Chapter 30

The next day, Juana's granny was discharged from the hospital. It was a great homecoming for the family. Baron wrote down some recipes for a feast and the three of them danced and sang. They also visited Dawn together in the hospital where she was still receiving treatment. They were going to go shopping later. Juana was the happiest. She embraced her grandmother and cried on her shoulders.

"Mama, you'll regain your weight soon. Dad and I will make sure of that" she said to her and she smiled happily.

"I just hope Dawn gets out of there quickly so we can be one great family again." She sighed. Juana shook her head. Baron's face fell. It was Baron who broke the silence:

"We'll be having a visitor tonight. It's an old best friend. She wants to come congratulate me on my recovery and help Juana fix her hair. She might even help with the feast, you know we need more people to attend this party with us"

Juana was quiet. She knew who was coming:Selena.

"Oh how nice of her to want to help. Tell her we'd appreciate her visit. We hope to have her here soon" Granny said smiling.

"Dad, I can fix my hair at the salon" Juana said.

"She dresses hair for a living, so you don't have to go to the salon" he said. "Trust me, you'd like her. She's nice"

"Baron, what's her name?" Granny asked walking into her room.

"Her name is Selena"

Juana nodded 'I thought as much'.

Just then, Baron's phone rang and he picked it.

"Okay nice name. Who'll go shopping with me?" Granny said from her room.

"Selena is around the corner. Imma go pick her up" he said and grabbed his car keys on the table.

"Okay. Hurryyyy!" Granny yelled from inside her room.

But Juana stopped him: "Dad, how old is Selena?"

"She's 27, why?" He looked like he would always be at the lady's beck and call, come rain, come sunshine.

"Isn't she old enough to drive herself down here on her own? Do you have to go pick her?"

"Well she asked that I come" he said and walked out "I'll be back in time to go shopping with you guys I promise" he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and moved towards the parking lot, and from there he shouted at her: "Please be kind to her, okay?" and she almost shouted back "Because she's gonna be my mother?" But she kept quiet and just nodded at him and watched him start his car. She wanted to see what Selena was made of. If she passed her boundaries, she would not take it lightly with her. She would show her directly that she would never take her mom's place, even if her mom never survived. But she hoped her mother survives. As soon as her father's car was out of sight, she ran into her room to have her bath. She was going to deliberately delay her bath so that she'd not be there when Selena arrived. She made sure her room was locked from behind. While in the tub, she waited for the honking of cars arriving the parking lot, she waited ten minutes before she heard it. So she came with her car. Why did she then ask her father to come pick her? Juana was fuming. She heard her giggling and laughing like a mad woman. She heard someone close the door of a car. Flap. Gbam. Mwam. She heard them coming in through the front door. She slowly got out of the tub and wiped her body.

"Hey who's home?" Juana heard her voice. She sounded so excited, and her accent was lovely. She heard her grandmother welcoming her and giggling. But Juana was not ready to go meet her. She had to caution herself so she would not do or say something silly. She wondered if that was actually her first time coming to their house. Juana believed she must have been here seeing her dad a number of times but she did not say it to anyone. She sat quietly and did some deep breathing exercises for two minutes, muttering to herself: "Say hello, don't shout at her, don't be rude, compliment her, let her kiss you, shake hands with her, smile back when she smiles at you, don't punch her even if you have the urge to..."

Then she waited for someone to call her. She had already picked a dress for shopping; a pink loose gown which was only tight around the arms. She stood before her full-length mirror and admired the dress. She knew it looked so good on her.

"If Selena says my dress is nice, I should say thanks. If she doesn't seem to notice my nice dress, I should not hit her" she kept reminding herself or she'd do something silly to her out there.

"If she sends me on an errand, I shouldn't say no. I should do it or politely tell her I can't if I'm not able."

Her phone started to ring.

"Oh my! Where's my phone?" She stood up and ransacked her drawer for it but it wasn't there. She took her bedspread and blankets off her bed but it was not there. Then it stopped ringing.

