(040b - Family Dinner Part 2)

Please Read.

First of all, Glowree_20 suggested I create a Group chat for my books which I have yesterday. A lot of you guys have joined and it has been really fun. But in case you haven't joined, just let me know. I'll send the group link to you immediately.

Secondly...

Okay, so I know it seems like I'm focusing a lot more on Dawn and Chima than the other major characters because I've been writing about them for a while now. This is basically the third chapter in a roll with Dawn's POV, and trust me there are still like two more.

I just want to let you guys know that it is intentional. Remember, I have this all planned out, I didn't just expect the chapters to keep adding up because the spirit takes over a lot 🤣. The steamy dance scene with the family dinner was supposed to be two chapters at most, but now we are entering the third. Again, the spirit just takes over.

But don't fret, because I'm working towards a goal and the goal is that I'm ending Dawn's POV latest in chapter 43... latest. This means we won't be getting Dawn's POV till towards the end of Almost Unfixable. This also means that the much anticipated #Dachima Kiss scene and our babies becoming official will be taking place between this chapter and chapter 43.

So from chapter 53, till the end of the book, there will be a Sidara, Jidela, and occasionally Semeeha take over. You'll still see Dawn and Chima because they still have a lot of roles to play in the plot, but now as a couple and in their friends' POVs. Shey, we get?

Now, let's see if Deolu Dayo takes kindly to strange boys in his house 🌚. Dive in 😌🔥.

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𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍
(Dawn Damipe Dayo)

Holy Shit.

On a normal day, I'd have been super excited if my Dad cuts his business trip short to come home.

I'd have even been the first person to jump at the door to greet him when he walks in.

But right now, I was frozen on my spot beside Chima, watching the twins hopping in excitement as they waited for Dad to walk through the door. While Dean and mum were still busy getting things together in the kitchen, acting natural about this new development, I was legit almost having a mental breakdown.

I've said it before, my parents have always been open about teenage relationships. Well, until I opened up to them about what happened between TK and me. Mum grew slightly skeptical, but Dad? He began to show his disinterest in it. He didn't flat out tell me not to date anymore, he was just a lot more skeptical than mum.

Which was why I targeted for the day of the dinner, today, to be when he wasn't around. But the universe has just been messing with me all day.

Things were starting to get so good. It felt like nothing could go wrong.

Now, I wasn't even sure anymore.

"I thought you said your Dad was in Germany and won't be back till next week." Chima's voice sliced through my reverie and I turned to look at him, a frustrated sigh escaping my lips.

"He's supposed to be," I answered, running my hand through my face. "He isn't supposed to be here. He isn't supposed to be back till next week. I'm so sorry, Chima." I apologized, an exhausted sigh escaping my lips.

This was just going to be a rollercoaster for Him. I prepped him for my Mum. Not my Dad.

He wasn't ready to face my Dad yet.

But Chima didn't seem fazed by any of this. Instead, he looked at me incredulously, wondering what I was apologizing for.

"Why are you sorry?" He asked, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "There is nothing to be sorry for. It's obvious none of you knew he'd be back today." He looked oddly calm, but that's because he didn't know what was at stake.

He didn't know we might be at stake.

"No, you don't understand. I-" I began but the opening of the front door and squealing of the twins cut me off abruptly.

"Daddy!" They screamed, which was followed by Dad's hearty laughter.

"My Baby Boys!" His deep voice echoed through the room.

Letting out a shaky, uneasy breath, I looked towards the door in time to see Dad drop his briefcase on one of the chairs so he could pick both boys from the floor. At that same moment, Dean came out of the kitchen and ran to meet Dad as well.

"Dad!" He squealed like a little girl, a wide grin stretched across his lips as he threw his hands around Dad's middle to hug him. Dad laughed again, dropping the twins so that he'd properly hug his first son.

"Big Boy!" He called Dean, patting him on his back. Dean pulled away, his lips formed into a childish pout.

