Chapter 2- Home

Deila's pov

I hauled myself out of the bathroom, horridly getting dressed. I was about to sit down to complete little gaps in my writing when I heard a disrupting noise from outside. A car horn. 

I shifted the curtains to see a car parked outside. On the body of the car was written Best To Drive Motors. I tilted my head, tacking my brain for why it appeared so familiar then I got it. The Uber I booked online had the same name. They arrived quite earlier than I had expected, much to my disappointment. 

All I wanted was to sit with my pen for a few minutes, but I didn't even get a few seconds.

It was ironic that I was complaining now when in a few minutes I was going to be sitting in the same position for hours and my big bum was going to hurt so badly. Then  I'd be complaining and would be looking for any opportunity to stand up. It was always the same thing every time. That was the thing with journeys that freaked me out. I loved traveling but the whole experience was exhausting and body aching. 

I dragged my box with me outside the house, stopping to adjust my Givenchy chain purse on my right shoulder.

On seeing me, the Uber driver stuck his head out of the driver's window and nodded with a smile, which I returned with a little dry one.

"Ah ma'am, I could help you with that." He suggested from inside the car.

Of course and you are sitting there with your tummy touching the steering wheel! I thought rolling my eyes inwardly. 

Like he read my mind, his door opened and he was about stepping out of the car when I shook my head in disapproval. 

"No sir, it's no bother. There's practically nothing inside," I told him and genuinely hoped he wouldn't bother. 

He wasn't convinced, when I saw he was going to argue, I looked away from him and continued to drag my big to the car. 

I opened the trunk, dumbed my pink-colored Versace box inside, chuckled inwardly, and thought of how furious my mum would get if she saw me doing that. The box was my mum's gift to me on my 20th birthday. Two years ago, two weeks before I left Atlanta for Los Angeles. It was quite expensive, but I would very much have preferred holding the money in its raw state. I loved cash and detested spending it unnecessarily.

Inside the Uber motor, I began to reminisce on Atlanta when the driver interrupted. "Practically nothing?" He nudged his head at me through the review mirror. "You said on the phone to come by 1, that you had an evening flight going to Atlanta, right?"

"Yes," I replied curtly. "Don't you think you should speed up? It's 50 minutes to my flight time." I lied, but it was justified, I didn't feel like talking.

"Right away ma'am." He did as I told. I guess he could smell that I didn't want to have a chat with him.

It was supposed to take twenty minutes to get to the airport, but thanks to the Uber driver, it took me half of that to get there.

I checked in for my flight, collected my boarding pass then checked my luggage through. 

2 hours later I was over and done with the boarding and security checkpoints. 

I'd been seated inside the plane for a few minutes when a blonde girl twice the size of a pool stick walked in. She had an air hostess's uniform on, only unlike her colleagues, hers was really clingy and hugged her overly thin body, it wouldn't have been surprised if I found the uniform was made for someone half her size if such a person really existed. I saw it as hmm...say unprofessional? 

"We're about to take off. Fasten your seat belts and relax. I'll recommend you keep your seat belts fastened during the flight until we tell you otherwise. Thank you." The girl I couldn't figure if she was an air hostess or a cougar girl announced, battering her artificial lashes.

I watched interestingly as she swayed her nonexistent hips walking to the back of the plane. 

It doesn't concern you, does it? My subconscious called me to order. I shifted to get comfortable silently agreeing with the voice inside my head. I rested my head then adjusted the dark Fenty shades I'd on, knowing fully well this was the position I always slept anytime I traveled by air. 

'No there's no one. I waited for you,' I answered him

He grabbed me by the ass and pulled me to him making me moan softly.

Then his plump lips were on mine. So familiar like vanilla. I kissed him back 

Meeting him with equal passion. When we pulled apart I was panting for breath

 'Two long years and you still tremble from my touch. I've missed you," He confessed and I felt tingles all over my body.

It felt too good to be true. Too good. 

He continued his declaration holding my eyes with his ocean blue ones.  'I've missed you so much babe, and...'

Silence.

'And what?' I asked eagerly when I could no longer wait for his trail. I needed him to soothe me with those words I wanted to hear.

Tap! Tap! 

'ma'am' 'ma'am?' I felt a foreign hand on my lap and of a sudden, he started to disappear. 