"Where did I put it? I haven't used it in hours!" Then she remembered it was in her handbag, the one she wore to Jason's, the previous day. She fished it out just as soon as it began to ring again. While searching for her phone in the bag, she saw something she hadn't noticed earlier. She looked closely and realized it was a small tracking device. Who put it there?

"Hello are you there?"

"Oh sorry hello" she had forgotten that she had answered the call.

"How are you honey?"

"I'm nervous Colin. Or just anxious? I don't know"

"What's happening?" He asked.

"Selena is here"

"What? What's she doing there?" He sounded surprised. "Is your dad still seeing her secretly?"

"I think so. She seems so excited to be here. I'm in my room now trying to caution my fury or I'd find myself punching her in the face the next minute"

"Be calm honey" he laughed, "She might not mean harm after all. Just go with the flow for now"

"Yeah that's what I'm trying to do. Dad says I should be nice to her"

"Make sure you go say hello to her after I drop this call" he said.

"Sure"

"Juana"

"Yeah?"

"I think it's time to make it officially public"

"What?"

"Our relationship. My boss-thats your dad should know about this, don't you think?"

"Do you think he doesn't know?" She asked smiling

"Yeah he might have been noticing some things between us, but he doesn't exactly know that we are dating each other. He should know" he said

"Right, but I can't tell him. Not yet at least" she said

"Why not?"

"I want mom to get back first, then I'll tell both of them. Please let's keep it private till then. Too much closeness should be disregarded if he's around, okay?"

"I understand. I understand you honey"

"Thanks. We have a feast at home this afternoon by 3pm. Do you mind joining us?" She giggled

"No I don't mind. I'll be there I promise" he laughed "I hope there's lots of chicken"

"Sure" then there was silence for some seconds after which Colin broke the silence

"Juana, you must be careful. Don't go to a stranger's house, it's really dangerous. Just let me protect you please"

"Oh. It was you?"

"What?"

"You put the tracking device in my bag? Colin, how many times will I ask you to stop following me around. Don't do it any longer, okay? Don't let me hate you"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Let me live my life"

"Your life is risky"

"It's adventurous"

"That's not adventure"

"Colin, I told you Jason's my friend. You should believe me sometimes. Even my parents don't follow me around like this"

"I just felt like following you because you might hurt yourself. Please don't ask me not to do this. Helen didn't but she died"

"I'm not Helen and I'm not dying" she yelled into the phone.

"But...

"Colin, enough of this. Bye"

"See you in the afternoon"

"Okay" Juana hung up.

She was ready to go welcome their visitor, Selena. Nobody was in the living room. The house was quiet. Juana went to the balcony, there they were, no not the three of them-it was just her father and Selena and she had her hand around his neck. She was whispering something into his ears and giggling. There were two shopping bags on the ground near them. They didn't see her coming until she was very near them. They disengaged immediately they saw her and maintained a straight face. The respect Juana built for Selena in her room evaporated that minute.

"Hello" she waved at her. She was smiling Juana just crossed her arms under her breasts and stared at both of them. Selena had very fine legs and she was wearing a party dress, also pink in colour but very tight and somewhat short.

"Baron, who's she?"

"Sorry. Ah..Err, Selena, meet my daughter, her name's Juana. Honey, meet my friend, she's called Selena" he said forcing a smile.

"I know" Juana replied curtly

"Oh wow, she's so cute!" Selena exclaimed "I love her dress, it's a little similar to mine except that mine is tighter. You know girl, it's nice to meet you. You're so beautiful" she giggled and offered her hands for a handshake. Juana managed to smile but did not take her hands. She didn't like the fact that they were wearing similar dresses. She wasn't her mother!

"Girl, I hope you let me fix your hair. Just so you know, I dress people's hair, I do great makeup, I sell dresses and accessories, and you're so lucky to have me fix you for the party!" She said making a short dance.

"I don't think I need help with my hair" Juana said but when she saw Baron's pleading eyes, she quickly added, "except a little styling of course" she smiled

"Of course. I'd be glad to do that, sweetheart", then she turned to Baron, " She's so adorable and nice. I think I like her already".

Juana shrugged. "Thanks"

"Let's go shopping guys, Granny is waiting in the car" Baron announced and the three of them walked towards the parking lot, giggling and talking