"I'm a Big Man now, Dad." He protested against Dad's let name for him. "See?" He lifted his chin for Dad to see. "I've started growing beards." He said, showing Dad his beardless chin.

Chima chuckled beside me while I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Beards my ass.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dad apologized, playing along with Dean. "Big Man." He corrected himself according to Dean, causing my younger brother to grin with pride, hoisting his shoulders up in arrogance.

Then he turned to me.

"See, Dawn?" He called out, and I cussed inwardly because that brought Dad's attention to where Chima and I stood. "I'm the man of the house now. Respect me." He boasted and I scoffed.

"Shut up, Dean."

"So, you won't come and greet me, Baby Girl?" Dad called out, a calm and contagious smile playing on his lips. I felt myself smiling back despite my anxiety. "Didn't you miss me? I cut my trip short because of you o." He asked, his lips forming in a playful pout.

"Of course I did, Dad," I answered, leaving Chima's side to go greet him. When I got to him, I threw my hands around his middle to hug him and he hugged me back, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

After a moment, we pulled away and Dad looked at me, still smiling. I couldn't stop myself from smiling back.

"How are you?" He asked me and I nodded.

"I'm okay. I missed you, Dad." I said.

"I missed you too." He answered and my smile widened. But then, it faltered when I saw him look over my head in a direction. A direction I knew Chima was standing. His smile faltered a bit too as he looked back down at me.

"Who is our guest?" He whispered, his brows quirked slightly in question.

And so it begins.

I thought to myself as I pulled away from Dad to glance at Chima, who still had a rather calm expression on his face. I began to look for what kind of answer to give Dad. I needed to be as subtle as possible and give an answer that will not put me, and especially Chima in an awkward position.

But I didn't find any.

"He's a friend of Dawn's," Mum spoke as she walked out of the kitchen to meet Dad. I heaved a sigh of relief, watching the glow of adoration that appeared on Dad's face as he sighted his wife walking towards him.

He pulled her in when she got to him, pressing a chaste kiss on her lips. My parents have always been big on PDA. It didn't mean anything that a guest was in the house.

"He's Dawn's friend," Mum repeated after Dad pulled away from the kiss. "I invited him over for dinner." She added. My heart went out to her in appreciation for downplaying this entire situation, another sigh of relief escaping my lips.

I love you mum.

"A friend," Dad repeated when he pulled away from mum, looking at me before looking over my head again at Chima, then back to me again with his brows still quirked in question. I nodded, feeling calmness sip in little by little.

"A special friend," Mum piped in, and my anxiety shot back up like a torpedo. I couldn't stop myself from face palming, literally hearing the smirk in her voice. She knew what she was doing. She said what she said intentionally.

Oh for God's sake.

And Dean chose that time to laugh.

My idiot of a younger brother fucking laughed, even louder when I glared daggers at him.

Thanks a lot, mum. Cue my sarcasm.

"A special friend," Dad repeated again, looking at me again as if he wanted me to confirm what he just heard.

He didn't sound or look surprised. It was as if he had expected it. Still, I didn't know what to say or what to make of the seemingly awkward situation, just swallowed and averted my gaze from my Dad's.

"Well, does this special friend of yours have a name?" He asked and I looked up at him. He wasn't looking at me again, but staring right over my head at Chima, who still look awfully chilled about all of this.

If he was as terrified as I was, then he was doing an excellent job at hiding it.

"H-His n-name is-" I began, my voice coming out in a nervous, uncomfortable stutter.

"Sochima Johnson," Chima cut me off gently and o sighed, muttering a barely audible thank you to him for taking me out of such an uncomfortable situation.

He finally moved away from his position by the dining table and walked into the living room where we all stood.

"Good Evening, sir." He said and with his hands folded behind him, he gave my Dad a bow of respect.

Like, a Bow. A low bow. Almost prostrated sef.

The living room was dead silent, with my Dad peering intently at Chima. Even with his unmistakable and very evident self-confidence, Chima knew better than to look my Dad back in the eye, so he just stared down at his feet. Standing close to my Dad, I could feel the tension exuding from him.