Why was he fading away?

Gently, I fluttered my lids open to see why, then cussed mentally when I took in my surroundings— disappointment filling me with the realization that I was still inside an airplane. It was a dream, after all. I had to tell my pulsing center that, but it wouldn't bulge, my panties were already madly wet. 

All the kisses and declarations were a goddamn dream! I felt stupid and naive, angry at myself that a mere fantastical dream could turn me on to the extent of my thighs clenching. 

I looked around to see who it was that tapped me up from sleep. The person had disappeared, his or her mission was completed after all. 

I had a familiar recognition of the voice, It was a feminine voice, definitely the air hostess from earlier.  I wanted to hold a grudge, I should've been allowed to hear those three words of assurance, even if it was in a dream but I couldn't. I was grateful to whoever woke me up because I was now the only one left on the plane. 

Geez! You sure did yourself good yesterday at that club, didn't you? I scolded myself. 

I made my way to the waiting area, only stopping to stretch my body that was fatigued from five hours of sleeping during my flight from LA to Atlanta Georgia. 

Bringing out my phone from my purse, I texted my mum, letting her know I'd arrived and needed someone from the house to pick me up. 

Not up to five minutes later Mr.tony, the family driver pulled up. Ah! I mentally did a happy first bump. It was so like my mum to not waste any time and I really appreciated it, especially with how tired I was. My aching feet could use some rest, I still didn't know why they arched.

"Wow, wow, wow!" Mr. Tony exclaimed from inside the car. "Just who do we've here? The only one Dei." 

Grinning from ear to ear, I quickened my pace or practically ran to the car.

He came out of the car, wrapping me in a fatherly hug, he could pass off as one to me. He practically became part of the family before I was born.

"Good day to you too, sir. You've refused to grow older, I see." I  enjoyed teasing him as he did me. 

"Ah! You want me to grow older, I see." He feigned a serious look.

I probably would've freaked out if I didn't know Mr.Tony, his face looked awfully strong and at the same time funny. I didn't try to control the storm of laughter that poured out of me. I bellowed with laughter until he joined in. 

"Well, that day won't come kid. I'd probably be more youthful than the man that's gonna be your husband," He said through laughs. 

I shrugged. 'That man won't be existing. I wasn't joking when I said I was never getting married, you know?"

"We can't keep standing here." He held the door to the back seat open for me.

I ditched it for the passenger's seat instead. 

"How about we let fate take its course?" He mumbled under his breath as he closed the door. Then he went ahead to keep my box in the trunk.

"You always have a way of making me forget my pain," I muttered not so silently. 

He chuckled. "What now?"

"Just when you came my feet were...ouch!  still hurting!" I cried out.

"Sorry  child. Maybe I ain't a pain killer after all. Your mum or dad will figure it out not to worry." 

"How's it over there in LA?" He asked looking at me through the rear-view mirror

"Fine... and fun," I added, thinking about the fun times with Eva and Lari. 

        

Throughout the drive, my head rested in the window, my gaze was fixed outside. Atlanta hadn't changed a bit. The street we were now entering reminded me so much of a painful chapter my heart had refused to close even after two years. 

And I wasn't opening a new one just yet. No time soon. I probably never will because even though my mind and head were telling me that the previous was closed, my stubborn heart kept it open.

The Range Rover cornered to an almost hidden estate, so familiar. Before I could take it all in, the big golden gate caging the Barbson's mansion opened widely to the large royal blue painted building. 

The house was un-aging and was as it was last time I saw it, just as new. Very new. It was as if it was cut out of Today's Architect magazine. The pitched roof was flat and the door large as it was tall. The windows were overly large, I'd always loved how anyone inside could see the outside but no one could see a thing from outside. The house could've passed for a mini-skyscraper, not for the external porch and the matching plant beds that had red lilies on it. The field was as green as ever and overly wide. Overall, it was homely.

I wasn't even out of the car when I saw her running towards me. 

"Oh, my geez!" My overdramatic sister, Sia squealed on seeing me.

I couldn't breathe properly as she was crumbling all of my bones with what she will call just a hug. I rolled my eyes, thinking of how much I've missed her drama, but that didn't mean I'd let her choke me to death with her bone-crushing hug. 

"You should let me behold your beauty," I grunted. 

