Merry Christmas 2
...He definitely was.
He now stood outside the address she gave him, he has never been nervous in any situation but he knew how tough Nigerian parents could be.
Tale gave instructions to him to wait on her. Minutes later she appeared in a floor length red dress that sparkled as she walked, with the waist cinched it showed just how tiny it was and it flowed perfectly showing what she had.
She smiled when she sighted him and bust in a small run. Pins held her hair at the nape of her neck. He always wanted that hair down but she still looked good and brought calm to his nerves.
She stopped when she saw what he held as he came down from his car. He had flowers on one hand and a hamper on the other.
"For me?"
"No, for your parents" he was still nervous he realized.
She hid her laugh behind her hands. "How thoughtful of you, they would like it I promise."
"Are you sure, because I went with the sales boy idea so..."
"Yes I'd be sure to tell them it was from the sales boy at the mall."
"Don't joke with that!"
She straightened his shirt and offered to take the flower from him.
He refused.
"OK then, let's get you inside. Dinner is almost ready."
He looked really good today.
"Here we go." she whispered to him as she opened the door to the house holding it open for him.
"Come in!"
"Thank you."
"What are you being so civil for, be relaxed trust me."
"Well I'm not jumping off the roof and doing a somersault so I'm chill."
"I love him already! Dupe came down to the foot of the stairs facing the entrance to the house. She wore her same dress as her sister only hers was fitted in all places.
"Hello Dupe, it is so good to see you again."
"Feeling is mutual."
"OK it looks like you are trying so hard, you have to give me what you carrying."
"No," he insisted "how will they---"
"Oh, we will know," Her mother's voice came around the corner of the dinning to them.
She walked to the entrance of the house and if she was shocked to see her daughters friend she hid it well.
"Hello Mrs. Ire" he took a bow.
"Mum, this is my friend, his name is Su Yan. This is my mum"
"You are welcome, please do come in and have a sit. Dinner will be ready soon."
"This is for you," he handed her the flower then "And for your husband," he handed the hamper. "Merry Christmas."
She smiled as she took it from him handing it over to Dupe.
"Su Yan is here." her brother came down stairs too.
"Tale offer him a seat," her mum ordered her.
She rolled her eyes as she took him to the living room.
"Well how do you feel?" She whispered to him
He gave her hand a squeeze and winked in reply.
"Tale!" Her mum yelled. Well here goes nothing
"I will be right back" she turned on the TV as she used her eyes to beg her sister to keep him company.
She got it as she sat down too.
"So she actually went last minute shopping to look good for you today." she heard her sister say as she walked away, she smiled.
"Mum?"
"You didn't tell me he was not from here,"
"Uh I was going to, I..."
"Will he be able to eat our food?"
Wow! She would give her mum a hug now but she had to be calm, too much excitement and her mum would think something else
"I'm sure he can."
"Okay, if you say so." She heard her dad coming down the stairs and she excused her self.
"Go on,"
"Thank you mum."
She got into the sitting room as soon as her dad got into it too.
"Dad! Hi"
Su Yan stood up once he heard her.
"Who is this tall man?" her dad asked. She smiled because she knew her dad only made height jokes when he was comfortable. She and her dad ran short in the Ire family.
"He's the friend I told you and mum about, Su Yan my dad, Mr. Ire."
"How are you son?"
Son? She and her sister exchanged looks. Well Christmas is definitely going to be merry.
"Doing good sir." he took a bow. "You have a wonderful home." He meant the family.
"Oh thank you, they make it a home," her father pointed to his daughters.
Su Yan knew he was at the right place. Her home wasn't a quarter of a quarter of his family's home back in China but he was already intrigued.
"OK dinner is ready." her mum called out
"Mum, I am your only true child," her brother said as he set down the set of plates on the table "Dupe and Tale did nothing to help in the kitchen."
The dining area shone brighter than any other part of the house he's seen, the design was exquisite. The blue chairs with gold trimmings and legs contrasted well against the white light walls.
"Yeah yeah, what do you want an award?" Dupe commented.
"And I've been cooking long before you were born." Tale fired back as she took a sit close to her father, Su Yan drew her chair out for her then took his seat right beside her.
Her parents exchanged looks.
"You all stop bickering."
"Tayo started it."
"Su Yan, please you would have to bear with us. My daughter told us nothing about you so all our food tonight is our local dishes."
"It is not a problem ma. I like Nigerian food"
"You say so all the time," she said it before she thought "I mean few times."
"Don't worry, our mum-" Dupe tried to cut in fast
"...and me" Tayo cut in
"…our mother makes the best" she finished.
"Of course I taught her" her father chipped in.
And the family laughed.
Now this was a place to be.
The turkey was well prepped and spiced. A large chocolate cake, a bowl of jollof rice, another bowl held wraps of pounded Yam and another held Egusi soup filled with different protein cuts.
"Merry Christmas everyone," her dad announced once food was in everyone's plate.
"Why didn't you go for rice." she whispered to Su Yan who had insisted on taking Pounded Yam and soup.
"No talking," he put a finger to his mouth to tell her to keep quiet.
And to think she was trying to help him.
Dinner went by smoothly and her parents had included Su Yan in all the conversations, maybe to test him and if it was he aced it. At some point she was left out of the talks but she didn't mind.
"So how did you meet my daughter?" her mother finally asked.
"At the mall, she helped me pick out dinner."
Her mum looked at her with eyes doubting the story.
"Its true mum, sister has no life outside work and the mall, where else will she meet new people," her brother saved her this time.
"I've always told you to go out, a little relaxation isn't bad at all," her dad contributed...
Su Yan understood better now, they had no idea she wanted more than all she had now.
Their daughter was a simple accountant to them and nothing more.