Chapter {20} Destiny

John 11:25-26

Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.

One more year was added to my years of life and the greatest gift I could still live with till this day was the gift of eternal life, bigger than any other gift anybody else could give me, nobody could give me what my Lord and Saviour had done for me and given me. It was a day to rejoice and be glad because on this day I had entered this world and left the comfortable yet little world of my mother's womb. The day the world of colour filled me with awe and wonder, when my mother's voice sounded like a sweet melody for the first time in my life and her arms acted like a protective shield, shielding me away from the evil world and her warm eyes staring down at mine with so much love, I could not comprehend it. and for me to be here today was only thanks to one person, God.

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear bestie..." My one and only best friend barged into my room, singing the infamous birthday song her huge smile brightening up the room, my favourite chocolate cake secured in her arms, as I patiently awaited the moment I could feel the cream between my teeth and sweetness on my tongue as I savoured every bit of it.

An automatic smile stretched its way onto my face, Thato eagerly walked through the room before settling the cake on my table and rushing towards me and in no time I was enveloped into a loving hug which spoke a lot from its silence. Reluctantly, we pulled apart and Thato just looked at me or rather stared at me, a ghost of a smile on her face as she tried to find something different about me this specific day but when she didn't she just smiled and moved to get the cake, coated in chocolate and caramel sauce, topped with macadamia nuts filled with vanilla flavouring, it just looked mouth-watering.

Nine lit candles sat ablaze on the cake as Thato called me to the table once she was done setting everything up.

"Blow the candles, birthday girl!" She said over-enthusiastically, one would even assume that it was her birthday.

Just as I was about to blow them all out and kill the little flames they had bore Thato gasped as though she had just remembered something, "Don't forget to make your wish, birthday girl," she instructed and I smiled whilst shaking my head at her overexcitement.

I wish that Nio gets all his heart's desires.

And then I blew out the candles making Thato clap her hands in merriment. "What did you wish for, birthday girl?" She asked curiously, slicing up the cake into moderate-sized pieces.

"Uhm... Your not supposed to t-tell anyone your wish or else it will not be fulfilled," I concocted an excuse as to why I could not tell but I'm sure she could see right through my lie because she narrowed her eyes briefly before nodding.

She cut up a slice of cake because she wasn't a cream lover and left all the rest to me and I made some tea and drank it over some of that delicious cake.

"Let me go get ready," Thato announced after eating her last bit of cake and before you ask, I did not expect any gift from her, the mere fact that she had bought a cake and taken her time to wish me a happy birthday was more than enough for me, she had put in a lot of effort into making my day special.

Just as I was about to enter my en-suite my cell phone began ringing, vibrating against my already-made bed. Since dawn, I had been getting messages from my family group chat wishing me, and blessing me with their words some even sending me some money and vouchers but the one person who hadn't wished me was my mom.

"Mma?" I giddily said, excited to receive this call from my mom.

"Wait before we talk, switch to video call," she responded, surprising me as we hardly spoke through video call but I had to remind myself that today was a special day so I obliged and the screen went dark before the blurriness faded away and my mom's face got closer and closer until all I could see was her in an updo hairstyle, her melanin filled skin glowing ever so brightly and a proud smile painted on her lips.

"My baby, happy birthday," she said holding a sad gaze, knowing that she could not have me physically with her.

But I smiled, trying to ease her ache, "Thank you."

"I cannot believe you have grown up so much, it feels like just yesterday when you had two sets of teeth, only a few months old with the biggest afro a baby could ever have. Had it been up to me you wouldn't have grown up, you would still be my little angel but unfortunately, you had to grow up and now you are all across the world and now more than ever I am realising how time really flies and how we should always cherish it," a tear slide down her cheek as she nostalgically reminisced my childhood memories, my heart would've broken into two if I had not noticed the glean of pride and joy in her eyes.

I kept quiet as she continued speaking, "My baby I wish you all the very best in your life, continue growing as big as a elephant and may you live up many blessed years, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ." She blessed me in the name of the Lord like a true child of God would.

