Chapter 4

After Ariel waved goodbye to Eric and Melody, she carefully crossed the mitaani, mtaa to meet up with her brother. Her sandy-colored haired brothers was holding a carton of maziwa that he bought from the Deli.

"Ariel, what was going on? Who was that man wewe were talking to?" kweta asked.

"I was trying to save his daughter," Ariel explained.

"Really?" kweta asked.

"It's a long story," alisema Ariel. As they walk away from the Deli, Ariel told kweta the details of the story such as saving Melody, standing up to Eric, and a chajio, chakula cha jioni with them. When she finished, kweta was amazed. That was a brave thing his big sister did!

Ariel and kweta finally came upon their apartment. They went inside and took the elevator which led them to the 22nd floor.

"Daddy, we're home!" Ariel and kweta walked inside their room M28. The apartment room was small but still contained enough room to fit her, Flounder, her dad, and their sisters, Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, and Alana. The apartment room had a living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen.

Triton was sitting in his chair kusoma the Daily News. Attina, Andrina, and Adella, both came nyumbani early from their jobs.

"Daddy, we're home," alisema Ariel.

"Oh, good! I was beginning to worry about wewe two," alisema Triton. He was a little bit concerned of why his two kids were spending longer time than usual at the deli when he only sent them just to buy milk.

"What took wewe so long!" Adella alisema impatiently, who just came out of the jikoni along with Andrina and Attina.

"Adella, calm down!" Attina scolded. "There's no need to be dramatic!"

"But I'm soooooo thirsty and hungry!" Adella whined.

"Gee, poor Adella. She didn't eat breakfast," Andrina said, sarcastically.

"I was almost late this morning! And I didn't have time to go the cafe!"

"Whatever!"

"Calm down. I have the milk," alisema Ariel.

"Yeah, Ariel was trying to save a girl's life!" kweta defended. Triton turned around from his newspaper with interest and all the sisters except Ariel had their eyes widened. kweta began to tell the story in an excited way.

"Yeah! There was a little girl who was running in the mitaani, mtaa and-then-she couldn't-the car was like 'Vroooom!'and the girl was like 'AAAAAAAAAH!' Whew! Then Ariel ran and saved her!" And then, there was this man, who was like 'blah blah blah!' at the kid and "hubba hubba hubba!' at Ariel," kweta finished, imitating Eric's hypnotized trance.

Triton's expression changed from an interest to a frown.

"WHAT!"

"OOoooooooo! Ariel's got a boyfriend!" Adella teased, as Attina, Arista, and Andrina giggled.

"He's not my boyfriend!" alisema Ariel, blushing. "The man was the father of the girl I rescued from. He invited me for chajio, chakula cha jioni tomorrow just to repay me," Ariel explained, hopefully her dad didn't get the wrong idea and hopefully that her sisters would stop teasing.

"Whew! That is a relief!" Triton sighed.

"So, what's the man's name?" Attina asked.

"Eric Daniel Barnes," Ariel answered, inaonyesha everybody Eric's buisness card.

"Eric Daniel Barnes? No way!" the sisters exclaimed.

"You know him?" Ariel was confused.

"Yeah! He's our co-worker!" alisema Andrina in a "duh!" tone.

"Ariel, where are wewe and Eric going to eat dinner?" Triton asked. Even though, he is already aware that Eric Daniel Barnes, he still feels uneasy about letting his youngest daughter having a tarehe with him. Especially after hearing from kweta that Eric had expressed interest in Ariel.

"Yes, daddy, I want to. We're having chajio, chakula cha jioni at his house," alisema Ariel.

"His house!" Tirton exclaimed.

"Father, Eric is a decent man so, he won't touch her," alisema Andrina, calmly.

"You're sure," Triton asked, cautiously.

"Yeah, don't worry. Eric has no interest in marriage," Andrina answered.

"Daddy, I want to go. It is not a date. It is just for one night. Please?" Ariel pleaded. Triton hesitated. Despite Andrina's assurance, he still doesn't feel comfortable about this. How would he know that Eric would not make moves on her? On the other hand, he knows that it would be a great insult if Ariel doesn't onyesha up at his house for dinner. He sighed.

"All right, Ariel. wewe can have chajio, chakula cha jioni with him tomorrow. But be careful," Triton said, still worrying.

"Daddy, I'll be fine," alisema Ariel. Gee, her dad could be so overprotective sometimes.

Meanwhile, back at the Barnes' home, Eric and Melody had gotten ready for bed.

"Good night, Melody," alisema Eric as tucked Melody in and kissed her on the forehead.

"Good night, Daddy," alisema Melody. He was about to leave when Melody called him.

"Daddy, please keep the lights on!"

"Why?" Eric raised an eyebrow.

"I hate the dark!"

"All right," alisema Eric. He left without turning the lights off. He hoped that this would be the last time she requested him to do that.

Eric changed into his pajamas and climbed into his king-size bed. As he laid his head on his pillow, he looked to his left to another mto inayofuata to him. He fell asleep dreaming about a certain lovely red-haired woman that still left his moyo burning for her.