22

"Ari. Nice to meet you," she said as they lifted the bowl onto the table. This should be easy, Ari thought. She will just impress Claudia and prove to her that that the other night was a flop on her part. But until then, she was going to have to get along with everyone and be on her way come Sunday evening.

"Are you here all weekend?" Chelsea asked with hope in her voice. Ari smiled and nodded, making Chelsea exhale exaggeratedly. "You won't believe how much I prayed to have someone from my generation around here."

"Tell me all about it," Ari giggled as they washed the potatoes.

"My brother will be here soon, then we'll be three people less than 40," Chelsea laughed. Ari got the sense that Chelsea was someone who liked to talk and laugh.

Chelsea continued chatting. "He says he rarely comes over because if his work and stuff. Which I know is a lie." She then looked behind her shoulder to make sure the coast is clear before whispering in Ari's ear. "We're too dysfunctional for him. He hasn't said it yet, but you can see the strain it puts on him."

"Which part of your family dynamics is straining him?"

"I think, for the most part, it's the fact that he's the one everyone depends on. Imagine everyone calling you for every little thing. Missing a sock, electricity not paid, outstanding school fees, even marriage problems. He can't seem to catch a break!"

"That really is hard on one person," Ari sympathised.

"That's what I'm saying!" Chelsea chuckled before telling Ari about her university courses and friends. Ari thought she was a chilled girl and she won't have problems with her, neither will she need to lock herself in the bathroom just to get away from her chatty nature.

By the time they finished peeling, boiling and mashing the vegetables it was eleven in the evening. Ari excused herself and went to her room. She searched through her side bag for her phone and unlocked it. She saw that she had several notifications. Mostly emails from Kanti and some from work. There was a text from a specific number that came in earlier and she couldn't help the smile on her face as she opened it.

Kaden: Hope you and your friend are doing well.

She thought for a moment how she was finding herself. She worked hard, true. But she didn't have anything interesting to tell him. Then suddenly a light bulb went off in her head.

Me: Very much so. I met another girl that's around my age and we're getting along pretty well. Where do you happen to be?

Kaden: I'm so glad to hear that, Ari.

Kaden: I just arrived in my mom's district.

She fumbled with her keypad, thinking of what to say. This was new to her. She never had to think of what to say to anyone before. But she somehow felt like this towards him. Apart from feeling super excited that he texted her, she couldn't brush the feeling that she was deeply intrigued by what she heard about Chelsea's brother. She knew it wasn't any of her business, but Claudia was a dear part of Ari's life and so would Chelsea be, if things went well.

Me: do you probably have siblings?

Kaden: yes, why?

Me: how are you towards them?

Kaden: what do you mean?

Me: how do you treat them? Are they baggage to you? Do you dislike your family?

Kaden: I don't know where this is coming from...

Ari sucked her teeth and shut her eyes as she thought back to what Chelsea said about how her brother thinks his family is dysfunctional. She couldn't understand how people would use someone, to the point where it's getting out of hand. She snapped back in reality when her phone vibrated again.

Kaden: May I call?

Before thinking of a response, her phone started ringing in her hand and she answered it.

"What's up?" he asked with concern.

"It's nothing big. Just family problems I heard about," she excused it. As much as Kaden was obviously worried, she wasn't sure if she should go around spilling people's problems to him.

"Are you sure? It didn't seem like nothing."

"I'm a hundred perc-"

"Ari!" Claudia called her from downstairs and Ari hid in a corner and listened to Kaden instead. She could hear him laughing in the background.

"Your friend seems more like your mother," he teased. She closed her eyes and imagined his smile.

"She's a mother, alright."

"I just reached my mom's. Wanna say hi to her?"

"I'll hold off, at least until she receives my gift."

"Speaking of that, what do I say when I give it to her?" he asked. It sounded like he was getting out of the car and picking up stuff in the background.

He on the other hand had just pulled in the driveway and went to the back to take his bags out when he took notice of another shiny looking car. He had become familiar with the cars that are always there that he guessed they either have a new guest or someone finally bought a new car with their own money.

He took his suitcase up the patio and knocked on the door softly. He could feel the heat and warmth radiating from inside and couldn't wait to see his sister most especially.

"A colleague, business partner... Something along those lines." He could not help thinking of another word but decided against saying it. He heard shuffling and Ari kept quiet.

"Why are you hiding in here?" A strict voice spoke from her end of the call and he heard Ari giggle nervously.

"I am not hiding. I'm just taking this call," she tried to defend herself as she covered the speaker so Kaden didn't hear.

"Come talk downstairs then. The last guest has just arrived."

He couldn't help feel sorry for her but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Kaden, you still there?" Ari whispered. He figured her friend already left.

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p' and only then realised that he was still standing outside. He knocked again and jiggled the doorknob but it was locked from the inside.

"So this dude just arrived. I fear he's going to be aloof. I was told he doesn't come by much because the family takes advantage of him," she sighed.

He frowned and pressed his lips together as the keys fiddled from the other side of the door. "Sounds like someone I know."

The door finally opened and his mom's smile greeted him. He gave his mom a huge hug and put the phone back to his ear, wanting to tell Ari he'll call her back soon.

Just then, his gaze shifted to the staircase like a magnet and their eyes locked. His lips parted when he recognised her, standing with her phone against her ear as well.

***

A/N Hope you enjoyed this piece. Updating in a few.