Twenty Seven

I walked out of Cape Town's International Airport, after a successful walkthrough routine and purchase a last minute rental car. I paid beforehand for my usage of the vehicle for the next few weeks. I climbed into the VW Polo Sedan Fortline's sleek interior. The warm smell of leather greets my senses. Her silver coat shimmers underneath the sun's dim glow. I pushed the key into the ignition and flicked it gently. She roared like a lion. I thanked the man who has helped me and greeted him before taking the long way home.

Daniel Colin Jones' home is just as much mine as it is his. I haven't seen my brother in what seems like forever. I looked at the silver beauty's smart watch, it's almost five in the afternoon. I really hope that their home and not somewhere else. On the highway I opened up the fuel. Green fields flash passed me, on either side of the road. Small yellow flowers winks inbetween the ears of grass. Slowly staining it with white blotches. Purely painted mountains greeted me as my destination came into view. I decreased her speed as I crossed Sailor Mountain. The path is slick with ice. My surroundings blindingly white. The first few rooftops flash into view. I sighed in gratitude. Grateful that I was able to make the journey in one piece.

I made my way down the main street and after a few turned, leading me closer towards the heart of the town, I parked in front of the house where my brother's living. I climbed out, locked up and made my way over towards the porch. The chilly air, biting into my skin. It must have snowed not to long ago. I inhaled deeply before knocking on their door. After a short moment the door swung open. "Sam! What are you doing here? Come in, before you freeze to death," my brother asked dumbfounded. I walked passed him. He closed the door behind me. "Whose at the door, Dan?" I will recognise that voice anywhere. Priscilla Jones, my perfect Sister-in-law. "Come see, my love! You'll never guess who dropped in," he said with a broad smile. His wife appeared in the door frame. "Sam, is that you?" She asked completely starstrucked. "Surprise," I said lamely with a little awkwardness in my tone. She rushed over and caught me in a bear grip. Tight and comfortable. "Your freezing, and you must be exhausted. I've just made a fresh pot of coffee. Sit, I'll bring you some," she said motherly and rushed back towards the kitchen from which she'd originally emerged. Daniel shook his head, smiled broadly at me and welcomed me with a hug of his own. We sat down in silence. The crackling flames in the corner is comfortable against the cold. "You should have called, I could have picked you up," he acknowledged me. "The ride did me good. I needed it! I hope that I'm not bothering you?" I asked him rhetorically as I raised an eyebrow. He snickers, "You couldn't bother us even if you try. How long will you be staying?" I know that I will have to answer, even if I dread the questions that's sure to follow. "A few weeks," I answered after a while. Priscilla gave us both a mug of coffee before sitting down beside her husband. "So what brings you to Ceres in the middle of Winter?" She burst the bubble by getting straight to the point. "Do you want the short version or the longer one?" I asked as I warmed my hands on the outside of the mug. "Whichever you feel more comfortable in sharing," my brother replied. I smiled coyly at his response. "I've found my soul mate," I blabber. I could tell that this wasn't something that either of them have been expecting to hear. Daniel shuffled closer towards the edge of his seat. "Then what the hell are you doing here, Sam? You should be back home with him," he asked confused. "I'm getting a bad vibe about this." His statement made my eyes tear up. Like I haven't cried enough in the last 24 hours. I inhaled sharply. My breathing uneven. "We were home, me and him, when Dad stopped by. Everything went downhill from there on out," I confess. I could see that my brother is having a hard time putting one and one together. "Wait a second, back up a little! Dad's in America? But I thought he was terrorizing Asia along with his troops," his statement sounds more like a rhetorical question. Before I could reply on it any further, he continued: "What do you mean by 'It went downhill from there'?" I looked down at my unfinished coffee, allowing the steam to kiss my face. I can feel how it mingles with some freshly brewed tears. A lone drop of salty liquid escaped. I wiped it away with the back of my hand. "He's Asian," I answered in a shaky tone. Their both stunned. I will be able to hear a pin drop. The silence that swollow me in made me regret the decision to inform them. I looked up at them. My brother stared at me an apologetic expression on his face. Tears are free-falling from my eyes. Priscilla stood up and sat down beside me and took my hand in hers sympathetically.