Chapter 2-The Big Day

Sixteen Years Later

THE SMILE never left Tami's face as she climbed the stairs that led to the stage. Cheers from her peers and her family were almost deafening, as she collected her graduating certificate.

She felt so proud of the journey she had made thus far, and she was more than eager for the others to come.

"Tamika Knowles. Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences" The reader announced as she smiled for the picture.

Despite the heat that encamped her body due to the large black gown, it all felt worth it as she walked from the stage with her degree in hand.

She had finished her first stage of becoming a doctor, and she was more so excited to start medical school this fall. Over the years, Tami had always known what she wanted to do with her future. She never had such passion for something, and that alone was enough to assure her.

Being at the University of The Bahamas was never easy, but she did it. Through all the tests, sleepless nights and headaches, she came through. And the smiles on her friends and family's faces was enough encouragement for her to be ready for the coming years that will be difficult, but will be worth it.

And nothing will stop that.

"Congrats Tami!" Her friend, Malik beamed as she walked passed him. She shot him a quick wave in response before heading back to her assigned seat.

She loved how the ceremony had been going so far, and she was more than eager to see the rest.

She watched heartily and in awe as each and every graduate collected their own certificates, and she couldn't have been more proud of them. These were some of the people who she had known since high school. How could she not?

'I'm gonna give each and every one of them a hug', she thought as they all stood to stand applause while the last person collected. She giggled a little at the thought. How could she hug so many people in one day? Then again, being a hugger, she didn't doubt it one bit.

The ceremony ended beautifully later that evening, and Tami shuffled through the crowd eagerly to find her family. She was grabbed from behind suddenly, causing her to yelp in surprise as she was twirled around in giant arms.

"One more step to glory baby" Malik beamed as he placed her on her feet after her fit of giggling.

"I know! So exciting!" She replied, doing a mini-dance that only amused Malik even more.

Tami and Malik met two years ago when she applied for her graduate degree. They instantly clicked, and Tami loved him with all her heart, and so did he. Except, his love for her was quite different.

The bright-eyed man scratched the back of his neck shyly as he gazed in Tami's beautiful hazel eyes that always did a number on his heart. She cocked her head in confusion at his sudden shyness.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, holding onto his hand in concern. That, however, didn't help his nerves.

"I-uh- I was just thinking that maybe later we could-"

"Hold that thought Malik." Tami quickly interrupted, but did it as sweet as possible with apology swimming in her eyes and evident in her tone. "I just spotted my family. I don't want to lose them in the crowd again. I'll call you later, yea?" She didn't wait on a reply. She just quickly pecked his cheek before she dashed towards her family.

Her mother was first to spot her daughter's head of bouncing curls as she ran towards them. Her mother had insisted on numerous occasions that Tami should straighten her hair for the ceremony, but Tami argued that she wanted it to stay in its natural luxurious curls.

She was always a confident woman in her appearance and body. She was never shy with it either, posting on social media any chance she got, showcasing her curvy figure and alluring beauty.

"Mama! I graduated! Again!" She laughed as she dived on her mom in excitement. Her eyes watered in pure happiness for the wonderful woman she had raised.

"I know baby. I am so proud."

"That's all I ever wanted" Tami's heart soared for what felt like the hundredth time in one day.

Her mother had always had high expectations of her, raising her in a strict way, but never sheltered her too much. She ensured that Tami had ambition and drive, aiming for nothing but success.

Sometimes, when all her friends were heading to parties, getting drunk and being wild teenagers, Tami had always been upset with her mother for forbidding her.

And so when she turned 18 six years ago and finally got the chance to be 'free', she jumped head on in her new adult liberty.

She had her fare share of being free, young and wild, but ultimately, she found her way back home, knowing that wasn't the person she was. Some people saw her as 'stuck up' and 'hype', but she never minded it. She didn't mind her lack of friends either. She found the company that she was happy with and stuck with that. And she was happy.

It made her mother proud, and that's all that mattered.

"What about my hug?"

