20.

"HIP HIP HIP" Mr Tolbert says like he is imitating a thicker voice person with a genuine smile across his face...

_"Hurray!!!" The whole family echo... Clapping hands and hugging Tommy.. in the dining room, a round two layers cake is well placed on the dining table, Tommy in a blue Balenciaga design shirt and a crazy jean pant, his hair curly african_ish style, his sister, Cynthia, she is on her usual singlet and jacket with a bumshot, his mother in her gallant looking glory in a short gown and her face painted like she's heading for some international facial competition.. and there is Mr Tolbert who seems to have hurried went out earlier that day to pick up the cake is in a body hug black T-shirt and a short that looks like a camo..

_"Happy new year, my darlings" Mrs Tolbert says as she walks into the kitchen...

_"Mom" Tommy says.. she halts to look at him as he cuts her a cake place it in her mouth...

_"Thank you" she says in the middle of a bite...

_"That's not fair, I'm your father" Mr Tolbert says as he rolls his palms on the table's end to mimic a drum sound ...

_"Sorry dad" Cynthia says with a smile...

_"Thanks my favorite" he replies..

  Tommy cuts his father a piece of cake and Cynthia's, the three of them sits still waiting for Mrs Tolbert to come back with the food...

_"Happy second birthday in this house" Cynthia says in a joke...

_"not like I have a choice  C, I'm no kid anymore, don't tease me"

_"You 21?"

_"Not funny"

_"but for real T, you a big fucking 17" she shouts .

"Come on lads take it down alright?" Mr Tolbert says...

"Tommy, I got you a present" says Mrs Tolbert coming towards them with a pot... Tommy eagerly opens the pot to find himself an iPhone 7 plus, he jumps in joy as every one laughs...

_"I love you mom, Dad and unfortunately for me you, C" he says... Everyone laughing and rejoicing... After all, it's a festive period, it's a new year, 2017...

_"hello, hello, I've got good news, we are going... back to the states in February!!!" He says, like a clown presenting the next show...

Everyone yells In rejoice...

_"Now kiddos, whatcha want?" Mr Tolbert says...

_"it's Sunday, Dad" Cynthia says like she's disappointed in the day being a Sunday..

_" I love Sundays" he says in joy, takes up a remote as he plays himself a music, he stands up to do a salsa dance alone.. Mrs Tolbert chuckles as she head back into the Kitchen playfully..

Tommy stands up to head to his room probably to have an alone time with his new device .

"C'mon babies, you are not going to leave me to dance alone, will ya?"

_"I'll pass, daddy" Tommy says on his way to his room...

_"not even you too? my favorite" Mr Tolbert says with a wink and shooting hands to Cynthia...

_"okay." She says as she joins her father, they talk and gist in the music of dance, Cynthia corrects her father how to dance, he teases her and do the same...

   ****************************************************

In Tommy's room he gets a text from his secret site, Eskimi,

"HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY, MAN, MY BEST PAL.." he reads from the profile; ~I_AM_HYBRID2126~

_"Thanks man" he replies..

_"IT'S BEEN MIRE THAN A YEAR AND YOU ARE YET TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ANNEX A IS, T"...

_"I'm still on it, I've ransacked Daddy's room three times already, you didn't tell me what it looks like either."

_"THAT'S BECAUE I DO NOT KNOW, BUDDY, WE'RE DOING THIS TO PROTECT YOUR SISTER"

_"yes, I'm aware, I'll hit you back, mom's here" he says as he hurries to switch on the new device...

His door knocks and it's Mrs Tolbert, she says to come downstairs to come get his food from behind the other end of the door...

Tommy without a thought rushes downstairs to continue the celebration of his birthday and a new year...

"Now, come all of you, let's d_d_ineeee" Mrs Tolbert says playfully...

Everyone moves to the dining but Cynthia, she remembers she hasn't picked up her phone in her room and she might have some messages to attend to.. she stands up to go upstairs, on the floor, she notices Tommy's room opened..

_" Silly Tommy" she mutters to herself as she gestures to close the door on his behalf, she notices his former phone beeps for a notification, she lets curiosity to get the better of her, she advances to the room to pick up the phone and there it is... Her whole world crashes, the phone wasn't locked either...

Her brother and her ex boyfriend from the states have been in conversations all these years.. she sits down on his bed as she keeps strolling their chats...

Specimen?

Experiment?

Save Cynthia?

Searched Daddy's room?

Checked Mommy's wardrobe...?

A weird old picture of her mom, dad and two other men in a labcoat was shared too

What the hell?...

She rages downstairs...

_"Mom? Dad? Tommy!!! can someone explain what the hell is an Annex A?" She says raising Tommy's phone in the air, her eyes filled with rage, fear and regrets... Suddenly the festive mood, happy family, an happy birthday and an happy new year has just chameleons into Ruffled household...