CHAPTER TWELVE

NORA

Nora honks the horn as she arrives at her parent's house, a tall handsome looking teenager opens the gate to peep, as he sees his sister's car, he rushes out with a big smile on, Nora whines down, hails, and admires how fully grown he looks "Ahn Ahn! Promise Nawa oo, you are way taller than I am right now, what are you eating?" Promise, who is the last born of the family couldn't help but chuckle, he dashes to open the big gate for Nora to drive in. It's been a year and some months since she stepped her feet in her family house and it feels like forever but nothing has changed much, the environment remains the same as much as she remembers it.

She parked her car and gave her brother a big hug, she opens the booth to drag out her mini traveling box and her brother rushes to assist her, wondering if his sister had come for a long vacation, he asks "Aunty, do you have work to do around here?" she opens the passenger's seat door and carries her handbag and laptop bag while she replies her younger brother "Work? Not at all. I might be spending more time here before I return to work, so I just packed as much as I can" her brother excitedly commented "I was surprised to see you because you barely come home, then as I saw your luggage, I felt it must be work-related for you to pack this heavy" Nora laughs as they both walk into their apartment "so are you saying it's only work I have time for? I requested for my leave since mom is sick, at least l will spend some time taking care of her instead of leaving you and dad to do the whole stress. By the way, is Laura back from school?" "No, she is writing her final exam tomorrow" promise replies as he opens the door to their living room. Nora is surprised to see her mother at home, in fact with a very huge bowl of meal in front of her "Ahn Ahn! Mummy? When were you discharged?" her mother dumps her food as her daughter walks in and rushes to welcome her home "Nne! If I am perfectly fine", Nora is too stunned to speak "but the drip? You sent me a picture of you in the hospital" at this point, Nora's father walks into the living room from his bedroom, he gives his daughter a big hug, praying and kissing her face excitedly "so you also got blackmailed by that picture? That's what your mother sends to me anytime she wants me to get back from work early" Nora greets her father with a tight hug, she couldn't believe her mother fooled her just to bring her home. She looks at the happy faces around then realizes how much she missed home, she missed watching her parents love and play with each other like they have never aged one bit! Oppressing her and her two siblings with their undying love, this kind of love is what she prays for. She embraces them again till her mother pushes her aside "So you wouldn't have come to visit if I wasn't dying? God! This is not what I prayed for oo" Nora looks at her mother, as dramatic as ever! "Don't worry, I took my two weeks leave already, l will be spending the whole two weeks with you" her mother starts dancing then calls out to Promise "Oya go and put water on the fire for me, let me prepare poundo for my daughter".