Leona was preparing to spend another day studying her notes. Her red hair still a little frazzled since she was not expecting any bother so early in the morning. The weather had been unusually warm, probably from all the rhetoric floating around. Political hot air. Maybe they contributed to global warming the most, she chuckled to herself. Her giggle was cut short by her phone buzzing. She looked at the number as she wondered who could be calling her so early on a Saturday. More puzzling was that it was from her younger sister Moke. What on earth could she want? 284Please respect copyright.PENANAcxPjpOn1C0
“Hello, Leona,” she answered a bit curt. Her sister was not known for early morning calls, usually because she believed in getting ready and being fully dressed even for something as mundane as a phone call. Perhaps it was her husband, trying to----284Please respect copyright.PENANAryJXQcw36i
“Auntie Beoa!” came the excited response, which cut her thoughts short. “I mean, Good Mornin Auntie Beoa,” she corrected herself.284Please respect copyright.PENANAbva4OgpHbE
”Oh, it’s you,” Leona groaned, closing her green eyes and as she rubbed her nose bridge. She took in a deep breath and spoke in as cheerful voice she could muster before the breakfast sugars had fully circulated, “Hi Keo, does your mother know you have her phone?”284Please respect copyright.PENANApFnvr9lc8G
”Auntie Beoa are you in skool?” Keo asked, completely ignoring the question asked of her. “Mommy say you in skool.”
”Yes Keo, I’m in school.”
”But you can’t be in skool. I don't see you in skool on Monday. And there is no skool today! It a weekend!”
”Keo, I go to big people school. You won’t see me at your school. Your school is for fun.”
”But it Saturday! You should be here. There is no skool on Saturday!”
Leona chuckled, “Keo, in big people school, you work everyday. There are no classes, but i live in a dorm at the school.”
”What dorm? Is that a speshul class?”
”No, no Keo, it’s like a house but near the school,” Leona chuckled. “So I live at school and don’t need a long drive everyday to class.”
There was a short silence, yet Leona knew it was only a matter of time before her inquisitive 5 year old niece would assault her mind with another barrage of questions.284Please respect copyright.PENANAGyQK4wHGfN
”But why you not home? I am at home and you not heyar.”
”Keo, I’m never at your home. I need a flight from Selena to Stella to visit you.”
”I will tell mommy to pick you up at airport! We can come get you!”
”Keo, that’s not how travel works. I need money to buy a ticket and...”
”We coming to get you! Dont worry, I get mommy!” Keo cut off her auntie and Leona held her head in her hands as she heard the rustling of a five year old dashing through a house yelling “mommy” at the top of her lungs.
”What’s wrong Keo?” she heard her sister eventually ask.
”We need to go get Auntie Beoa! At the airport! I told her to come and we meet her there!”
”Hello?” Moke came on the phone.
”Hi sis. Your child has decided to interrupt me at 8am on a weekend to demand my presence.”
Moke chuckled, “That’s no fault of mine. Maybe you should have not been the nice auntie and she’d not miss you so much at reunions.”
Leona groaned. “Well if you want to do my work for a week we can exchange.”
Moke laughed again, “I know better than to leave you two alone for a week. But do make time to see your niece. She does miss you. And the demands will only get more the longer she misses you.”
”Fine, I’ll plan a visit for the summer.”
A scream was heard. “ Yay summer with Auntie Beoa!” And then running off into the distance.
”Sorry speakerphone, but now at least nothing til summer. But you better keep it.”
”If course,” Leona grinned. “Of course.”284Please respect copyright.PENANAGRlVL6jHep