#29
He stood with flowers in his hands as the plane touched down, he had never been this excited. Four years they had been talking on the phone, four years he had been
so sure that she was the woman he was going to settle down with and now that she was back; he couldn’t help but smile.
‘Lord I need to calm myself down.’ He continued to tell himself
When the passengers were disembarking he could feel his palms getting sweaty even though the June cold was brushing against his face.
He noticed her from the black heels she was wearing even before seeing her face, she had on a black dress with red lipstick. She smiled when she saw him and he couldn’t be surer that she was the one he would be spending the rest of his life with.
With heels on her feet she ran to him and threw herself in his hands, she too felt exactly how he felt. She had missed him and was just glad to be home.
‘I missed you.’ She said kissing his lips lightly
‘I missed you.’ He responded as he helped with her bags
He directed her to the vehicle and they made small talk on the way, she had so much to tell him and she was very bubbly. As he kept looking at her he was more grateful now more than ever that he had asked her four years ago to work on herself, she had both grown and matured and he couldn’t be more proud.
He got to her place and parked outside, he knew her sisters were waiting inside so he would let them have her for the day.
‘Marvin.’ She began
‘Yes Camilla.’
‘I never got to thank you four years ago for the speech you made.’ ‘Come on, you did the work. I just talked.’
‘The work was like fuel that drove me to where I am today. I never thought I could have gone to complete my education from Harvard, I never thought I would be able to utter Stephen’s name without feeling any pain and most importantly I never thought anyone would love me in my broken state.’
He smiled
‘Each one of us deserves a second chance.’
‘I got more than my share.’ She said before laughing
‘Go now before your sisters kill me.’ He said kissing her hand
She smiled and got out of the vehicle then drove to his cousin’s place. ‘Hey buddy.’ He said scooping up little Xander
‘You are growing up way too fast you know.’ He teased feeling his weight ‘You are growing old uncle.’ Xander teased causing Raquel to laugh who was coming from the kitchen with a tray of biltong
‘Hey little one.’ He greeted kissing her cheek
‘Hey handsome.’ She said
The two had gotten closer through the years, raising a child as a single mother is not an easy thing. Much worse negativity from society of how a woman can just walk out of her marital home claiming her husband is emotionally detached.
‘How did it go?’
He scratched his head
‘You chickened out?’ she asked bursting into laugher
‘Raquel you know it isn’t funny right?’ he asked but she kept laughing ‘Lord you are such a chicken.’ She said trying to catch her breath ‘Woman it isn’t as easy as it looks in the movies.’
‘Come on, Camilla is a good woman. All you had to do was tell her what is in your heart, unless you have signed up for a life of celibacy like me.’
‘Woman please, you think I believe that nonsense?’ he asked
The two went on and on talking about how they had been and also planning
Xander’s fourth birthday party which Raquel was hosting the following day.
‘So what time is the birthday party again?’ he asked now on his feet
‘From one in the afternoon to four, then I will have people clean up and
redecorate.’
‘Redecorate?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why? Are you going to throw another party afterwards?’ ‘A braai and you will propose to Camilla.’ ‘Huh?’ he asked
‘Marvin, you are my big brother and I love you a whole lot. I won’t allow you to
end up messing up a proposal, since you are not the romantic type; let me be of
help.’ She said handing him a brochure
‘And this?’
‘Well those are different types of décor and moods, you can pick which one you want.’
‘Well let me go home and decide.’
‘Um um, you don’t have that time. Now is the only time you have to decide or you will delay my people.’ She said going to the kitchen
She came back with another tray with pieces of cake and Xander was carrying another with wine.
‘Thank you baby.’ She said when Xander put the tray on the table He ran off immediately.
She smiled, every day he was a splitting image of his father.
‘Taste.’ She told him
He tasted from red velvet, to chocolate to vanilla then finally almond cakes. ‘Which one do you like?’ she asked
He got another piece of the red velvet and the chocolate then put them in his mouth at the same time.
‘This combination.’ He said
‘In another life I hope we marry.’ She said jokingly
‘I wouldn’t mind.’ He said causing her to laugh some more ‘Wine now.’
He tasted the five glasses and settled for the sweet red rose.
‘So to celebrate your engagement we are feasting on this.’ She said taking images of the wine and cake
‘What? Is all this necessary?’
‘My first marriage didn’t work out because my ex-husband didn’t propose.’ She said causing him to laugh
They talked some more and had dinner together before he bid her farewell.
The following day was busy for Raquel, she wanted everything to be perfect and hosting two parties the same day wasn’t an easy thing.
Xander’s birthday was beautiful with his uncle and father giving him amazing presents, his grandfather opening a trust fund for him which would see him through to college.
‘Thank you for coming.’ She said looking at Stephen who had come to tell her that he was leaving
‘You don’t need to thank me, he is my son too.’ He said ‘Are you coming for the braai though?’ ‘Yes I will be here.’
‘You can come with someone, a friend, a guest, girlfriend maybe.’ ‘I will be here.’ He responded kissing her cheek and walking off ‘I think you love Stephen.’ Marvin said startling her
‘Nigga please, and what are you still doing here?’ she asked
‘Am I supposed to be offended for being called nigga when I am white?’ he asked causing her to laugh.
..
..#EMOTIONALLY_DETACHED
*