CAMARADERIE TROUBLES novel Chapter 23

Florence hugged her children so tight, she wanted to infuse them into herself. She wanted their distinct childlike scent to wash away her fears, wash away the awful news she got today. It was very dark when they arrived home and nothing gave her more joy than seeing her children, alive and well. She put a strained smile on her face for the sake of the children. They shouldn’t see her sad, they shouldn’t know that something was gravely wrong – especially IK. He couldn’t know; Florence couldn’t bear the thought of telling him he had cancer.

IK sat with them now, beside bimbo in the sitting room as Selena hopped beside him, wearing a suspiciously wide grin as she talked endlessly to IK. IK smiled and answered Selena’s numerous questions. Florence squatted before her children, inspecting them much more than she usually did. She couldn’t help it. “How are you? Did you enjoy yourselves at Aunty Naomi’s place today?”

Amanda and Solomon bobbed their heads. “Yes mummy, we ate spaghetti and fish” Amanda said.

Florence smiled. She didn’t think she would be able to thank Naomi enough for taking care of her children in her absence. “Did you now? It was sweet, right?” They nodded.

Amanda turned suddenly with a big smile. “Selena cooked rice and beans”

“What?” bimbo and Florence echoed as their eyes flashed to Selena.

“You didn’t” IK muttered, his eyes wide.

“I did” Selena grinned at him.

“When did she start cooking?” bimbo asked Florence, looking astounded.

Selena looked at the priceless expression on IK’s face and grinned so widely, her mouth engulfed her entire face. She gave him the ‘I-told-you-I-w

ould-do-it’ look.