It was nerve-wracking.

"Sochima Johnson," Dad repeated his name, a hint of recognition sipping from his tone. "That name sounds quite familiar." He stated, causing curiosity to perk up in my mind and confusion to flash through my face.

When I looked at Chima, he looked just as confused as I was.

Familiar?

Has he met Chima before?

I highly doubt it.

"Oh, yes Dad," Dean spoke up. "He's the one I'm always telling you about. The Captain of our basketball team in school." He said. Dad's face flashed with recognition while my face thickened with surprise.

Dean talks to Dad about Chima?

I'm beginning to think Dean likes Chima more than I do.

"Oh, you are the A-Class Genius and Sports Pro," Dad asked Chima. He sounded quite neutral like he just wanted to confirm if he and Dean were talking about the same person. "The famous all-rounder." He added, giving Chima a quick once-over.

I looked at Chima, who looked just as shocked as I was that Dad knew him like this. His eyes also met mine and he shrugged.

"I guess so, sir?" His response came out like a question, now looking a lot more confused than shocked. Probably at the fact that someone outside Crestview, a parent for that matter, knew him as a prodigy.

It was a little fascinating but it still didn't make my nervousness go away. I knew my Dad. Chima's academic and athletic status won't deter my Dad from grilling him solid.

"Ehn ehn," Dad hummed, nodding his head. I wasn't sure if it was in approval or he was just nodding them in confirmation. "How are you?" He asked Chima, his tone still monotonous.

"Fine, thank you, sir," Chima answered, his voice still solid and confident. I still wasn't sure how he didn't falter in the face of my Dad.

"Babe," Mum called Dad's attention, finally getting him to tear his gaze away from Chima. "Why don't we go freshen you up, then we'll come back down for Dinner, hmmn." She picked his briefcase from where he had dumped it earlier and moved to loop her arm with my dad's, smiling at her husband.

I saw Dad visibly relax at the sound of her soothing voice, smiling back at his wife, his original baby girl. After instructing Dean to help get his suitcase from the car, he let Mum lead him away from the leaving room to the stairs, which led to their room.

When they disappeared out of sight, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, rushing over to Chima who still looked unusual relaxed for a boy that just faced a Dad. Most boys would have pissed their pants at this point and the night had barely begun.

"I'm so sorry, Chima," I apologized again, and he looked at me, his eyebrows cocked quizzically. "This wasn't how tonight was supposed to start," I said.

"Dawn," He called me, his tone telling me to calm down. "I honestly don't understand what you are apologizing for when you have nothing to be sorry for. Your Dad obviously wanted to surprise you guys." He smiled and I sighed

He wasn't getting it.

"No, it's not about that. It's about you." I told him, trying to get him to understand.

Chima's smile dropped slightly as what I meant seemed to dawn on him. He folded his hands across his chest, indicating that he was listening to me. I took in a deep breath, getting ready to explain everything to him.

"My parents have always been open to teenage relationships, probably more open than any African parent normal should." I started and he nodded, urging me to continue.

"But after what happened with TK, my Dad grew extra cautious about the whole idea. He didn't outrightly ban it, but he's not exactly as open as he used to." I explained to him, my fingers shaking so intensely as if they were freezing

Chima didn't say anything for a moment, just stared right at me in a way that made me a little uneasy. He has every right to know what he's getting into. I just wish it didn't have to be after Dad already met him

"So," He finally spoke after what felt like hours of silence, his voice coming out in a drawl. "You are saying your Dad won't go easy on me, yeah?" He asked and I nodded, nervously playing with my fingers. "So, I should be ready for him to grill me with questions just like you said your mum would."

It wasn't a question, but it felt like one so I nodded, my lips tugged in a small, nervous smile.

"Precisely," I answered, my voice in a quivering mess.

The popular opinion was that boys are always scared of Dads, so I expected to see a sign of nervousness and anxiety from Chima, however slight. But instead, I saw nothing. Just a thoughtful look flash across his face with his head bobbing from side to side.

