Unexpected

• Chapter Thirty-One •

"You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated." ~Maya Angelou

• • •

I've decided today is a good day to invite Abel over for dinner. Why, you ask? Well, my mum and dad are working shorter shifts meaning they'll be less cranky and Nolan would have had basketball practice making him less tired. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about Marcel and Omari. I just have to hope that they have the decency to not embarrass me. That's basically like thinking a pizza is healthy when there's peppers on it. Impossible.

For some reason, my mum wants us all to dress reasonably presentable to make a good impression. Therefore, I'm wearing a rust coloured paper bag skirt with a simple black top. All my brothers have been forced into trousers or nice jeans and shirts. My mother is wearing a traditional Nigerian dress while my dad tries to be intimidating by wearing his important looking uniform. Let me just tell you now, it's not really working. I commend him for trying though.

The sound of the door bell ringing breaks me out of my stupor so I can rush to let Abel in. Unfortunately, it seems as if my mum beat me to it. From the stairs, I can see Abel handing some Marigold flowers to her. If I can guess correctly, she's probably smitten already simply from his charm.

I walk all the way down the rest of the stairs announcing my presence. I look Abel up and down taking in his black jeans paired with a blue shirt that brings out his gorgeous eyes.

"Hey Abel." I say.

"Bro-I mean Keziah." He corrects himself before calling me his usual nickname. Maybe he thinks my parents' wont like it. Who knows?

"Well come on then, dinner is ready."

My mum turns around and heads straight for the dining room probably to finish setting the table properly.

I hold back for a minute to talk to Abel. "This shade of blue matches your eyes you know."

"Oh yeah? Do you like it?" He asks.

"On you? Of course."

Abel smiles at this and pulls me closer to him by my hips to give me a gentle kiss on my lips. "You better savour that feeling because you're not getting any more of that for the rest of this dinner."

"What? Why?" I whine at him.

"Not with your parents watching me like a hawk. I have to be on my absolute best behaviour. "

I roll my eyes at this and enter the dining room with Abel right behind me.

My mum and dad sit at the heads of the table leaving Omari, Nolan and Marcel on one side with me and Abel on the other.

I look at the food in front of us to find that mum has made her special jolof rice with jerk chicken and salad. I hope Abel is good with spice, because my mum makes her food reallly spicy.

"Everyone, this is Abel. Abel, meet Nolan, Omari, Marcel and my parents." I gesture to all of them.

"Hey, you're the boy from the plane. The one that was sitting next to Keziah." Marcel points out.

"Yes, I think we already knew that Marcel." I say dryly.

"I already know you because I'm friends with your brother and sister." Nolan says this happily probably thinking of the new friendship he has.

"Nice to see you again Nolan." He smiles at him.

The only one that has yet to meet Abel is Omari.