K A I R A

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"What time is it?"

"It should be few minutes past ten."

Wow, we woke up this late.

"So they took a night flight then?" I lifted my brows. "They're really back?"

I hoped she wasn't pranking me. For her sake, I hoped she wasn't just fooling me into getting out of bed so I could find something to do with my morning. However, the seriousness slash happiness written on her face helped me confirm that our parents were indeed back in the country.

Without waiting for any other word to be said, I sprang out of the room, completely excited about seeing my parents after a month of being apart from them. It should become a normal for me, but it never became one. Never has, never will. My siblings sometimes teased me about it, but I made them know that it had little effect on me.

I made my way down the helical staircase to the ground floor living room where my parents sat on one of the black couches, still clad in their outing wears.

"You're really back." My voice sounded like a cry. It did speak volumes of how I felt. I, alone, knew how much I missed them so much.

Just at the sound of my voice, my parents stood up and I skipped towards them, engulfing them in a big hug. Call me a spoilt brat, I dare you.

I inhaled the same air they breathed in. I stayed within the space they stood in. They were here with me once more and that was all that mattered at the moment. When we withdrew, my mum peered at me beneath her glasses with a knowing smile on her fair face. I inherited my mum's attributes more than my dad. From the light skin tone to the sleek nose, to the oval shaped head. It wasn't because of all that but I tended to prefer my mother to my father.

She said, "How are you, nne?"

"Finally fine now that my parents are back home and safe." I couldn't help the smile on my face. "I've missed you so, so much."

"I know, my dear." Dad said, giving my head a pat. "Your mother was always calling me to ask when we would return to Nigeria. When I asked for her reason, she said it's because she knew you'd be missing us."

"Aw." I fondled my mum's cheeks and she playfully slapped my hands away. She wouldn't be this carefree if she was stressed though.

"Oh, wow. So everybody has forgotten that I exist. Very nice. Very classic. Very normal."

All three of us turned stare at Kosi who leaned on the grey wall that enclosed the large living room, nodding her head with her arms folded over her chest. My parents just laughed.

"How can you say that?" My dad asked, walking towards her. "You know very much that we didn't forget you. Don't tell me your jealous of Kaira now."

"Of course I'm not. I can't be jealous of the last born. After all, I'm the Ada."

I shook my head, trying my best to hold in my laughter. "You sound jealous to me."

"I said-"

"Oya stop this, both of you." Mom said as she grabbed her bag from the couch. "Your dad and I need to rest."

"That's true. We'll have a proper discussion later, okay?"

My sister and I nodded.

We shared a sly smile knowing that we were still going to talk about it when our parents left for their room. Just when they were out of sight, Kosi stepped closer with her brows lifted. "You say I'm jealous."

"Yes, and I know you're jealous."

She opened her mouth then paused as if she was debating telling me whatever. "Your stubbornness is rubbing off on me."