Tami beamed at her younger sister, Amy, before wrapping her in a hug too. Amy was all the friend Tami needed, along with Malik. Even though Tami was seven years her elder, they connected wonderfully.

Amy would even feature Tami in some of her YouTube videos, doing crazy challenges and being her doll for her hair and make-up tutorials. They were a happy bunch, and Tami was happy she had such a person in her life.

"I'm happy for you Tami. You are such a role-model" Amy mumbled in her shoulder.

"I try to be" Tami said with a chuckle as they pulled away to take a selfie. With both of them having a large social media presence, with Amy having 20k followers and Tami having 15k, within seconds of Amy posting the picture, hundreds of likes and comments kept rolling in, expressing love and congratultaions.

"I'm gonna go grab a water. You want one?" Amy asked, laughing at a comment at the same time.

"Yea. Room temperature please."

"Gotcha"

Tami took the opportunity to check her own social media. She beamed at the hundreds of wishes and congratulations that swamped her notification panel.

She pressed the 'like' button on as much as the comments as possible, replying to a few as she could, but one in particular stood out to her.

Of course, almost half of her comments said the same thing or something similar, but something about the picture on this stranger's profile picture caught her attention.

Tami never really took an interest in men. Not that she was gay, but she was just far too busy to do so, or most of the men were always too intimidated by her tremendous goals and her refusal to settle for the ordinary. But this person in particular, even though the picture was as small as her finger tip, sparked her interest.

*Congrats beautiful*, it read. So simple and common, yet it made her feel so...weird.

She couldn't help but open the profile, but cursed when she saw that his profile was private. Nonetheless, she quickly sent him a follow request as something-or someone came into view.

"Dad!" Tami beamed as she rushed over to him as his mom wheeled him forward. "Where were you?" She mumbled as she hugged him.

"I went to the bathroom" He signed, given that he lost his speech years ago when he suffered stroke after stroke.

It was a hard time for Tami and her family, and the move to Nassau wasn't easy either. Nonetheless, they made it through, and Tami in particular took it upon herself to learn and teach her whole family sign language for his sake.

With instances like these when she could've easily asked her mom where he was, she always conversed with him to give him a sense of normalcy.

She remembered how much of a chatterbox her dad was, and how he hated being so reliant on others to get through. So she always just sat and engaged him in conversation like nothing was ever wrong, and nothing changed.

He was lucky to be alive, and he knew that- they all did. And despite the odd looks they got now and then from passerby's, Tami never showed any sign of awkwardness, grief or embarrassment with him. It was why he loved her so damn much.

"I'm so proud of you baby girl" He held onto her tight after he expressed his silent words, and she beamed once more as she kneeled down to give him a proper hug.

"You were my number one motivation dad" She told him truthfully, remembering all the times she thought of giving up. But her parents- her family, meant too much to her to disappoint.

"We can head to the beach and take a few family pictures now." Tami suggested as Amy returned with their water. "After that I'm going out with Malik. I think that's what he wanted to ask me"

Tami frowned when she remembered how she had cut him off abruptly. That wasn't like her, but she made a mental note to call him as soon as she left the noise.

Her mother smiled knowingly at her, and so did her dad, and Tami avoided eye contact at all cost.

"What?" She whined when it got too much.

"Oh nothing " Her mother quickly defended. "But are things getting-"

"No mama" Tami quickly answered, knowing what she was going to ask. "Malik and I are just friends. Nothing more"

Tami knew her parents really liked Malik, and who wouldn't? He was sweet, kind, smart and most definitely handsome and fit, and his skin tone was a little fearer than hers, making his amber eyes pop in a most mesmerising way. But she never had feelings for him, neither did she explore to see if she did.

It was quite surprising at first, given that her mother never approved of anyone Tami had an interest in, but yet she liked the one man Tami hadn't fallen for.

Her parents didn't look convinced, but they didn't get a chance to prolonged the argument, since Tami grabbed her little sister and bolted for the exit.

When will she find the one? She had no clue. But she had a feeling it wont be an easy task to introduce him to her family.

So whoever it is better hold out a few years, because she wasn't ready for that type of awkward situation.