When Love Sprouts

Chapter 15: Bienvenue á Kinshasa

"Ah, finally," said Joao, who was too busy stretching the tiredness out of his body.

"Oh, come on it was only 4 hours. Quit whining and be a man," Danika said dismissively.

"I miss the unlimited WiFi, the prawns and the free fifty channels. Azania sure scored on when she got that guy of her's hey, I mean how many of her potentials slash boyfriends could ever get us to the DRC by first class," Joao said.

Danika broke out in laughter, but Mrs Buvoir had so much nostalgia. The congested air, the loud hooting and beeping of cars and the countless figures of people swooshing by seemed evoke memories that were buried so deep within her. Memories she thought she buried six feet beneath the ground when she layed her husband to rest.

She thought she had moved on, yet, life held a handful of surprises to throw at her.

"Come, I want you to try my kind of food for a change. You are always stuffing your face with all that rabbit food."

Mrs. Buvoir smiled as she remember her husband dragging her to a restaurant that sold local cuisine.

At first she was sceptical of the food, but once she had one bite of it she just couldn't go back. She smiled as she remembered Mr. Buvoir's beautiful white smile.

Her smile got smudged off her face as she came to the realisation that the smile was only imprinted on their memories and photographs. Oh, if she could see him again, just one more time. She'd kill for that killer smile.

"Mom, Mom," Joao exclaimed.

Mrs. Buvoir stopped pacing around on the busy sidewalk of Kinshasa.

"Yes, Jelly Bear," said Mrs. Buvoir as she turned her attention back to the two.

"Are you okay, you seem a bit out of place," he said, voicing his concerns.

"I'm pretty sure, Mrs Buvoir, is doing fine. You're just so used to being a big baby," teased Danika.

"Ugh, shut your face. Mom, really though are you okay," he repeated.

"I'm okay," she said. "Being here has reminded me of the time your father was still alive," she professed.

Joao comforted his mom with a big strong bear hug, Danika joined in, making Mrs. Buvoir to melt away and forget all the gloomy nostalgia. "Let's catch a taxi, there's a restaurant I am dying to show you children," exclaimed Mrs. Buvoir excitedly. "Well, that's if it's still around," she murmured.

A few moments later, they were seated inside a small restaurant  filled with colours as bright as the rainbow. Joao busy digging through the food hungrily, while, Danika was busy taking countless selfies. "Jelly Bear, use the spoon," said Mrs Buvoir, as she was staring at Joao who couldn't hear a word.

"Hey fans, wondering where I am? I am, too. Okay, I'm just kidding. I'm in Kinshasa, the home of the legends and all humble beings," proclaimed Danika, as she walked around the the room.

Before she could finish shooting her video, someone snatched her phone from her. "WHAT...do you think you're doing," huffed Joao, who was trying to calm himself down amidst the stares filled around him.

"I was just telling my fans what I'm up to, why you being such a buzzkill," said Danika.

"Buzzkill? Buzzkill, this is a buzzkill," exclaimed Joao. He took the phone with both hands and tried to break it with his knee.

The phone plopped on the floor, leaving him with a sore knee. Danika burst out with laughter. "So you tried to break the phone, but the phone broke you! You kill me Joao, I mean Mommy's Jelly Bear,"

"Oh, Danika let my Jelly Bear be," added Mrs Buvoir.
"Its not funny I can break it you know, I just..." he said.

"Didn't want to," he continued.

"Plus, its not my fault the stupid phone was made of cement," he said.

"Actually, I have a better idea in mind," Joao said.

"Eh, sorry monsieur, I couldn't help but overhear that you wanted to get rid o your phone," interrupted a man with a thick French accent from the long cue of the restaurant.

"My name is Emmanuel,"

"Uhm, yes," Joao replied. "I meant I'm Joao and yes I could give you this phone, I you want it,"  repeated Joao.

"Give me? No, my good sir, I would like to pay for it," explained Emmanuel.

The big-eyed man stepped out of the cue and stood next to Joao. They began discussing the phone, and were even negotiating prices. Danika quickly snapped out of the trance of laughter, and into some simpleton seriousness.

"What? NO! Le suis déso..." struggled Danika.
They both looked at her funnily: Emmanuel raising his eyebrow at the broken French Danika spoke, and Joao.

"I'm sorry, sir, but he was just kidding. Dude, joke's over give back my phone,"
she demanded.

"Sorry, Dani, but what's done is done," Joao said.

"I'm telling your mom," whined Danika.

"Yeah? Well, go ahead. It's not like I'm five. I'm a man who stands on his own two feet, now," he boasted.

"Let's see how your bank account feels like being a man for a month or two,"

"Danika don't you dare," shouted Joao, as he ran after her in the small room.

"HEY!! Arrête de courir [stop running around ]," scolded a middle aged man dressed formally.

They both ignored him. "Is this our table," Danika asked.

"Yeah," Joao replied.

"Then where's Mo..." asked Danika.

A small serviette placed on the messy table next to Mrs Buvoir's meal read.

We took your father, the head. Now we stole the body that brought you on earth. Keep watching cause soon this green earth will have no trace of the filth you call family.

She trembled with fear at what they could do to Mrs Buvoir. Joao's words were a mere echo. "When will it end," she sobbed. They both sat on the wooden chairs comforting each other with the bitter reality of not knowing what to next expect.