"Ouch!" I cried out falling back into bed. I had woken up to pee and had cramps.What a terrible day of the year for this thing to come. I sighed and slept on my stomach. I jolted up from bed, realization hitting me, I've stained my lavender colored sheets and duvet.
"Oh no!" I hate it when I stain my sheets on my period, been having pre menstrual cramps for a couple of days now and didn't know it will come today of all days. I don't worry myself tracking it, it follows an irregular pattern that got me staining myself in previous years.
I painfully got off the bed and removed the sheets and everything from it and took hurting steps out of my room to the utility room.
I stuffed them straight into the washing machine, poured washing detergent on them and chose the right temperature and spin cycle. It started swooshing and clicking when I pressed on go!
I returned back to my room and took a shower, scrubbing my body extra well to prevent me from having a smell of metal. I finished showering and brushed my teeth before going back to the room.
Settling on black sweatpants and oversized hoodie, I took new sheets and blankets and laid my bed. I covered myself with a duvet giving winter air no chance of sending chills through my body.
I looked at the time on my watch , it's only 5am in the morning. I don't care, I'm going back to sleep. Such a shame I won't get to celebrate this Christmas happily without whimpering or worst in bed.
My mind wandered for a long time before I finally drifted off to sleep.
I felt the duvet ripped off me and a pair of hands shaking me to wake up. I opened my eyes to take a look at the person who not only spoilt my sleep but caused the cramps to come back because I have woken up.
It was no other person than El , sitting beside me with a huge grin plastered on her face wearing a Christmas tree onesie. "Wakey wakey, snow and Christmas."
Despite the cramps , I chuckled and sat up wincing. She's made her own version of wakey wakey , eggs and bakery, "Merry Christmas to you El!"
She examined my face with concern , "are you sick Ann?" She touched my forehead and neck to check my temperature, "you're hot."
"It's cold El."
"I know it's cold , you're just mostly affected by cold temperature unless you're sick."
"I'm on my thing , it came this dawn."I fell back in bed.
She gave my hand a gentle squeeze, "awwn sorry."
"Don't worry, it's a red Christmas for me."
"You won't be lively, you can't run down the stairs with me to open our presents and you'll have to bed in bed all day." She pouted. When El and I celebrate Christmas together back home in Ghana, her parents come over to ours on the Eve and sleep so El and I can run down our stairs to the Christmas tree and open our presents . It has kinda become a tradition and we were hoping for that too. It's shame Mother Nature decided to visit today.
"It'll be over by tomorrow, we can go wherever you want." I tried to convince her.
"I know but today's Christmas , it's the fun part!"
"Tomorrow's Boxing Day, it's gonna be fun too though it can't beat Christmas."
"And you have that dinner with Andre on Friday right ?"
"Yeah." I had almost forgotten about it. My phone buzzed, obviously with a message and not a notification. I looked at the screen, it was from Drey.
"You can't go with these pains , you'll be wincing through out."
"The pains will go by tomorrow evening, it always does."
"Alright if you say so, I'm going to get you breakfast in bed okay." She got up to leave but stopped at the door and turned to me, "I nearly forgot why I was here, Merry Christmas to you too Ann."
"Many happiest returns sis."
"You too love." She said and left .
I took my phone and unlocked it, reading the message.
Drey🤤❤️
May this holiday season be full of surprises, joy and cheers, simply because you deserve the best. A friend like you is what makes Christmas special to me though I've not known you since forever , I do feel that and nothing will make me happiest than sharing this season with you since you're closest to my heart. Joyeux Noël Ma jolie fille brune🌹❤️🎊🎉 Je t'aime beaucoup❤️.
Me
Thanks for the heartwarming message Drey ... Merry Christmas to you and I wish you celebrate this season meaningfully with those closest to your heart . Cheers to more love , joy , hope and togetherness😩🌹.
Drey🤤❤️
Thank you love❤️. How you doing ?
Me
I'm fine b 😩 and you ?
Drey🤤❤️
I'm good. Lemme FaceTime you , I can't see you in person on this day , I can't at least get to see you on phone.
The moment my ringtone went off, I clicked on the accept button with me lying on my stomach.
His handsome face appeared on my screen. He was also in bed with a tee and sweatpants and was all smiles as he greeted, "Hey beautiful."
"Hey boo." I greeted back , trying to act normal That's our thing now. He suggested it the day we made up at his office. Not that kinda made up El meant .
"What's wrong love ?" Oh so he saw through it .
He inched closer to the camera , narrowing his eyes he said, "are you on it ?"
See I told you Andre pays takes not to even the littlest things. "How do you know ?"
"You looked exactly like that our lunch date on the last week of November , I figured you were on your thing but wasn't so sure, your how do you know confirms it."
