The promise

39

*Y'all are patient.Really, thank you for that.*

I must be the slowest and most chaotic writer ever. Really criticizing my own work. I am my harshes critic and it's been a struggle.

I have also been super busy with life and work, so writting has been falling behind. I also started like two new books and I spent time jotting the main frame of them down. Yah I know..

I am woken out of sleep by Hazel tapping my shoulders. I had the worse cramp on the flight from calgary to london. One of the things that made it better was that I got to sit beside Hazel. She's my perfect angel because once she had her head phones in to a movie with her tablet in her lap, she didn't say a word. She asked to pee twice and that was it.
Due to seating changes Hazel and I got to sit with two strangers. A middle age guy with sunglasses and a woman, his wife who couldn't be bothered. We only exchange greetings and fell into silence. I sat at the edge and Hazel sat in the middle, it was the perfect arrangement. I had passed out thirty minutes into our flight from London and the plane could have crashed and I don't think I would have be woken, that's how much sleep I needed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos, Nigeria. The local time is 3pm and the temperature is 32 degrees." The captian announces in a thick British accent. He continue his speech and I slowly fall back into sleep again. I hate getting up as soon as the plane lands, too many people trying to get their bags and exits. I wait until it's settles down a bit before getting up.

"Amira, get up. They want to leave." Hazel wishper. The captain voice comes into focus again.

"On behalf of British Airlines and the entire crew, I'd like to thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. Have a nice evening and Merry Christmas!" The captian finishes his speech. I stand up and move to the side a little drowsy but rested from my nap. The couple stand up, enter the aisle before I take a sit.

"Everybody get your stuff together." My mom instructed us from her sit as if she was talking to everyone on the plane or that we the older kids don't already know what to do. The people on the plane burst into charter and you hear some people say "Thank you Jesus." as a prayer for safe flight. I pack hazel and I stuff before getting up to let her join our mother.

The moment the plane lands in Lagos you know. Apart from the incredible heat, There is something chaotically, organized about this city. It's in the air, chanting like a New Zealand rugby team telling you it history of being rugged, telling you it is going to hit you and you shouldn't be afraid to hit back, that it isn't a city for the light hearted or weak, it turns every person that steps within it walls into fearless hustlers. The city is hungry with potential and ambition that why it doesn't sleep; It is never full.

Lagos really does come alive at night when the sun goes down, music boom through the bustling streets, the smell of Suya, puff puff, sweet potatoes, roast fish, fear and excitement. I love Lagos at night. My family is fortunate enough to live in a six bedroom house with a two bedroom guest house in VGC, a nice community off the mainland. My parent built this house from their own design and hardwork. The best thing about VGC is that you can get the best of rugged Lagos and posh Lagos.

Our gate man Femi, a tall and lanky guy in his mid twenties whose body built seem to make him as funny as he is open the gate. Femi and I have a great friendship when I am in Lagos he is my go to guy.

"Welcome ma.. everybody Welcome."

"Thank you. How are you?" My mother ask Femi.

"Ahhh fine ma." He beamed with joy.