"Amen. Thank you mma, I appreciate your blessings, they go a long way." I smiled up at her thanking the Lord for blessing me with such a wonderful and attentive mom when I lost my dad and... No I would have no sad thoughts whatsoever.

"What's wrong?" My mom asked a worried expression on her face, she must have noticed my different demeanour, which was hardly different but a mother truly understands what her child does not say.

"Nothing," I forced up a smile.

"You are thinking about your dad and-" I cut her mid-sentence before she would say something that would just ruin the rest of my day.

"Mom, please, let us not talk about that," I sighed rubbing my hand on my forehead.

"Okay, if you insist," she responded after a long second thankfully respecting my wishes.

Our talk continued until I had to cut it short due to time constraints as I still had to get ready for university, I was grateful that the time zone here was only an hour behind which meant I could call up my mom and family at any time of the day.

"Okay, bye. Have a wonderful day at uni today. I love you," she blew me a kiss despite her sadness to end the call.

"I love you too, mom," I caught her kiss before ending the call and now rushing to get ready to leave, weirdly and unfortunately every time my mom called I was on my way somewhere and when we were done I would be late.

Today I gave myself a maximum of twenty minutes to finish my morning business and in record time I was standing in front of my floor-length mirror, taking in my appearance which wasn't so bad considering the small amount of time I had to get ready. My crotchet braids were tightly tied into one bundle laying on my back, my brown eye holding some excitement for today for whatsoever reason.

My phone pinged out a message pulling me out of my thoughts. I walked over to my bed and took hold of it to read whoever had sent me a message and to no surprise, it was my mom, she had sent me money to last me two months and an Amazon gift card, which I smiled at but that was fifteen minutes ago who could've sent a message to me now? I scrolled through my messages and came across one from a private number that had just been sent now and I wanted to ignore it thinking it would just be an advertisement of some sort but when I accidentally opened it my eyes bulged out of their sockets at the words written down.

I'm coming for you! Watch your back.

Seven words, a lot of meaning. I tried to understand what the message meant because I never stepped on anyone's toes, then who would want to come after me? I decided not to dwell much on it, perhaps maybe it was some prank.

I tossed my phone into my bag and walked downstairs only to find Thato at the door holding a bouquet of lilies and chatting up someone who was hidden from my view. By the time I reached the down floor the door was closing and Thato was smelling the flowers in her arms a smirk on her face. Looks like

"Those are some beautiful lilies you got there, you have a special someone?" I rose a brow, looking at the beautiful assortment of my favourite flowers sitting in her arms.

"Actually, these are yours," she commented, still smirking as she handed the bouquet over to a surprised and confused-looking me.

"Mine?"

"Mhm, is there something or rather someone I should know of?" She asked finding her arms across her chest, now smiling.

"No, there is no one in my life," I said still confused by who could've sent me lilies which were my favourite flowers so I gently pulled a card out of the flowers before reading it out loud.

"La luna splendente, il sole splendente e le stelle guardano tutti a bocca aperta davanti alla tua bellezza e al tuo cuore, amore mio, buon compleanno." I read not so fluently in Italian but understood every word and meaning behind each personification and declaration. My heart violently beat in my chest, as I read the letter.

"Oooh, we have an Italian sweety," Thato swooned, winking my way.

Who was this person, could it be Nio who always called me amore, no it couldn't be he didn't even know my birthday and he had his girlfriend to worry about not me so who could it be? First was the mysterious message that still and me asking, now these flowers and card?

"Oh, Samuel says he wishes you a happy birthday," Thato announced making me look up at her and smile, Samuel had gone back to the states to have some family time with his dad and brother so that's why he could not wish me in person though I did not understand why he had not texted me instead, he was a true and good friend like Sienna who had also taken her time to wish me.

Who were these people that had sent me these mysterious things?

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"La luna splendente, il sole splendente e le stelle guardano tutti a bocca aperta davanti alla tua bellezza e al tuo cuore, amore mio, buon compleanno" - The bright moon, the shining sun and stars all gawk at your beauty and your heart, my love, happy birthday"