Hannah touched my shoulder and smile. “Kevin doesn’t have any children of his own. When we got married, we tried everything, but then we found out that..” she paused and looked over at Kevin asking for permission. When he nodded, she continued, “Kevin had a nonmalignant tumour that caused him to be infertile.” she looked at me a little sad, “Uvaldo is the closest thing he has to a child, and now you’re in Vally’s life, you’re in our lives as well. We’ve always wanted a daughter. So if you’d let us, we’d be great parents.”
I smiled at her. I always wanted to know what it feels like to have two parents who loved each other. I’ve always wanted a family. I nod then wipe the stray tears.
Hannah saw immediately and pulled me in a hug, “Don’t cry, dear.” She held me for a minute then release me.
“I’ve never really had a family. Only my mother.” I inhaled and looked at them, “I’d love to be your daughter.”
Kevin clapped his hands and laughed. “Great. I hope you like Paella.”
“I’ve never actually had Paella before, but I’ve seen pictures on Pinterest.” My mother and I could barely afford regular food, and so we didn’t go out much or cooked fancy Spanish dishes.
“Oh well, I have no idea what Pinterest is but you’re going to love what I’ve prepared for tonight.” he looked around at everyone, “You guys should have a seat, especially you missy, shouldn’t be standing on your feet at all. How far along are you?”
“Thirty-two weeks,” I answered.
Valdo moved over closer to the table and pulled a seat. “See, Uvaldo agrees with me. Have a seat.” I walked over to seat that Valdo pulled out and sat. Kevin smiled with approval, then looked at his wife. “You should rest your beautiful legs too. You’ve been standing all day.”
“I haven’t been standing all day.” She pulled out a chair nonetheless and sat.
“Hmm…” he said, not convinced. He looked at Valdo, “You should sit too.”
Valdo pointed down the hall, “Don’t you want any help moving the things from the kitchen.”
Kevin shook his head, “No, I’m good. You sit down and keep these lovely ladies company.” Kevin took the mitten from the dining table then walked out of the room, heading to the kitchen. Hannah’s eyes followed him until he disappeared. It was obvious that they were crazy in love with each other.
“How did you meet Kevin?”
Hannah laughed. “Well, that’s what you call a story.” I raised my eyebrows at her. What did she mean exactly? Instead of asking, I waited for her to tell me. “Vally had just graduated from college, and he was fortunate to get a job. I was so happy for him. He was such a smart child.” She reached over the table and pinched his cheeks, he responded by smiling sweetly at her. “Anyways, he was working and was getting some good money, but I could tell he was unhappy with his job. A few weeks later, he came home crying.”
She lifted her hands and placed it over her heart. “My baby crying. Now that was a shocker because Uvaldo a strong man, always has been. Always want to fight my battles for me, and so when he came home in tears, I was curious to know what happened. He wouldn’t tell me. I tried to force it out of him, but he wouldn’t succumb. I thought it was girlfriend problems at first, but then I would have known if he had a girlfriend, after all, I was still washing his clothes. Then I conclude it must be something at work, so I took a day off work and went to his workplace. That’s when I saw it.”
She paused and looked at her husband, who was returning with a jug in his hands.
There no way she could leave me with a cliffhanger like that so asked, “What did you see?”
She quickly looked at me, “I saw this tall man towering over my child yelling at him.”
Kevin mumbled something under his breath, so I looked over at him to see if he was going to say something.
I looked back at Hannah, “How does Kevin come into all of this?”
She laughed, “Who do you think was shouting at Uvaldo?”
My eyes widen. I shook my head and looked at Kevin, whose eyes were on his wife. “He didn’t.”
“He did.” Valdo and his mother said at the same time while Kevin said ‘I did.”
I laughed and look at Hannah, “What did you do?”
Hannah smiled up at her husband, “Why don’t you let Kevin finish the story.”
Kevin shrugged, “I have to get wine from the cupboard.”
“Vally will get it for you,” Hannah said without moving her eyes from her husband. She used her fingers and pointed at the seat beside her. Kevin listened to wife command and pulled out the chair next to her and sat. Valdo looked between his mother and step-father smile before standing up.
When Valdo was gone, Kevin took a deep breath and started. “Uvaldo was working with the accounts department at the time. Every month he is supposed to make sure all the accounts are balanced. He made an error, and so I asked to see him, but he wasn’t there. I was furious. He went out when he’s supposed to be working.”
“I was working,” Valdo said as reentered the room with the wine in his hands.
Kevin took his eyes from me and looked at his stepson, “I didn’t know that at the time.” Kevin looked back at me and continued his story, “I was furious because he didn’t do what he’s supposed to do. When he returned, I was there waiting for him. Yes, I started shouting. I’m a man who values work ethics and so when I thought Uvaldo was slacking off I was pissed, and I was about to fire him. Then I heard a chair being pulled behind me, so I turn to look.”
I let out a laugh and looked at Hannah. “Did you really do that?”
“Yup.” the three of them answered in reply.
“But that’s not the end. She stood on the chair and was hovering over me. At this time, I was mesmerised. I’d never met a more beautiful woman in my life. I was looking up at her all dreamy wondering where the hell she came from. Then she opened her mouth.” he looked at his wife and smile.
“What did she say?”
“She frowned at me and then said ‘So you like hovering over people, do you? How do you feel now having me hovering over you.’ I returned her frown because I had no idea what she was talking about. Anyways. She rolled her eyes, then shouted, “Don’t you dare shout at my child.”
“So embarrassing,” Valdo mumbled.
Kevin smiled at Valdo then continued his story, “That’s when I realise that the beautiful woman in front was the mother of the worker I was shouting at. Long story short, she slapped me, then came off the chair then she grabbed Uvaldo hand and pulled him out of the office. Many of the other co-workers saw what happened and I thought about the embarrassment Uvaldo must have faced and so I looked up his address and the next day I went to apologise. But of course, that didn’t happen.”
“What happened?” I looked at Valdo, sitting beside me, for an answer.
But Hannah answered before he could the chance, “I slammed the door in his face of course. I thought he was there to finish what he started.”
I looked at Kevin, who was smiling at his wife. “What did you do next?”
“I gave up and went back to work. That’s when I found out that Uvaldo was actually saving the company. The break he took was to go to a private investigator about the next co-worker who was embezzling money from my company. I was so happy because that employee had been stealing money from my company for ten years before Uvaldo caught him. I was grateful, and so I went to his house the following day. Luckily his mother wasn’t at home at that time. I spoke to him, and I gave him his job back but with higher status. He started working as my financial adviser.” he looked over at his wife and smile. “Why don’t you finish the story?”
She waved her hand at him, “Maybe later. I’m starving.”
We all chuckles at her words. She clapped her hands twice then looked around at everyone, “Vally, why don’t you say grace?”
He nodded then bent his head now, everyone followed, including me. “Thank you, heavenly Father, for giving us another day to live. Thanks for providing family and thanks for providing food. We ask for your blessing as we eat this food. In your son, Christ Jesus names, Amen.”
I lifted my head after the prayer and looked around. Praying wasn’t something I’m used to. I never grew up religious; neither did my mother. I’ve never even stepped foot in a Church or any other place of worship before.
“Are you okay, Tiffany?” I looked up at Hannah and nodded quickly.
Kevin smiled, “Great. Let’s eat. Bon Appetite” He lifted the cover off the container which held the Paella, and when he did, my mouth went dry at the look and the smell.
“It looks amazing,” I whispered.
Valdo looked over me and smile. “It does, doesn’t it?”
Hannah looked at us with a grin, “You should wait until you taste it.”