Unexpected

• Chapter Thirty-Eight •

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up."
~Mark Twain

• • •

As the night winds down, everyone starts to say their goodbyes before preparing to leave for their journeys back home.

Zola jumps into my arms and wraps her skinny little arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I immediately smother her face in kisses causing her to giggle and hug me tighter. "I'll see you later Zo Zo. I love you."

"I love you too Kez Kez."

When we're saying goodbye and sometimes hello, we call each other those nicknames. Zola used to say it all the time when she could barely speak so I guess it kind of stuck and made me call her Zo Zo.

I move onto Zuri and give her a hug as well before letting go. "You're growing up way too fast Zuri." She gives me a cheeky smile, "Maybe you just need to grow taller."

I gasp in shock at her while she skips away laughing.

Nikita and Tobias both squash me between the both of them. "You realise that you'll see me again right?" I squeeze out.

"We know, but we wanted to do that." Nikita speaks up while Tobias nods.

Once they eventually let me go, Andre picks me up in his ridiculously large arms and crushes my body to his.

"Can't. Breathe." I force out.

"Oh, sorry." He puts me down on the ground, "I just wanted to say see you later."

I smile in response and pat him on the back.

"I hope you hang on to that Abel boy Keziah." Aunty L says.

"Yeah, he seems lovely." Aunty M adds.

"Don't make it all easy for him though." Gramps says with a chuckle.

"Back in my day, your grandad had to work hard to get me and to keep me. It keeps them on their toes." Grams says with a wink.

"You're just a difficult woman." Grandma teases.

"Excuse me Agatha, I just kept him interested." Grams responds defensively.

"No need to argue ladies." Gramps jumps in.

"Were we talking to you Bernard?" Grandma says.

Grams shakes her head and mouths 'can you believe him?' to grandma. The rest of us burst into laughter at this, knowing that they are only joking.

"This is what happens when you bring your parents with you." Uncle P mumbles.

"Got that right." Dad adds.

"We need to head out now guys." Uncle G states.

As a result, everyone starts bustling about once more.

"Bye!" Everyone yells this simultaneously as they leave our house allowing us to shut the door.

"What a night." My mum says.

"What a night indeed." I add.

• • •

Since it's already half 11 and because it's been a busy day, I head straight to my room to remove todays make up and clothes. I jump in the shower for the second time today, embracing the feeling of the hot water beating against my back.