A Big Luggage

We finished having dinner and we all went outside the veranda to sit down and enjoy the cool breeze. There was no power supply at the moment and it would have been uncomfortable staying inside the house.

"Uncle, tell us a story" Fred pleaded with him.

"A story? I thought we all came outside to relax." He pretended to be surprised.

"Uncle, you promised to tell me more about high school after dinner. Don't you remember?" I asked with a frown on my face.

Uncle Sam laughed at seeing my reaction.

"Alright, I'll tell Fred a story and after that, we can talk about school."

"Are you guys okay with that?" He asked us.

"Yes!" Fred and I chorused.

Uncle Sam started telling Fred a story which I wasn't interested in but I listened anyways, midway into the story the power supply was restored and Fred ran into the sitting room leaving us behind in the veranda.

"Uncle, can you now tell me about it?" I asked him.

Uncle Sam began to tell me stories about bullying in school, cliques, strict rules and regulations, and even about scary ghosts.

"Uncle, it's a lie. There are no such things as ghosts. All these stories are made up.' I refused.

"Elsie, you don't know anything" He laughed at me.

"Don't worry when next I come you will be the one telling me of your experience."

"Yes, I also can't wait to tell you that I didn't experience such," I stated.

"Let's make a bet. I'll remind you of what you said today. The person who losses will do whatever the other person says" Uncle Sam said to me.

"If I win, you will do anything I ask of you, right?" I asked him.

"Of course, you have my word."

Uncle Sam and I had a bet by crossing our pinky fingers together and breaking them apart.

Not long after, Dad drove into the compound as I went to open the gate for him. My parents were very happy to see Uncle Sam. They hugged each other warmly and exchanged pleasantries before we all went inside the house.

                 ********************

After my parents had showered, had dinner and rested a little. They were in the sitting room conversing with Uncle Sam, Fred and I were also there but we were watching 'Alvin and the Chipmunks.

"Did Elsie tell you that she has gotten into a school?" Dad asked Uncle Sam.

"No, she didn't tell me anything. I just guessed that she has gotten into a school." Uncle Sam replied.

"Elsie got into Elite Academy," Dad announced joyfully.

"Waww, that's great. This is huge news." Uncle Sam said in excitement.

"Congratulations! Elsie" He said to me.

I didn't reply as I was engrossed in the movie. We had gotten to the part where Alvin discovered that the chipmunks could talk, sing and dance.

"She is also on a scholarship because of her performance in the entrance examination," Dad added.

"Eheen and Elsie didn't tell me anything." Uncle Sam commented.

"Elsie, why didn't you tell your uncle about it?" Mom asked me.

All the adults turned their attention to me to hear what I had to say.

"I wasn't sure if I was to tell him about it, I wanted to seek your permission first," I replied defending myself.

"You should have told him. Your Uncle is not an outsider." Mom said.

They all laughed at this point and I felt uneasy.

"Anyways, that's a bygone now" Dad added.

"Elsie, I am so proud of you and for that, I have something for you to congratulate you." Uncle Sam informed me.

"Wow! Thanks, Uncle" I said in excitement.

"Lest I forget, for how long are you going to stay with us?" Dad asked him.

"I'm going to stay at the most five days." Uncle Sam replied.

"Just five days?" Fred asked him.

"Yes Fred, what's wrong?" Uncle Sam asked him.

"Nothing, it's just that your luggage looks big for someone that is going to stay for five days. It looks as if you planned to stay for a month." Fred said in all seriousness.

Everyone laughed at his observation.

"Fred, my luggage looks big because of the gifts I got for everybody." Uncle Sam informed him.

"You got gifts for me also," Fred said as he didn't expect it.

"Thanks, Uncle" He added.

Uncle Sam excused himself and went into his room. He came out bearing the gifts that he had bought for us.

He bought a laptop and a bottle of whisky for Dad, a pair of shoes and lace material for Mom, clothes and shoes for Fred and me.  He also bought a gaming consul for us with other snacks and edibles. He also gifted me a little handbag for the scholarship.

Fred and I screeched in excitement as we admired our gifts. Fred was particularly over the moon because of the gaming consul, he had always wanted one but Dad kept putting it off by telling him to wait till he was eight. We were also happy because of Dad's new laptop which meant we could now have free access to his old one.

"Thanks, Uncle" Fred and I shouted. We jumped on him and hugged him out of joy and happiness.

"You people will break my neck ooh!" Uncle Sam said as we both hugged him at the same time

"I am glad you guys liked them." Uncle Sam managed to say as we still held unto him tightly.

"Thank you very much for the gifts. We are very grateful." Dad thanked him.

"All these things within a short period. I pray for more bountiful returns in your life." Mom added.

"Aah! You guys are exaggerating. It's the little I can do for now, you guys really tried for me. Thank you." Uncle Sam replied.

"Uncle, will you teach me how to use the consul?"  Fred chimed in.

"Yes, I'll teach you." Uncle Sam replied.

"You still have to wait till you are a bit older to use it alone. For now, you will only use it under supervision." Mom reminded him.

"But I am no longer a little kid" Fred refuted.

We all burst into laughter at this point except for Fred who kept a serious face. He hated being called a little kid.