33| The Emergence

                                    

                                          
"I can't believe what you're telling me."
"Well believe it, because you're holding the proof in your hands."
Kenna sprints through the first five of the written letters, recognising her father's undeniable scrawl.
These letters date back years, being sent back and forth between their dad and Asanti's mother at least once a week.
"This entire time he knew you existed? Knew where you were? I just-" Kenna discards the letters, casually throwing them down onto the kitchen counter. "This is insane."
Asanti rolls his eyes, no longer feeling as flabbergasted as he once was after sitting on these letters for a few hours.
He spent the time reading carefully through most of the entries before rushing over here.
"We're Cuban, this shit is written into our DNA." he growls, exhaling deeply through his nose because of the tight feeling of frustration sitting on his chest.
"But still, this is next level stuff." Amara concludes, holding up a random letter from ten years ago, revealing the picture of Asanti on his twelfth birthday after loosing his front teeth days before.
"Oh my lord, burn that now." Asanti demands, almost going into shock.
"This one never got sent." Amara notes.
"For good reason." he retorts, placing the letter back into the rusty box. "I'm glad my mother had the foresight not to release that into the world."
Amara quickly hushes him. "It wasn't that bad. You're being dramatic."
"You say it like it's a bad thing." 
"Do you think my dad kept the letters your mom sent him?" Kenna asks, covering her face with her hands. "That he has a box just like this hidden somewhere in the house I grew up in, where he currently lives with my mom and siblings and oh my god I'm going to throw up."
"Now that's dramatic." Asanti hisses, applying raspberry scented lip-balm to his dry lips.
"Bite me." Kenna grunts before sprinting to the sink and relieving herself of tonight's dinner and the tortilla chips she ate earlier.
"Oh she really was feeling sick." 
Asanti walk around the kitchen island and rubs Kenna's back, pinching the bridge of his nose as she heaves into the sink.
"Feeling better now?" he asks once she eventually stop making gagging sounds.
"No." she moans, sulking all the way to her bathroom to brush her teeth.
Whilst in there, all alone, with only the silence as company, Kenna lowers her hand to her stomach.
Up until now she'd spent her every waking moment trying to not look at her reflection in mirrors, windows and even the occasional puddle.
She didn't want to become obsessed with the gradual deterioration of her body as another human being grows inside her, knowing that the pains of bringing a child into the world are only part of the job.
Lifting up her shirt, she turns to the side to inspect her body, wondering if she just looks bloated because of a big lunch or if her body is already readying itself for the long, nine month, process.
"I know you can't hear me yet, but baby, I love you already." she whispers, feeling slightly ridiculous for talking to herself, suppressing a smile by squeezing her lips together.
Once Kenna returns to the kitchen, she finds Amara and Asanti gossiping over steaming cups peppermint tea. She feels bad, worrying that she kept them waiting.