Granny comes back home in the evening and sees her granddaughter in the sitting room, healthy such that she is busily eating vanilla ice cream while watching television.
"Welcome Granny." Nora greets her with her gaze still fixed on the television while scooping a spoon of her ice cream.
"Thank you!" Granny replies and takes a good look at her. "You look very healthy now. More energetic than before." Granny adds.
"Yeah, it's a miracle," Nora responds and stirs her ice cream, "Or maybe it's a natural gift for all dark skinned people to recover very fast." she adds, slightly annoyed.
Granny notices the slight sadness in her granddaughter's eyes. "What have you been up to Nora?" Granny asks her, drawing closer to her. "Nothing, just watching some videos on the net" she replies and scoops another spoon into her mouth.
Granny just stares at her, trying to understand what's going on. "Try some!" Nora speaks, directing her gaze and her bowl of ice cream towards her grandma. "It's very delicious" she adds.
Granny gives her a weird look, "You were the same person that told me yesterday, on this very seat not to take sweets, 'We following what the doc said' isn't it" Granny tries mimicking her.
Nora retrieves with disappointment, "Maybe because you are fair" she speaks, "Dark skins have high chance of immunity and can resist many diseases. You should have been dark skinned Granny, you wouldn't have had diabetes." Nora says, puts the bowl down and buried her head in her thighs.
"Nora!" her grandma consoles her, "go get some rest, you are surely tired after watching all those videos" her grandma adds, patting her. Nora gets up and goes to her room without saying a word.
Granny watches her till she leaves. "You have no idea how many girls want to have your skin colour Nora, but they don't. Look, Black is Beauty" her grandma speaks to herself and tidies up the place.
*************
"Xander!" Klein calls him when he enters his room. "I want to tell you something" he says. "Xander finishes dressing up quickly and attends to Klein. "What is it!" Xander gives him the go ahead.
"Look, about what happened earlier today..." Klein starts but gets interrupted by Xander, "I'm sorry. I was trying to make you realize what the matter was. You were drowning too deep inside that incident. I wanted to bring you back" Xander apologizes.
"No, Thank You for that. You really brought me back after that. You made me get out of that thought and I appreciate you for that. Thanks a lot bro!" Klein replies.
Xander giggles, "I couldn't help less" he says and pats him on the shoulder. "But if you try that next time," Klein starts, "You really gonna bleed for real" Klein jokes. "We'll see about that." Xander replies and they giggle. Xander mum enters.
"Mum!" Klein calls her and goes and hugs her. She's surprised while Xander laughs silently. "Are we okay dear?" she asks. "Oh, yeah!" he replies and leaves her.
"I just wanna thank you for everything you've done for me. Of late, I've not been stable but you were there by me, Thanks a lot" he tells her.
"Now you've confused me. What the hell is going on?" she asks. "Ahm, nothing?" Xander replies. "Yeah, nothing" Klein supports.
"Okay!" she answers them. "Boys, I came here to tell you something. Syd's birthday is tomorrow. I want us to plan something big for her" Xander's mum starts and disclosed her plan to them.
*************
Nora sighs just before she enters the restaurant the next morning.
"Morning Nora!" One of her coworkers greet her. "Hey! Morning" she replies. "Asher wasn't comfortable you weren't around yesterday, he didn't have much faith in us with your absence. But we did our best." He tells her. "Really?" she asks surprised. "Yeah! You really the one keeping us going Nora. Keep it up!" the guys adds and goes into the kitchen. "Okay!" she replies, not understanding what's going on.
["Nora!" Asher calls her name from behind. She turns and Asher rushes and kisses her. She's damn shocked.
"Sorry!" he apologizes. ]
"Nora! Nora! Nora!" Emma calls her. "Hmm!" Nora responds. "Are you okay girl?" Emma asks. "What? Yeah!" she replies confused of what's happening.
"Did Asher come her?" she asks Emma. "What will he be doing here for God's sake?" Emma replies back with a question. "Oh no! It can't be, I was hallucinating???" she says while rising her tone. Emma stares at her with wonder.
"Girl are you sure you healthy now? I mean can you work?" Emma asks concerned. "What are you saying, I wasn't sick in the first place!" Nora replies on an angry tone. "Oh! I forgot!" Emma answers her.
Nora stares at her and starts work. Emma joins her after she dropped her bag inside. "Girl," Nora speaks, "Did Asher asks of me yesterday?" she asked hoping to hear something good. "Yes!" Emma answers. "Really?" Nora exclaims with a smile.
"Uhm, no!" Emma breaks Nora's smile. "What? So why did you say yes?" Nora asks. "I thought he did but when I reflected, he didn't" Emma answers her. Nora digests that cooly. "Was he uncomfortable I wasn't around?" Nora asks again.
"Why would he?" Emma asks, "Why are you... you can't be serious Nora" Emma sharply changes her words. "What?" Nora asks curiously.
"Look at me girl" Emma says and Nora looks directly at her. "Do you like Asher?" she asks Nora. "What! Why would I? And even if I did, it's no use?" Nora replies and continues working. "You right girl" Emma says and looks outside, "It's really no use" she adds and taps Nora to look while still fixing her gaze outside.
When Nora looks, she gasps :
Asher was walking into the restaurant with a lady.
***************
Xander dials a number on his phone while Klein plays with a tennis ball in his office. "Is everything ready?" Xander asks across the phone. "Yes Sir! We'll get everything set by 7pm" the other person on the phone replies.
"Good! Don't forget anything, make it all special" Xander says. We don't hear what the other person says and he hangs up.
"Xan, do you think we should have gone this far? Like nobody wished her" Klein says his mind. "Yeah, I wasn't feeling good about that idea so I wished her and told her to pretend I never did" Xander confesses. "You did?" Klein asks, surprised.
{"Happy Birthday Syd!" Klein wishes her. "Thank you!" she answers with a big smile. "So what are you guys planning?" she asks. "Uhm, nothing" he replies seriously. "Okay" she answers and turns to leave.
"Wait Syd!" he calls her back, "Please don't let anyone know I've wished you okay, I made a bet" he tells her. "What bet?" she asks. "Can't explain now, please just do as I told you." he tries convincing her. "Okay! You have my word!"she answers and leaves} : Klein reflects earlier in the day.
"It's good you begged her" Klein tells Xander and resumes playing with his ball.