Bating her long lashes that were almost as long as mine, and pouting her perfect pink lips, she backed away from me. 

 "You are so cruel!" She whined and we chuckled in unison. 

My brows rose skeptically at my not so favorite uncle, Uncle Jamison, was walking towards me with a surprisingly genuine smile.

I resisted the urge to frown because I very well remember his preaching on how elders must always sit and wait for children to go to them. Those were his words and he preached them every opportunity he got, why was now an exception? 

He was so African, or he thought so. He'd always preach on how elders should be treated the exact way they're treated back home. He visits Nigeria often and had tried to change the rule for the Barbson kids so often, which was why he was no one's favorite.

But why was he coming to me with his arms wide open for a hug? Fuck no! A hug from this rude gentleman wasn't going to do me any good, I argued with myself but hugged him anyway.

All the sweet talks and hugs continued from mother to, then father to sisters, and brother, to aunties. I was a wreck after the never-ending hugs. 

Sighing for the umpteenth time, I made my way upstairs to my room to see everything was surprising as I'd left them. Maybe I wouldn't have been so surprised, but my younger sister, Sia, was known for going through her siblings' stuff and colonizing all she deemed fitted, so my surprise that my room wasn't ransacked was justified.

Dinner was noisier than a market place. I secretly wished I could make use of earbuds so I could eat the so delicious meal in peace.

Although I couldn't complain much, I got to pick what was for dinner on a day that wasn't my birthday and that was a one-time thing I'm the Barbson mansion. Mum was the only boss in the kitchen and everywhere.

burp! 

The sound of a spoon cluttering to the ground sounded all through the silent dining room. I looked to see who's it was, and to add to my bags of surprises it was the perfect Uncle Kay.

He cleared his throat while bending to pick it up, at the same time throwing a glance my way.

"So Dei, when are we going to meet your man?" 

Blast

26 months away and somethings still never got old. Uncle Jamison always trying to shift the attention away from himself when he flopped was one. 

"Fragile much?" I mumbled under my breath looking up to the silver chandelier that dangled up on the white ceilings.

"Aren't you going to answer him?" Mum asked. 

"Well," I started, then paused to sip from my glass of vanilla milk.  "I don't have anybody for now." I meet their curious stares.

Mum arched a brow up with a look of  'You  really going to do that?'

"And, I'm not thinking of ever having one," I declared suddenly feeling like riling them. 

"What!?" almost everyone in the dining room exclaimed. The ones who didn't join in the exclamation stared at me wide-eyed. Well, take that.

I pouted playfully "Uh, yeah."

"Don't tell me you're gay, 'cause that would explain why I've never seen you with even a male friend before," Uncle kay said, disgust written all over his face.

Despite my full mouth, I laughed so hard, covering my mouth so I didn't look stupid should my food pour out.

"Believe me, I wish I was." I mused smiling at Uncle kay. 

Although I was only joking, he didn't have a single sense of humor in his bones to know that. That was why made messing with him and getting on his nerves such fun.

"Well now?" Maria asked sarcastically arcing both her brow up.

Dinner was silent after that. 

I was about to go to bed when Maria hugged me for the umpteenth time. I returned the hug genuinely. When I learned that she hadn't been put in a family way I was relieved, because as I told her, I didn't want her to rush into a marriage just because of that. 

She explained that she just wanted to get the wedding over and done with and that she couldn't wait to be a Mrs. Unlike me, I  didn't think I'd ever want to or be able to. 

Mari was the quiet one when she wished to be, I guess the hugs was how she expressed her love. Actions speak louder than words, they say.

"I love you too!" Mum yelled to me just as I was about entering my room. I didn't miss the sarcasm that laced it. 

I never did fancy doing the 'I  love you's ' before going to bed every night, but I tried sometimes for the fact that mum loved the exchange, other times it was tiring to me, like now. 

Darkness welcomed me as  I entered my room. 

Who could've turned the lights off? I asked myself.  I'd left them turned on before going down for dinner. Everyone in the house knew very well I hated the dark. 

Was I scared? I wasn't supposed to be. I was home after all.

I felt a presence in the room and was about to switch on the light when I felt a stronghold on my hand. Holy geez!

It wasn't just my imagination, someone else was in there with me, and whoever it was held my hand firmly to the light switch.