Then he looked back at me, his lips stretched in a relaxed smile.

"Okay." He finally answered, giving a shrug and I blinked back at him in surprise.

Definitely not the kind of response or reaction I was expecting.

"Okay?" I asked in disbelief and he shrugged again. A scoff-like humorless laugh escaped my lips. "Chima, I didn't prep you for this." I reminded him. But all he did was chuckle.

"You kinda did." He answered, his lips still stretched in a smile and his eyes twinkling with amusement. "You told me to get ready for anything." He reminded me.

I let out a cry of frustration.

"I told you to get ready for my mum." I cried. Literally cried. Like, I felt tears brimming in my eyes.

How is he so calm about this and I'm here, having an anxiety breakdown?

"Hey," Chima cooed softly, bringing his hand to rest on either side of my arm. "You need to relax, Dawn. You are doing it again. You are getting worked up and overthinking things when you shouldn't. " He stated soothingly, rubbing his hands up and down my arm to calm me down.

It was working but I just couldn't help the way I was feeling.

"How are you not getting worked up?" I had to ask him. "How are you so calm and I'm here having a nervous breakdown?"

"Because I don't expect anything less from your Dad," He answered shrewdly, his head cocked to the side as he peered at me with that calming smile still playing on his lips. I took a deep breath, my eyes dropping to the floor.

"Hey, look at me," He whispered, bringing his right hand to my face, his index finger tugging my chin up so that I'd look at him.

"It's okay." He said in hushed tones, bringing his hand back to rest against my arm. "I don't expect your Dad to take it easy on me. Whatever your Dad throws at me, whatever question he asks, I'm ready for it. I don't expect anything less from a man that wants the best for his daughter." He told me, his hands still moving against my arm in soothing strokes, getting me to calm down.

I took deep, calming breaths, allowing each stroke of his hand against my arms to guide me. My racing heart reduced to its normal pace, and I felt quite calm. But at the same time, guilt began to sip in.

I said I wasn't going to allow my emotions get the better part of me. I was my parents' daughter, I should be able to handle things better than I'm doing right now, but again, Chima was the one calm down even when he was going to be the one on the hot seat. I guess I was just scared that something will happen and things won't go well.

The mere thought of not being allowed to see Chima again terrified me.

"I know you are scared of the possibility of things not going well," He continued, speaking like he looked into my mind and saw my fears. "But you need to stop worrying and trust that I can handle it. I need you to calm down and trust me, okay?"

I nodded, sighing.

"You are way better at handling this than I am," I muttered, folding my hands across my chest. He chuckled, shrugging with his eyes still trained me.

"I know what I want, or in this case, who I want," He said, and I knew he was talking about me. I exhaled shakily, not knowing what to say.

Somehow, I can't always find the right words to say to Chima when he is like this with me. This open and bold in expressing his feelings for me. He wasn't fazed by my silence, maybe already used to it by now.

"And I'm ready to do whatever it takes, to prove to whoever I need to prove to, that I'm worthy of her." He continued. I took another shaky breath, feeling all my inhibitions and fear slip away little by little as I digested his words.

She is me.

The person he was talking about in the third person, with so much passion, is me.

"She is you, Dawn," He voiced out my thoughts in a whisper, moving closer to me till he was in my personal space, not caring that my parents could walk down any minute and find us in this compromising situation.

For some reason, the fact that he didn't care made me not to care too.

"And If your Dad asks me to walk through fire, just to prove that I won't hurt you, then so be it. I am ready to do anything for you." He finished,

And the fierceness and intensity of his voice told me that he meant every single word he said.

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The clanging of steel cutleries on ceramic plates and the soft chatters of my parents echoed through the large dining room.

Everyone seemed to be having a time of their lives, Dad gisting Mum on the events of his business trip, the twins eating their food carelessly that they messed their side of the table, Dean so invested in showing Chima every funny Rod3ny video on Tiktok.

But for me? I seated at the edge of my seat, eating my