I face palmed myself , I wasn't discreet enough in concealing the pains I felt, "okay you're right, you're embarrassing me."
"Why should you be embarrassed, it's part of nature."
"No not that, you talking to me about it is something else."
"What's true friendship if we can't share our worst and embarrassing moments." He winked at me.
"It's not true enough." I winked back. Our friendship now is what other people call best friend goals. We've shared our worst moments together and gotten to know each other better. He's completely changed my first impression of him.
El flung my door open, carrying a tray of breakfast. I was lying on my stomach with my back to the door so El saw Andre and greeted, "hey brother in law, we will talk about why you've not told us yet for now Merry Christmas to you."
She sat the tray beside me and took my phone continuing the call. I sat up on bed and ate the breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and tuna vegetable salad with a glass of apple juice. Trust Carmen to balance your meals anytime for you.
I zoned their conversation out of my mind. I don't want to hear those embarrassing comments from El. She passed my phone back to me with Andre still on the line, "beautiful I'll call you back , I'm gonna get ready to head to my parents'"
"Okay boo, take care bye."
"You too, no sugar stuffs alright ?"
"Bye bye Doctor Drey, hey that kinda rhymes ."
"I'm gonna get you." I hanged up , turning my focus back to the food, El stared at me.
"Boo , beautiful?" She sat up straight to face me , how girls sit when they want to gossip, "aren't you just friends?" She air quoted.
"For the millionth time El we are."
"He told me to look after you, make sure you're alright and perfect. He told me to rub your back when the cramps set in , his does that make you feel ?"
Happy that he cares for me than I thought . "I'm happy that he cares about me enough to do that." Butterflies in my stomach , Andre's being cute .
"I see."
"What are you trying to prove this time Detective El ?"
She took a piece of bacon and stuffed it into her mouth , chewed on it answering, "I'll tell you about my findings soon."
"Heard you ." I drank my juice and set the glass on the tray.
I made an attempt to get out of bed but El stopped me , "gimme that tray and lay back down in bed, I made a promise to look after you very well. Lemme do my work here."
She took the tray from me, "I've told mum and dad you're not really well and they said you can sleep. They'll be here to check up on you ."
"Oh El , you shouldn't , their Christmas will be ruined."
"Shut up and lay back down , they understand what's going on down there perfectly well to know it's nature." She left the room and I was left by myself again.
I had already sent Christmas wishes to my parents who are ahead of us 5 hours and texted Nessa too. I pulled the duvet on me and went back to sleep.
I woke up hours later with less cramps and got out of bed. I'm gonna head downstairs and wish Uncle Richard and Aunt Bertha a merry Christmas. Oh yeah and Carmen too.
I slowly took the stairs and went into the living room and met everyone there. Aunt Bertha was the first to notice me.
She stretched her hands towards me. "Come here sweetie how are you feeling now ?"
I went into her arms snuggling into her motherly body, "I'm fine now, thank you for caring ."
"Don't be silly , you're my second daughter, I care."
Uncle Richard spoke up, "We made a reservation for five at a restaurant in Manhattan , are you well enough to go kiddo?" He felt my forehead, "you're hot."
"I'm fine Uncle, I can go."
"Are you sure ?" Aunt Bertha raised her head to look at me.
I nodded , "Yeah I can. I want to celebrate this day with all of you who matter to me and are closest to my heart."
El squealed, wiping a fake spilling tear, "so touching."
Uncle Richard ruffled her hair laughing . Carmen too joined in , Aunt Bertha too and soon we were all laughing. One big family united by love. I can't wish for anything else.
Aunt Bertha regained her composure, "Girls go get dressed or we I'll be late."
"Okay." We both got up and made for the stairs. The elders sat talking as they waited for us.
I quickly set a warm bath and took my bath. I wore an all black long dress and block heels. I took a gold clutch and stuffed my phone inside and headed for the door. I had unbraided my hair and braided it into a corn rows with my natural hair and was lucky to have a lace front Afro wig so I just threw it on.
El met me on the stairs . "You look beautiful sis."
"You too be , I like your hair do." She was rocking her blonde thick hair in an all back two corn row and the last ends are in a fro.
"Thanks b."
"Don't mention, we're here."
"You two are looking very pretty." Carmen swoon over us beating Aunt Bertha to it.
"Thank you." We said in unison.
We all left the house into the car and drove off to Manhattan.
Conversations filled the car, I kept mute cause the cramps were getting back. I clutched my stomach and closed my eyes. El rubbed my back and that helped a lot .
"Thanks sis."
"No need to thank me, I'm just doing my work."
Gosh she still got what Andre told her to do in her head. I wished I hadn't zoned them out , I would have known what else they talked about. "Okay Thank you for doing your work , happy ?"
"Yass! More than ever!"
I didn't say more and closed my eyes , waiting for us to arrive at the restaurant.