Christmas In A Box Volume II.

~7~

Christmas with the In-laws.

I stared quietly out the window as my boyfriend drove down the road. The harmattan was upon us and the air conditioner was on because apparently Tolu would be "too hot" without it. Usually, I didn't mind but right now I couldn't tell if I was shaking because I was cold or because of what he just told me.

"Are you alright, Candace?" he asked with that smile that could literally make sparks ignite. I would be smiling right back at him if I wasn't so nervous.

"You didn't tell me we were going to see your parents." I gulped, rubbing my palms together.

Tolu sighed before reaching over to the dashboard to turn off the AC. "I know you're scared but it's just a quiet dinner. It won't be that big a deal, I promise."

"That's what you said about Aunty Funmi." I sighed, looking away from him. "She told you that you didn't know what you were doing when you brought me over."

"Hey," Tolu said placing his free hand on my knee, "First off, it's Christmas, so the spirit of love will be in the air. And hopefully it'll be contagious."

I laughed and he put on a goody smile.

"Secondly," Tolu said before turning back to the road, "She won't be here this Christmas. She's in Paris with my uncle."

It took everything in me not to exclaim, "Thank God!" when he said that. I just smiled at him before turning back to the window. I really wished he had told me before we'd left that we'd be stopping at his parent's. But then I probably wouldn't have gotten into the car.

"It'll be alright," Tolu said with a reassuring smile, "My mum is the nicest person I know."

***

I walked over to the door, hand in hand with Tolu. It was a big house, a duplex to be exact. It was right in the middle of the big estate that Tolu had told me his father owned. And the house his parents resided in was by far the nicest in the area.

***

"Who is it?" Came a voice.

"It's Tolu," Tolu replied before squeezing my hand reassuringly. I smiled in acknowledgement.

Suddenly, the door flung open and in its place was a teenage girl that looked like a younger version of Tolu.

"Bisi, h—"

Before Tolu could say another word, she had engulfed him in a hug. I smiled warmly at them. I knew Tolu was close to his sister but I hadn't known they were this close. It was really cute

"Bisi, how have you been?" he asked when she had let go.

"Omooo!" She said with a wide smile. "GCE choke oh! But we thank God sha. Especially for the literature. Literature was beans."

"Awesome!" he said, reaching out to ruffle her hair "Have you met..."

"Mummyyy!" Bisi yelled cutting him off. "Tolu is hereee!"

She turned to Tolu, grabbed his hand "Let's go inside! I have so much to tell you."

Tolu and I had a quick conversation within a few seconds. I raised a brow at him, curious as to why his sister had interrupted him. He shrugged, saying he didn't know and gave me a smile to affirm that everything would be fine.

"Alright let's go," he said, smiling at his sister. She dragged him away with her and I had to jog to keep up.

The inside of the house had been decorated with red and green ribbons and fairy lights. It looked like something out of a Christmas movie. We rushed through an entry way first that was adorned with different pictures of Tolu and his family before reaching the living room.