Changed •A Christian Romance•

Chapter 6

'The best way to gain self confidence is to do what you are afraid to do '

Grace POV

"Auntie" I screamed walking through the double doors of my Aunt's house. It was home to me even though I frequented the house on a weekly basis. The first thing my eyes always caught sight of was the array of flowers leading into the living space. Being a florist, my aunt's obsession with flowers was something she was proud to show. The living space itself was decorated with various flowers that I stopped memorizing once I realized she changed them every week. To top it all off, she had painted the walls of her house in different colors she had once told me represented the flowers she adored the most.

The one time I had brought a colleague over was when I was dropping by from work, and from that experience,I realized many people actually found my aunt's obsession weird contrary to me finding it cute. My colleague Hannah all through our time in my aunt's house continued to stare at my aunt with a look that said ' are you sure you are fine ' that I was sure if we hadn't left when we had, she would have put a call through to a mental hospital.

"At the back!" She screamed back making me cringe slightly. Now here was the problem,my aunt's voice isn't exactly an epitome of pleasant but I wasn't going to tell her that unless I was ready to wash the toilets in her house for a month straight.

I walked towards the back dropping my bag on the way in one of the little compartment she made for tending to her flowers and stealing a chicken from the kitchen ( I rhymed!). You could say I was threading on thin ice or better still stepping on the Lions tail.

" Thank you for gracing us with your presence this morning since you barely have anytime for this old woman now" My aunt said giving me a pointed stare when she saw the piece of chicken I was about to put in my mouth.

"Auntie" I retorted with an imitation of a baby's voice after chewing the chicken in my mouth. I walked over to her when I was done with the chicken when I realized she wasn't going to talk again any time soon. I hugged her from behind over her hunched figure that was watering some plants in her huge garden fully aware of the residue of oil on my hands from the piece of chicken I just finished eating.

"Girl I would give you two seconds to get your oily hands off me before I make you and you know it would end with you with a red cheek!" Though old, my auntie was young in her threats and if everyone was oblivious to that fact, I knew not to be.

I moved back with caution trying to leave a lot of distance between my aunt and I. Side stepping her and her plant, I walked over to the tap at the edge of the garden. "Good afternoon auntie, how has your day been?"

"So good that I didn't even notice your absence."

My loud laugh was the only thing that sounded in the quiet garden. "I'm so sorry auntie, you know I never planned for things to be like that."

She walked over to where I was beside the tap and washed her hands taking off he garden dress and gloves before leading the way back into the house.

We entered the kitchen and I helped her set a table. "Set for three, a friend of mine is on his way and by my calculations, she should be here by the time I'm done serving. "

" Looks like someone has been having her plate full."

" Silly girl! would you do what I asked you to do and stop putting weird thoughts in your head and we both know your uncle wouldn't hesitate to paralyze any man that tries nonsense with me." She exclaimed staring at me with wide eyes before turning back to continue serving.

"As you wish ma." I replied still giggling at my own words.

We began moving the food to the table and I couldn't help but give a long gaze to the jollof rice she had cooked as I served. I knew I was still going to eat it but a girl is allowed to be impatient right?

"Grace! Stop giving a covetous look to that food and go open the door. " It wasn't until she pulled me out of my thoughts that I heard the bell ringing.

I rushed over to the door wanting to go back to the food and enjoy my Nigeria jollof. A squeak of surprise escaped my mouth as I opened the door. There standing in front of me was my uncle.

"Uncle biggy!" I screamed before jumping into his arms. "Auntie didn't tell me you were coming today. How was London? " I said wrapping my arms around his neck my legs hanging in the air. That's what happens when you think you are tall but there is still someone taller than you are.

" Don't strangle my love to death Grace" my aunt warned but I could still hear the playfulness in her voice. I was so sure she couldn't wait to be in my position but me being not so nice, I released my uncle from my hold going to his side to wrap my hands around him.

"Don't be jealous now sweetheart. We all know you have a lot of time to hug me for the rest of your life" my uncle said before releasing himself from my koala self and walking over to my aunt to wrap her in a warm hug.

"Now you make me feel like a third wheel. Acting all lovey-dovey around me. I'll be with my love in the kitchen if you need me. " I lamented making my way to the kitchen to get my stomach full with my aunt's delicacy.

"If you listened to us and got married, maybe you won't have to face this every time. " I heard my aunt yell back before I was out of sight.

Few minutes later, my aunt and uncle sashayed into the kitchen before laughing at my attempts to cut the big piece of chicken my aunt had given me. I'm sure it was her way of punishing me for taking a piece of chicken earlier.

They settled on the chairs that circled the table in the kitchen with my uncle at the beginning of the table and my aunt on his right, me being on his left.

" Grace, courtesy demands that you wait for the other people before eating" my uncle enlightened me in a failed attempt to maintain a straight face.

" I'll just get another plate of this delicacy and we would all act like I hadn't eaten already. " I retorted making my uncle burst into a hearty laugh.

" I missed you and your funny replies so much Grace." He said once he stopped laughing.

" The feeling is mutual uncle, the feeling is mutual." I said as my aunt brought up different conversations.

The morning was going to be a long one.

Longest chapter yet. I hope you enjoyed it. R. C. V.S(read, comment, vote, share).Stay blessed people- Silee.