adi asked unsure. Her parents never allowed her out of the house, that is why she kept her visits to the forest a secret.
"You don't need permission Adi, it's safe if that's what you're worried about." Toni's said and disappeared. Adebisi wanted Toni to come with her but she knew Toni had enough of her for one day, and just like everyone else, her extreme behaviour pushed them away.
She shrugged it off and walked down the road, she passed big houses like Toni's, each a good distance apart from the other. They were nice houses, all different but not really special, she walked until she came upon a large building, standing directly below it was impossible to see top of the building, she pushed the doors and they opened so she walked In. It was huge!
A magnificent crystal chandelier provided a dim orange light that illuminated the place, rows of benches were connected to each side of the wall with a sort of runway extending to what seemed like a platform or stage, there were statues on the floor and paintings on the high ceiling. They looked like Greek people, with their robes and curly hair Adebisi thought, she actually had no clue. The coloured glass windows lined each wall and a single large one was on the wall behind the stage.
She stood for a couple of minutes scanning the room, then she realised. It is a church. She turned on her heel to exit,
"Come, don't leave, it alright." An older Jamaican woman said. Adebisi hadn't noticed her sitting on one of the benches. As she took a closer look at the woman, she noticed she looked very ancient. She had the exotic, island tan, her posture was upright, not bent from old age, though her face did show signs of aging, her eyes were completely white. Adebisi walked to the woman who tapped the space next to her motioning for Adebisi to take a seat. The woman's long dreadlocks lay across her laps and her boney, wrinkled hand rested on them. Adebisi waited for the her to speak but she just stared ahead.
"Good evening." Adebisi said.
"Good evenin'." To Adebisi' s surprise, the old woman's voice was clear, smooth and deep. So she began to study the woman and noticed her frown and the way her eyes shut slowly, she looked so peaceful and alert, sad and strong, indicating she lived a harsh life, conquered with some losses, and is ready for war again. She carried wisdom with her age, and looked like she had read life.
"So, what do we get out of all of this...life?" Adebisi asked.
"you're at a hundred right now, start at one." Was the woman's answer.
