"So...what do you have to say?"
We can't spend all day looking at each other. They're not talking when they say they want to talk and...I have nothing to say. I don't want to see their faces.
"TT, I didn't know what she'd planned when we met. I only found out later and, you have to understand, Lydia's family was really suffering." Ha.
My father's noble self knows when to rear its head, and at the expense of his daughter. How unsurprising. They'd get to vent and I'll, I'm offered as a bunching bag, isn't it too touching?
What, no harm no foul?
My lack of response doesn't go unnoticed, and I mean lack of response in all sense that - that means. My face is blank, my eyes are blank, my mind is blank. I'm no different from a doll.
"TT..."
"Then her family isn't suffering anymore, are we done? Can you leave?" And go to the family they're able to sympathize with...which isn't me.
My mother goes to touch my hand and I sidestep - reflexes, reflexes - I didn't mean to. Dammit!
Here we go...
"Frederic, look what you've done! My own daughter, my flesh and blood won't even let me near her because of you!"
It doesn't end there...
"How could you let your new thing lead you by the nose? Trent, darling... I'm sorry he did that, I didn't know. Send him out... let them leave, they deserve each other."
Give her a minute...
"I carried you for ten months, how could I bear to hurt even a single strand of your hair. Don't believe either of these men my baby, you know I love you the most." And her act is done. Right on que, not word for word but I know how this apology goes, it's the only one I've ever received in my life, this is the rendered version of the original but they're about the same.
My mother, her world is merry and filtered. If only I had time or the patience to entertain her today, it'd be swell. But I don't and I'm not - I want to see them gone.
"You're all packed. What's stopping you from leaving now?"
"TT..."
"You've given me life, is that it? Then should I return it to you, for you leave me alone? Leave me be? I can't do this. I'm tired. Can you spare me!" I'm shaking at this point, my whole body vibrating.
I take the knife from the table and hold it to my wrist, my parents and Lydia stand at the same time,
"I'm asking you, will bleeding out be the only way to get you to leave!" My voice has rose a couple of levels.
Okay, so I might be suffering the aftermath of my panic attack from earlier and not as stable as I made myself out to be in front of Fin, I didn't think I took it that hard as well.
They've broken me, they've finally managed to get me to snap.
"Trent...stop. We'll leave, we'll leave." My father says in an amiable voice, my mother's covering her mouth, tears trickling down her face and Lydia seems struck stupid, her face paler than the table cloth.
"TT...darling, put the knife down. We're leaving, look...Myra, get the maids to take the suitcases."
How did I get here? No, honestly...how did I go from my calm self to this mess of a person, threatening to slit her wrist just so her parents can leave her house? I'm wondering, I really would like to know if I'm this pathetic or this is a call for help.
"Um...did we arrive at the wrong time?"
We turn to the door, are met by a pair of mother and daughter...with suitcases!
I look back and forth between the new arrivals and my mother... uncanny! They can't be;
"Sister?"
Well, Fin's guess wasn't wrong then. They did come, with suitcases and...more suitcases, didn't take too long too. How wonderful!
They can go together really...
"Did we come at a wrong time, well; not like we can turn back. Myra, how long has it been!"
Ah... it runs in the family. I'm going to loose my hair at this rate. What are these people made of?
The lady strides in, followed by the daughter, her eyes scan the whole place, her lips turning there and her head nodding there, she's appraising the house.
"Sister..." My mother goes to her, gives her a hug and takes her by the hand, leading her to sit.
"Frederic."
"Mia, good to see you." But his face does not say so, and he doesn't move to greet her too.
My father and Lydia are standing awkwardly, not sure how to proceed - like myself. Do I put the knife down or continue? Can I even continue?
"Oh, and who's this beautiful lady? She must Trent, looks just like her grandmother. How big she is, Myra, you didn't even bring her back for mother to see."
Ok. Can someone pinch me and get me out of this awkward position?
"Come, come here. Let aunt look at you." Ah...
I put the knife down and give my father a look. It's their relative and they better get rid of her, I'm not entertaining another nut in my house. I can barely handle two...
"Don't be shy, come, come. This is Thea, your cousin. You're about the same age. You children will get along just fine." Honestly...
The fashion show is this week, with Mikayla out of the way, maybe participating this time around will be what I need. No, the fashion show is going to end, I need a permanent solution.
It might be time I took Fin up on his offer, since I can't handle them, let my husband deal with...I concede.
"What brings you here, you should've called, we would've picked you up from the airport." My mother says when I show no sign of moving closer to them.
"What nonsense, we're not strangers; why put you through that trouble."
My father leads Lydia to them and they sit, I'm the odd one out standing. The girl, Thea, is sizing me up, makes me uncomfortable and my mother is fidgeting, kicking my father's leg. So, the relationship between sisters isn't paradise...how nice!
"You must be tired from your trip, how about I get the driver to take you to your hotel and we'll catch up tomorrow."
"Oh Myra, why the hotel? I'm sure you have enough room. We'll stay here."
"What?" My father and I say. Ha, so he can feel indignant too... it'll would be a celebration worthy discovery if I wasn't as indignant. Stay where?
"Why Frederic, you don't expect us to stay at a hotel when we've come to visit you, do you?" This aunt of mine...
"All that's great but, they're on their way out, how are you going to stay here without them?" I point at the suitcases... she can't expect me to host them?
"Myra, what's your daughter saying? Is this anyway to welcome family?" Are you kidding me?
God give me strength.
I'm counting from one to hundred in my head, anything to keep me calm. Cannot get worked up or loose it again. I'm Mrs Merwe now, I can't go binge drinking to get back to my somewhat normal self. Have to keep calm. Calm. calm...calm.
Nope, not working.
"Sister, it doesn't matter really. Trent just got married and we have to give the newlyweds their space. You know how it works."
"Oh? Then, where's the groom; who did she marry? You didn't invite us to the wedding! Myra, good news should be shared."
Like we believe she doesn't know who I married. I'm realising, I might have blamed my mother for her personality wrongly, it's genetic. Her whole family is insane. I didn't realise Lydia had move close to me until she pinches me, she corks her head to the side and signals me to follow her.
I follow Lydia to the garden, can clear my head a little too. She doesn't say anything, I keep quiet too. My emotions are still unstable, I can't say I don't blame her somewhat.
Where did the Quinns swam out of?
My life was going great, I was engaged to be married and leaving a calm, undramatic life. Well, if I go by that thought, I'd be married to Sebastian. Yuck...
So not all of their schemes are heart wrenching, I got Fin out of it after all - can never regret Mr Merwe.
Does he cancel out all that's happened? I suppose on the Quinns side of things, he does but my father's side, even fantastic as my husband is, the betrayal from my father can't be cancelled out.
"I'm really sorry." Yeah, me too. No one's sorrier than me to have them as parents, believe me. I'm sorrier but what can I do, what will sorry do me?
I don't say anything.
"It's only today I realised we were hurting you too, I never thought about that. To me, to your father too I guess, it was just little tricks, nothing that would hurt you. I'm sorry."
She's right in a way, who's ever seen me break down, hurt or scared? Mama Jewel. To everyone else, it's little tricks that mean nothing. They'll cause a hassle - yes - but the won't inflict pain, they're little tricks.
Ha. Trent Dion...the life of the party. Nothing underneath.
Except, I'm super-hyper sensitive and all of it get to me. Then who's fault is it, mine?
"About your father and I..."
The sound of something breaking from behind has us turning - to find Thea, the cousin I met only today - eavesdropping.
"I'm looking for the bathroom." The bathroom, all the way here - really?
Lydia and I look at each other. We have a common enemy now.