#teffie

Don't ask me for donations. I'm skint too.

I did leave my country and my family also got scammed out of our savings.

If we know each other from outside, say hi.

“Hello?” Adam hadn't expected a call and didn't really recognize the number.

“Hello, Adam? It is Tomas. Effie's boyfriend.”

Adam shook his head to himself. He was hot, he had to give Effie that, but he wasn't the smartest tool in the shed. “I know who you are Tomas. You don't exactly have to specify.”

“Oh,” there was a pause, Tomas feeling foolish after Adam's words. “I am calling to see if you can do me a favor. It is a very large one. I do not like to ask, but you are the only one who could do anything for me.”

“More than watch Gabe so you and Effie can get away?” When Tomas didn't laugh at his teasing he sighed. “It was a joke Tomas. What do you need?”

“I know it is a lot to ask, but I was hoping maybe you could pick up Effie's ring for me? I do not have the money to pay for all of it but I will pay you back for the rest of it, I promise, I will work for the money and pay you back. I will sign a contract if you wa-”

“I'll pick up the ring if you'll stop talking about how you'll pay me back. Especially after I told you I'd pay for it in the first place.”

There was a pause for a moment before Tomas spoke again. “Do you think you could send it to me?”

“Send it to you? In Brazil?”

“...can you? And send it quickly?”

“...you want me to overnight a two carat, three thousand dollar engagement ring to you in Brazil?”

“If you cannot...I understand. I was just hoping to be able to ask her to marry me while we are with my family. It would mean so much to Mama to be there and it would make it so special…”

There was a pause as Adam let the words set in. His twin would be engaged the next time he saw her. A part of him was sad that it was Tomas's family who would witness the engagement and not him. But he'd stood in the way of his siblings’ happiness enough times.

“You're really serious about it this time aren't you?”

“I have always been serious about marrying her.”

Adam sighed. “I'll send it. But I'm not overnighting it. I'll send someone on the jet to hand deliver it. It'll be there by mid-day tomorrow. I can't get it there any more quickly.”

“Thank you Adam. I am indebted to you. Quite literally.”

“Stop. Enough. If you want your ring by tomorrow, I have to go.”

“...thank you Adam.”

Adam took a deep breath. “Treat her good Tomas.”

Tomas reached down and dug up the spare key from the base of the tomato plant outside the front door. He smiled at the key as he brushed the dirt from it. Having it in his hand only made his homecoming feel more real. He couldn’t believe he was home at least and all because of his beautiful girlfriend. As thankful as he was for Effie and as much as he was sure even more than ever that this was the woman he wanted to spend his life with, there was one woman he was looking forward to see more.

He quietly unlocked the door to the small house and crept inside. He waived Effie in behind him, a finger to his lips to tell her to keep quiet. He snuck silently to the kitchen and sure enough, still on the same schedule all these years later, Mama was in the kitchen over a full stove top, slaving away.

Tomas took a deep, almost theatrical breath in, “Mmm smells good Mama. What are you making?” It felt good to speed his native tongue to someone who would understand it after so long.

“You will know at the table, same as everyone else, no out of the kitchen while I cook.”

“Not even a little taste? Come on Mama, I have missed your cooking so much.”

“Tomas you know the rules, I said-” halfway through her scolding she realized just who she was speaking to and whirled around. “Tomas??”

The pair rushed across the kitchen to each other. He scooped the short woman up into his arms as she kissed him on the cheek.

“My baby. My baby boy come home again. Oh Tomas I thought I should never see you in person again.”

“I am home. Mama I am home.”

She pulled back to look at her boy. Her hands kept going to his face over and over again in shock. Tomas leaned into her touch letting it comfort him. He felt at home in a way he hadn’t since leaving her so many years before. He had made a life in America, and now a family, but a part of his heart and soul would always be in the old, three bedroom house in South America. He held her tight. If he had loosened his arms she may slip away entirely and he would never hold her again. He had always been so terrified he would never see her again and yet here she was, encircled in his arms.

Just about the time he felt ready to let go, someone all but tackled him from behind.

“Tomas!”

He turned around to see his younger sister, “Yelena!” He grinned and swung her around. The cry brought more of his family out to the kitchen. Mariana and he three children. He rubbed the boys on the head commenting how he’d grown. The little boy had only been four when he’d left and was now nearly a man himself. He hugged each of the ‘children’ in turn, then his siblings, one by one. The more hugs that went by, the more tears rolled down his cheeks. Each one speaking a hundred words toward the joy he had to see his family again. He would never dream of holding Effie to the idea of returning once a year, but he desperately hoped that they could. He hadn’t felt so loved in so long.

Just about the time he was able to kiss his youngest sister on the cheek and told her how much older and grown she looked when he felt the attention of the crowd around him fizzle in another direction. The youngest of his nephews was still balanced on his hip when he noticed the eyes drifting over to the beautiful blonde who had brought him there. He felt the confusion and questioning they had for her, but all Tomas felt when he looked at her was joy. She would be his wife one day and the mother of his child sooner rather than later. And she had made his family reunion possible.

As he looked around the family. Most of his family looked at her wearily, as though they didn’t fully trust this beautiful, pale blonde girl who had wondered into their home. Mariana however smiled. He wondered just what she knew. Mama had a bit more judgmental look on her face as her eyes roamed up and down the girl’s thin frame evaluating her. Tomas wondered if the woman saw the bump showing underneath her travel clothes and if so, what she thought about it.

Finally his mother’s voice came, almost distant compared to her joyed tone from earlier. “Who is that?”