Our Christmas Tale

It was Christmas. Everyone's favorite time of the year. Trevor and Zoe had travelled down with their spouses and kids to visit their parents in Nigeria.

Trevor, had decided to settle down in the US after completing his Bachelor's and Masters Degree. Later, he got married to a colleague at work.

Meanwhile, Zoe had remained in Nigeria with her parents, only leaving for Canada when she was granted an academic scholarship to pursue a Masters Degree Program. She got married some months after and decided to reside there.

The large, excited family sat down at the dining table discussing various topics of interest over their plates of food.

Then Kyle spoke up. "Grandma, how's Uncle Brian related to us?"

"Just as you called him Uncle, he is your uncle. He is your father's brother" Grandma replied.

"Then why isn't he here with us?"This time, it was Grace who asked.

Clearing his throat, Grandpa answered, "He went to pay a visit to his biological dad"

"But, Grandma just said he is our uncle" Zoya, Zoe's daughter asked.

After a long time of silence, Grandma finally replied. "Yes I just said so. There's a lot of explanations to be done. Perhaps, a story to be told."

The children began chattering happily, all eager to hear their grandma's story. It was what they looked up to, each time they came around each year for Christmas. Truly, their grandma's stories were the best.

While they were chattering happily, there was a loud knock on the door. The butler quickly hurried to the door and opened it.

Brian and his wife stepped in. They had just gotten married last year after so much pressure from Brian's family. Each time his mum brought up the issue, he would insist that he hadn't found the right one yet.

Last year, when he had finally brought Beatrice, his wife home, everyone had agreed she was the right one indeed. His parents got them married quickly and helped them settle down somewhere in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city.

Coming to take a seat at the dining, the family was now complete. Trevor, his wife and two kids were present as well as Zoe, her husband and daughter, Brian and his wife, Grandma and Grandpa.

"Grandma was about to tell us a story before you came in Uncle Brian." Kyle said without lifting his eyes to look at his uncle.

"Yes I was. But I would like to do that when we are done having dinner okay?" Grandma replied, stretching out her right hand to caress his cheek affectionately.

After dinner, the ladies helped Grandma clear out the dishes, while the children played around and the men discussed in the sitting room.

After they were done with the dishes, they went into the sitting room. With Grandma taking the most prominent seat and the children seated around her, the adults had to seat at their backs. Everyone was quiet. They patiently waited for Grandma to start.

Trevor got up and went to dim the lights giving the atmosphere an eerie feeling and effect. The dim light illuminated Grandma's face. In her late sixties, she was still overly beautiful. Keeping the shape and size of a forty year old, she paid much attention to her ebony black skin. She did all she could to slow down the aging process or to at least make sure it doesn't tell much on her.

Being a one time President of her country, she was a woman of great wealth and power. The first and only woman to rule the country and at a young age even. She was said to be the most successful ruler, lifting her country's economy out of the depression they were slowly falling into.

Clearing her throat, she began. "Well, tonight, as an answer to your questions, I'm going to be telling a true life story. It's a story about two lovers, how they met, what they went through that led them to where they are today"