GuiTara (RE-WRITING)

🎵~1

So, with lots of help from her husband, Pam purchased a small property and opened her own restaurant. The first two months were tough, according to her. But as time went on, things started getting better, and she even sent us pictures of her restaurant, hosting a packed house at lunch and dinner time.

Because of those pictures, Mama suddenly got the idea to send me off to Mexico to work for Pam. Knowing how bossy and controlling my older sister was, I immediately opposed her. On the other hand, Mama wouldn't take no for an answer. Now here I stood, stranded at the Mexico City International Airport with two suitcases and a guitar.

With drooping shoulders, I stuffed my phone into my pocket and searched for where I could sit to wait for her. Luckily, the sweet aroma of coffee led me to a nearby Second Cup café.

Forty-five minutes after ordering a chai latte and scrolling through Instagram, my ears picked up the sound of my name.

"Tara!" I spotted the culprit speed-walking towards me with a broad smile on her face.

"Well, it's about time." I tried suppressing a grin.

Pam had pulled her dark hair into a ponytail, highlighting her cheekbones and the lovely brown eyes we both inherited from Papa.

I pushed myself up, allowing my older sister to crush me in a heartwarming embrace. "Mmmm, mafe wo oo," Pam cooed as she swung us sideways. [I've missed you so much.]

"Mafe wo nso," [I've missed you too.] I chuckled before easing out of our embrace. "But you're late." One thing Mama taught us was to always be punctual.

She rolled her eyes like it was no big deal. "Yea, we stopped on the way for some frozen yoghurt."

Unbelievable. "You were late because of frozen yoghurt?"

"Hey, don't pout." She swatted my arm. "We got you some too."

"We?" The pronoun surprised me. When we spoke yesterday, it sounded like she was the only one coming to pick me up.

"Yeah, we. Nando finished work early, so I came with him and Keke. They're both waiting in the car." She bent down to help with my suitcases. "Come on. They've got a wonderful surprise for you."

"Oooh, I love surprises." I swung my guitar case onto my shoulder and followed Pam out of the café with my other suitcase.

The sun was setting in Mexico, casting a gentle glow across the atmosphere's fading blue sky. We moved through the practically empty parking lot to a dark blue pick-up; the wheels of my suitcase made a racket of noise on the loose gravel.

The passenger front door was open, and in sat my brother-in-law with my niece on his lap, giggling at something on a tablet. My suitcase must've distracted my niece because little Keke was the first to lift her head; a broad smile crawled up her face. "Auntie T!" The brown-skinned girl scrambled out of her dad's arms and jumped out of the car.

"Hii, Keke." I opened my arms for a hug, but my little niece shook her head and held her hands out.

"Stop!" she ordered, "Stay where you are."

My eyebrows dipped in curiosity. Pam put an arm around my shoulders. "You're gonna love this. She created this dance routine specifically for you."

"Oh, this is the surprise?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, look at you all grown up." Nando approached us, sporting a broad grin.

"Hey, big bro," I chuckled, wrapping him in a warm hug. "Long time no see."

"I know, right? I-"

"Sshh! It's time for my dance!" Keke yelled from behind, drawing our attention back to her. "Papi, play the song."

"Of course, Princesa." With a few taps on his tablet, an upbeat Spanish tune wafted out of the speakers.

The smile on my niece's face broadened, showing off a gap in her upper set of teeth. "This one's for you, Auntie T."

Keke moved to the rhythm, beginning her dance with a perfect ballet twirl, a little chasse to the right, then topped it up with a shoulder shake to both sides.

I had no idea what the Spanish lyrics meant, but the tune was so catchy that my body moved to the music without much effort, and I wasn't the only one mesmerized by the tune. Nando bobbed his head along with the music and clapped his hands regularly.

"Wooo. That's my girl!" I laughed. Pam cheered her daughter on. She pulled out her phone and started taking a video of her daughter doing a little booty shake.

"Come on, Auntie T." Keke gestured for me to join her in doing the Shakushaku dance. "You know this one, don't you?"

I quickly moved to my niece's side, and we both did the dance together. As the song neared the final chorus, I left Keke's side and let her go through the last steps of her routine. She did a double bounce to the right, and left side, then ended her routine with a single cartwheel and a cute smile.

"Wooah! That was amazing, Keke." Capturing my panting niece in a big hug, I spun us around.

She descended into a fit of giggles until I came to a standstill. "Bienvenida a México, Auntie T."

Clueless as to what those words meant, the bubbly smile on my niece's face got me thinking that maybe coming to Mexico wasn't a bad idea after all.

*****

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