“Thank you, Lisa love,” Celie murmured as she squeezed back Lisa’s hand. “I feel like I’ve been imprisoned for so long and you remain my lifeline, my window to the world.”“We’ve grown up together, Celie, and I can say that you have been my friend the longest. I consider you more than a cousin, but a twin sister,” replied Lisa.“I appreciate that, dear Lisa. I appreciate that you have always communicated with me even when you went back to Malen. I am quite lonely here despite being surrounded by all these people and admired by the public. The last few days have been the worst, as I have told you. The constant presence of the guards failed to make me feel safe but have made me feel even more like a prisoner,” said Celie, wrapping an arm around Lisa’s waist and resting her head on Lisa’s shoulder.The two women walked slowly, feeling more secure in each other’s arms than with their guard

Nestie asked the question and then looked at the wisp of smoke that slowly dissipated from the window. He wondered what it was that created that smoke that for a moment looked like the figure of a woman leaning out of the window to look at the street below. As Nestie looked, a young man wearing a red shirt looked out holding an e-cigarette and blowing copious amounts of steam. Nestie had to laugh at himself when he saw the man.“So, what happened next?” Nestie repeated his question. When he looked at his side where Celie was, he noticed that she had disappeared together with Lisa. He turned around and found that the cousins had gone to the gate to welcome a group of children who were all dressed in colorful costumes. The boys were dressed in different shades of green while the girls wore dresses in yellows and oranges. Nestie came towards them.“What are you kids supposed to be?” he asked the children as they filed through the gate and stood on the

Celie leaned on the window and looked out as if admiring the view. She swept the few strands of hair from her face and placed a hand on the window frame as photographers took her picture. She posed for a few minutes, placing her chin on her hand, very much aware of the raised mobile phones from the crowd who were likewise taking snapshots of her. When the cellphones were lowered, Celie turned her gaze on the stage and acted as if seeing it for the first time. Her face contorted in a sort of grimace that the audience could not tell if it was to show surprise or pain. Celie then withdrew from the window and disappeared within the house. Loud music blared from the speakers as groups of dancers in colorful costumes lined up on the stage. The dancers moved to the rhythm of the music coming from the loud speakers and started to pull apart the cardboard cart that had collapsed on stage. A female dancer wearing a white dress came out of the cardboard cart and followed the choreography

“It’s going to rain,” came the ripple of whispers from the crowd as they each looked up at the darkening sky. Some of them opened their palms, expecting to see raindrops falling while others glanced up before deciding to return to their homes. The children stopped dancing and looked at each other. They saw their teachers talking to each other as if deciding on what to do in case the rain falls.“Looks like a cold front,” remarked Nestie as he looked up at the sky.Lisa nodded as she saw the huge mass of gray clouds that blocked the sun. She looked around her, wondering where they could take shelter. “It’s weird that the weather could suddenly change from fair to gloomy all of a sudden,” said Nestie to his friend.There was another flash of lightning and the loud boom of the thunder. Immediately, drops of rain started to fall. The crowd laughed and shouted at each other to take cover while the children looked to the

There was a mixture of concern and restrained anger in the mayor’s voice as he spoke to Lisa on the phone and Lisa could not help but feel guilty at losing her cousin during the parade.“That girl has run off without her security again, Lisa. I’m sorry you are getting dragged along with your cousin’s carelessness, but she’s gone too far,” said the mayor.“I’m sorry, Uncle Fred. I should have kept Celie in sight. I should have run to her,” said Lisa.“No, Lisa. It’s not your fault. If that cousin of yours had a good head on her neck, she would have gone to her security. She knew them well enough and they are never far from her,” replied Lisa’s uncle.“I’ll keep on calling her phone, Uncle. I hope she does get in touch soon,” said Lisa.“Please do, Lisa. Thank you. Sometimes, I think you should have been my daughter rather than that irresponsible cousin of you