I met Kira at the front of the house, she held a burning cigarette. I never imagined that I'd ever see Kira smoking. She always looked Innocent, like she couldn't hurt a fly, like someone who didn't know she stole another person's father.
"You looked miserable as fuck" I said to kira. She cared less. She puffed the cigarette, I stared at her tightened lips.
"How's Grey" I asked. She laughed and coughed, Shaked her head like she wanted to say something but didn't. She had a "never mind" look. She knew I didn't give a damn about her, It was obvious I never cared. I was trying to know if the loser said anything about what happened between us.
"Well, It's over between us. That miserable cheat broke up with me over a text message" Kira laughed. She threw the cigarette on the floor and stepped on it. I don't understand how she lasted that long with Grey when she always knew about his cheating habits. The night was getting colder, I opened the door and walked in, Kira stayed outside a bit longer.
The house looked like my childhood, dull, colourless, Boring. The Jars looked the same, filled with nutty cookies that left long lasting bitterness in my mouth. I noticed the large family portrait on the wall, everyone has a smile on except me. I walked around like a stranger in my own home.
"Kamani" A familiar voice called. I turned to see Eve holding a wooden spatula. She's aged since the last time I saw her, her deep wrinkles becoming more noticeable.
"You look good Eve" I lied. She looked sick and tired. She had a loosed woven sweater on, she smelt of Rosemary and thyme. I saw my Father's figure in the kitchen, It felt comforting to meet a family member in a house full of strangers. The door gave a creaking sound as Kira walked in.
"Honey" Her mother called her.
"You don't look too good mom" Kira said.
"I'm down with cold" Eve said and coughed. She gave me a corner look, her eyes called me a liar, It made me laugh inside. My father called us all to the dinning, It was his birthday. Like all of his birthdays, he made Roasted Chicken and fried rice, a tradition he started when I was five. The rice was a bit salty, It was unlike my father's cooking.
Kira gave him a gift, he unwrapped the little box and found a watch inside. It was thoughtful of Kira, my father has always loved watches. I didn't get him anything, he looked a bit disappointed about it. Since my mother disappeared when I was 3, my father never spoke of her. He didn't keep any pictures of her, he left me imagining how my mother looked like.
My father spoke about his plans to travel to Asia with Eve later that month, much about seeing the world before dying. Kira spoke about the promotion she lost at her office, of how it reduced her motivation for work. I kept quiet, I wanted to get out of there.
Later that night, my father handed me a cup of coffee, he wanted to catch on on whatever he thought he missed. I couldn't tell him that I met with the wretched souls, that a council somewhere was planning to get rid of my kind.
"I'm still an assistant photographer" I said. I was drinking the coffee too fast, I burnt my tongue. My father knew I was doing that because I wanted to leave the house early. He looked quite good for his age, his gray hair made him even more attractive. I kept staring at the lonely cold street waiting for my Uber to arrive.
"You know Kamani, I don't know where your mother is or what she is. I didn't hide her pictures, she probably did." That was the first time my father spoke about my mother without me asking about her first.
"I don't know how to say this but I don't remember her, I can't really remember her facial features. She wasn't an ordinary lady but I was in love". I listened quietly as he talked. Why did he have to wait for so long before telling about my mother. It was as if he noticed something about me.
I received a message that my Uber was already close. A car stopped in front of my house, I rushed inside the house to get my bag.
"Happy birthday dad" I wished him for the first time that night. He smiled and wrapped me in a hug. I welcomed his hug, I couldn't even remember the last time we shared a hug. I thought about sending him a late birthday gift as I walked to the uber.
The roads looked lonely. A girl was running to meet a boy. The blipping lights indicated that his headphones were on. I thought about what could be the best birthday gift for my father.