Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Family

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Narrators POV

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Anthony took a deep breath before finally knocking on the door of the Badmus house. His heart thumped wildly and he could feel his forehead perspire. He gripped his daughter's hand tightly earning himself an ouch and glance.

"Are you okay, Dad," Emma asked her father. He looked worried all of a sudden.

"I feel great." Anthony smiled touching her nose.

Emma wasn't sure he was but remained silent. She glanced around the compound her father said belonged to her grandfather. She was both excited and afraid to meet them.

"What if they don't like her; what if they are not good people." She thought. Because that would be the only reason why her father took her away. She also wondered if she had a sister or a brother. Her father rarely talked about them, each time he started to say something about them, someone either interrupt or her dad gets too emotional and stops.

Well, today was the day she would finally clear her doubts.

When the door was finally opened, Emma was surprised by how the woman reacted. She was probably a house servant because of how she was dressed, her screams could wake up the dead. When the maid shut the door against them and ran back into the house, Emma looked up at her father who shrugged smiling.

Within a few minutes, the door opened again revealing the most beautiful woman Emma had ever seen. The woman had sad eyes too, Emma just stared at her amazed at her beauty.

Immediately the woman saw her, her eyes sparkled with warmth and recognition. "Is this Emma," Elena asked her voice inaudible.

"Yes," Anthony replied. His wife still had her beauty, she was slim and healthy. But the sadness in her eye nearly choked him especially as he knew he played a part in it.

Elena carried her child into her arms and wept, her steps fluttered as she made her way to the living room still carrying Emma.

"Who was that." Elena's mum asked, she pushed herself up from the couch as soon as she saw Anthony and the child.

"Mum, they are back." Elena whimpered.

Ava wondered what the chaos was all about, and went towards her mother who was already seated and carrying Emma on her lap. She was making so much fuse on the child that made Ava more curious to know who the child was.

"Ava this is your twin sister Emma," Elena said beaming from ear to ear.

"Twins!" Ava replied her face drawn into a slight frown. Both girls turned towards each other "You." Ava said shocked.

Emma who was not as outspoken as her sister only looked on. Everything was happening so fast and she needed time to absorb it all. How do you go from having just your dad to having a mother, grandparents, and sadly Ava of all people as twins?

"Do you know each other?" Elena asked.

"We attend the same school. She is the new girl I've been talking about." Ava replied.

"What a small world. Ava this is your daddy."

Ava never one to be shy went towards Anthony "Where have you been."

"Liberia."

"Is that where Emma learned to speak French." Ava wanted to know

"Yes." Anthony didn't want to go into details about her nanny and family being the reason why she spoke the language well.

"Why didn't you take mum and me along with you."

"I..well.." He stammered. Luckily Elena came to his rescue. "Ava won't you show Emma your room."

"Sure mum. She grabbed Emma by the hand and left. Their voices could be heard in the room especially Ava's whose voice rang in excitement.

The sitting room where the adults sat was suddenly quiet, no one knew what to say to the other.

"So Anthony, when did you arrive in Nigeria?" Mr. Badmus asked.

"Three months ago sir."

"Three months? And you didn't inform us of your arrival. Did we mean little to you?"

"I wanted to settle down first before coming over." He had been debating on whether to come or not. He wasn't sure if he would be welcomed or asked to leave. But he also knew Emma needed to know her other side of the family.

"Well, I can see you are doing well for yourself." Elena's father glanced over at his wife, he knew from her stance that she had things to say but he wouldn't let her say things that would endanger the possibility of reconciliation between the young couple again.

"Vera, let's take a stroll in the garden." Elena's dad stood and stretched.

"I don't feel like it, my favorite soap opera is about to start."

"Come with me, I have something important to show you." When their eyes met information was passed through and Elena's mum understood what her husband was trying to do.

"Okay, then." She joined her husband and they made their way out of the door towards their luscious garden which was in full bloom and different arrays of colors.

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"How have you been Elena," Anthony asked his wife, it felt strange talking to her after so many years had passed.

"Great."

"You look good."

"Thank you and so do you." Elena felt so self-conscious that she fidgeted. She kept looking all over the room except at Anthony.

"I would like to have a private conversation with you alone. That's if you don't mind."

"Okay."

"Dinner tomorrow, 7 pm. I would and get you."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry Elena. For everything." Anthony knew he had hurt her, even though she caused him to react the way he did. But he had hurt her beyond what she did to him; if only he could turn back the hands of time.

Elena turned to look at him, she still loved this man but her heart was heavy with so much anguish. She wondered if things would ever get better between them.

"We need to get going now, it's late."

Elena's heart sank, "Can't Emma stay."

"I didn't prepare for that."

"She can share Ava's clothes."

"I promise to bring her on Friday to spend the weekend, she just found out about you today."

"Oh" Elena muttered

"I'm sorry." Anthony apologized again. He had separated a mother and her child, out of anger.

"Ava; Emma. Get down here." Elena called and with minutes the trampling of their footsteps filled the house.

"Are you going, dad? I thought we would all live together now." Ava said.

"Very soon." That was all Anthony could say given the circumstances. He hugged her so tight before kissing her cheeks. Ava wouldn't stop whining and complaining and she was getting on Anthony's nerves. He didn't blame her, he knew Elena and her mum would have pampered her and enabled her excesses.

"Mum I gave Emma one of my toys but she refused to take it," Ava said to her parents.

"Emma, you can take it, she is your sister." Elena smiled at her child.

"Emma you can take it," Anthony interjected. He had forbidden Emma from collecting gifts from strangers. He felt that was the reason she was hesitant about taking the doll.

However, Emma still refused. "I have lots of dolls, father, I don't need another one," Emma replied.

"It's okay then. Ava don't be sad, when she comes on Friday both of you would have enough time to play together with the dolls."

"Okay, Dad. See you in school on Monday Emma." Ava said. She couldn't wait to tell the whole school about the latest development.