She dropped the glass of the wine on the table beside her and she waited for the person to come inside.
It was Kara.
"Hey, sweetheart...did you enjoy your day with grandma?" McKenna asked masking her anger with a smile. She didn't want their daughter to know she had a fight with her father.
"Yes. Good evening, Umma. Do you think we can call Mama?" Kara's voice was a bare whisper. McKenna knew something was wrong.
"Are you alright? Do you think we can talk about it?" McKenna asked her.
Kara shook her head "I want mama"
Kara watched as McKenna dialed Naya's number and she thought of what to say to her. If she told her mother the truth then Naya would fly to Nigeria and every resemblance of normalcy in her life vanishes. Naya would maybe shove her on a plane but to where? Kara realized five seconds after McKenna dialed her mother's number that she couldn't talk to Naya about Kane, she couldn't risk being taken away from her father.
"Umma, stop! I changed my mind. I don't want to talk to Mama"
McKenna wondered what was going on and before she could hang up, Naya pick up.
"Hello, McKenna. Is Kara okay?"
McKenna froze as soon as she heard Naya's voice. She sounded like she was asleep..it was to be expected, Malawi was four hours ahead of Nigeria.
"Hi, Naya... Kara wanted to..." McKenna watched as Kara shook her head vigorously. She didn't want to talk to Naya anymore.
"I am sorry; I keep forgetting that you are four hours ahead. I wanted to ask for your Instagram handle so I can forward the pictures of Kara in a rollercoaster to you...it was so cute"
McKenna smiled like it was the most adorable thing in the world.
"I am sorry but you didn't answer my question"
"Yes, Naya. Kara is alright"
"Good lord McKenna, you can't call me in the middle of the night and scare me like that!" There was silence on both end for a while before Naya spoke again "I am sorry, McKenna. I am happy she had a great time today. I have to go now"
Then the line went dead. McKenna first saw the relief on Kara's face. Then it dawned on her, was Naya so focused on keeping her safe that she forgot to be a mother to her? It was sad.
"Come on, sit with me sweetheart" McKenna opened the blanket for her to climb inside.
Kara went to her and McKenna instinctively pulled her to her body and held her.
"Tell me what happened, Kara. Don't think about lying to me" McKenna whispered to her.
Kara pulled out and stared at her. Her little eyes beginning to tear up just a little bit.
"I saw him"
"Who did you see?"
"I saw the bad man at the playground today. I think I saw Kane" Kara buried her face in McKenna chest.
Wrapping her hand on her little body, McKenna soothed her by patting her hair.
"Your father and I will never let anyone hurt you Kara. Do you believe that?" McKenna kissed her hair and kept holding her.
"Can I sleep here, please?" Kara asked her
"Of course...just close your eyes and go to sleep. And tomorrow, everything will be brand new, I promise"
***
Elixir came out of the shower when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She quickly pulled out a robe from her wardrobe and made herself decent.
"Who is it?"
"Mom, it's me" Jason called out.
"Oh, it's just you. Come inside if you must" Elixir's frown deepened as she sat in front of the mirror. She picked up an ointment from the table when Jason walked inside.
"Hey Mom. Can we talk?"
Elixir ignored her son and started applying the ointment on her face.
"When do you start the campaign?"
Elixir turned to face her son. What he saying to her?
"I am sorry I was an idiot earlier. In this family, we support each other's dream not shoot them down" Jason explained further.
Elixir dropped the ointment and turned around.
"Jason, you were right. Going into politics will put my family in harm's way and I won't do it"
"Is this about what I said earlier, Mom...."
"Someone tried to grab Kara today!" Elixir spoke without waiting for Jason to finish his sentence.
"Wait! What?"
"Yes, I am sorry...I should have told you earlier. But I could be wrong too, it might just be a bystander. The truth is ever since I started thinking about going into politics, I see danger everywhere I turn. If you don't return my calls, I think you've been murdered by an opponent. If McKenna calls me out of the blue, I think she is about to break some bad news to me. If I see anyone around Kara, I think it's a kidnapping attempt. So, no...I won't be going into politics" Elixir looked down and stared at her fingers.
"Well, fuck that!"
Elixir gazed at her son. Did he just cuss in her presence?
"Sorry, I said fuck but yeah, fuck it. Mom, you were raised to be extraordinary. And guess what, extraordinary people rule the world and I really think you would make a good governor" Jason spoke with a smile now. It was a convincing smile.
"You think?" Elixir asked her.
"I know so and this country needs a change. But you have to promise me something"
Elixir nodded "What?"
"Don't let politics change you. You are firm, fair and you have a lot of good to give. Just don't change, Okay?"
"Okay, Jason. I won't...I can't believe I raised a man. I love you, sweetheart" Elixir told him as she touched her cheeks.
"You better. We will deal with anything that comes out of you being a politician together as a family but we won't let fear hinder us" Jason stood up and kissed her hair.
"Good night, mother"
When Jason got to his room and saw his wife and child on his bed, he had a raised eyebrow.
"Are we having a sleepover?" He asked as he pulled off his jacket.
"I hope you don't mind if she stays here with us tonight" McKenna rubbed Kara's hair in a soothing manner. Kara seemed to be fast asleep.
"Sure. McKenna, I am sorry. My behavior earlier was.... purely born of fear" Jason took off his pants too.
"It's fine. Sorry, I called you a sexist" McKenna murmured to him.
"I probably deserved that, I was being a dick but you don't have to worry. I have talked to mom and she is going to be governor"
McKenna's face broadened with a smile. "Really?"
"Yes but let's be serious, what are her chances of winning. Our family is crazily screwed up. What would the campaign banner say? Vote for Elixir Yagazie, her life is a real life comedy"
McKenna stood up and hugged him. She even smiled a little bit.
"Our family is not so bad, Jason"
Jason stared out into a distance before answering "Yes, it is. I am Miranda biological son adopted by the wife of the man, my birth mother was sleeping with. My father is a douchebag who told me when I was eight years old that he could never love me and I am married to my family's arch enemy's daughter who might hate her father more than us. Oh, did I forget to add that our daughter is on the run from her psycho birth father?"
McKenna had a serious look on her face and then she shrugged "Yeah, our family might be bat shit crazy but all that... just adds character to the Yagazies. We've practically seen it all. And I have never seen your mother fail at anything. I mean the woman chooses the impossible and makes it happens. She is like wonder woman except she is from Nigeria and doesn't wear a skimpy skirt"
Jason let out a breath and then smiled briefly at McKenna. He left her to go into the bathroom to brush his teeth. McKenna joined him.
When Jason and McKenna finished preparing for bed, McKenna realized she hadn't eaten dinner. Between Elena's engagement and Jason's argument with his mother, McKenna forgot she didn't have dinner.
"I think I am hungry"
"Come on, let's go to the kitchen. I will make you some... whatever the cook made for dinner" Jason opened the door and they walked out.
McKenna was halfway through her dinner when Jason told her about Kara's possible kidnapping attempt.
"My mother seems to think that someone tried to kidnap Kara today. She thinks she imagined it because of the stress of the future politics"
McKenna was quiet. She could keep Kara's trust or she could tell her husband the truth.
"Your mother wasn't wrong, Jason. I am sorry but I think Kane tried to grab Kara today"
Jason looked at her like she was a ghost or maybe she suddenly grew two heads.