Black Coffee (Tara's Dream)|Dearest Diary, - Book 1 (unedited)

Chapter Five.

Dearest Diary,

Christmas is round the corner and I must admit I am feeling pretty nervous.

Troy is going to be here any time now and I am not sure how that will go, especially with my crazy sister still prowling around.

Briella is also going to school in two weeks and that’s another cause to be nervous. I don’t know how my parents did it and twice for that matter, because the idea of leaving my child in a totally new environment and with total strangers is pretty daunting.

I know I should be proud, but the voices around me are too loud that it is hard to feel anything else other than fear. Apart from that I am glad with the progress I am making and yea, I am now a Landlord!

Oh! That’s spelt landlady, but I am sure you get the gist of what I am saying.

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"Daddy!" Briella shouts gleefully as her father's figure emerges from the crowds of people flocking the arrivals terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International airport.

I close my word app and watch as her father loops an arm around her tiny form, before hauling her up into his arms in a crushing bear hug.

"I missed you!" The toddler says in an accusatory tone and I can't help but smile.

"I missed you too Princess." Her fathers says flicking her nose with a finger and Shea laughs beside me.

Troy's attention shifts from his daughter to the rest of the welcoming committee and a grin forms on his face as he advances towards us.

"Hey," he says putting Bri down and I smile as I am engulfed in a bear hug of my own.

"You're getting slow." Troy says and I pull away to give him a puzzled look.

" Bri beat you to the gates."

I finally grasp his meaning and my lower lip pulls into a pout. Shea bursts out laughing and Troy turns to face her.

"Hi Shea."

"Hi," she responds shaking his hand in greeting. "So it's true. I had my doubts but now its confirmed."

"I am sorry we had to be so sneaky. Your sister here loves to cover herself in a shroud of mystery."

"That's true. She has an uncanny ability for keeping secrets."

My jaw drops and I narrow my gaze at my sister.

"When you are done talking about me as if I am not here, you'll know where to find me." I tell them, walking towards Bridget. Troy calls after me, but I ignore him, my mind turning over Shea's words.

My mind drifts to all my conversations with my sister and anything that I might have said to convince her that I have more secrets, but I come up empty.

I mentally skim through all the files in my laptop, but I am sure that all there are jusr manuscripts belonging to an anonymous author or under my pseudonym. For all I know, my sister thinks that my writing is a fruitless hobby and all my income comes from my consulting job.

My mind is brought back to the present by the slamming of Bridet's trunk and I turn to find Shea securing Bri in her carseat.

"Some things never change."

"Probably because they are not meant to."

My sister rolls her eyes at my retort, but holds her tongue when Troy opens the front door to ride shotgun.

"You can't run away forever." He tells ma and I scoff.

"That sounds like a line from a horror movie."