The next day another drama enfolded when Sweety and Tessa were fighting playfully. Their voices rose audible enough for Papa to mend into.
"What is this? Don't you want to study Tessa?" The tone of his voice was always a level or two higher than normal. Making it seam like he was scolding and very angry at them.
"Sweety. Instruct your sister to study well or do you want her to stay behind so that you can go ahead?" Sweety scrunched her eyebrows looking at him.
"Why will I want that?"
"If you don't want that, then make sure she is focused!" He ramp walked back to where he liked. Must be the hanging chair in front of the TV.
"Sweety.. Let's go somewhere nice and hang out. I can't stay another minute with him in the house." Tessa requested her.
"He's not wrong though."
"Yeah, yeah. When you were not there Mom used to listen all that, there is no difference to what I do."
Left in a turmoil, she agreed. "Fine! We'll go this week."
"Sunday then!" Tessa suggested excited.
"No, Saturday. Sunday, I'm busy." Sunday, she fixed up a meeting with Vincent Lawrence.
The night before she was due to meet Vincent was a teensy one. For the fact that she was really positive about this guy and maybe she was already in relation with him but there was no official proposal yet.
"Will he do it tomorrow?" She asked watching the blinking Bappa.
"Whatever he does, he's a good person. Isn't he?" She dreamily remembered the photos he stocked in his profile.
Checking the time to be late 8:30, Papa must be busy watching TV and Tessa is studying in another room.
Sweety dialed a cousin who was elder to her but like a friend altogether. Wasn't it a custom? All her younger siblings came to Sweety, she also needs to connect with an elder.
"Hey, you know how inexperienced I am in these relationship stuffs. I-I uh-"
"You found someone?! Oh, finally! I was waiting for the day we would team up with our boys and go on a double date!"
"Ramona! You are literally announcing the world of your plans! And... how can you presume I was asking about a guy?" Sweety was so red with embarrassment, she did not know how to control her emotions.
"Well, it was a gist. But you made it true! Aww... my sister has found a man!"
"I want to speak to you exactly about that..." Sweety narrated the entirety of what evolved between her and Vincent. Ramona was all supportive until she put her sight on his picture.
"I don't trust him now."
"What? You were planning the third and fourth double date with him." Sweety reminded her.
"Yeah but.. his face is..."
Pursing her lips Sweety understood. "He's black. So? As if your boyfriend is a fair-head! Can't you just trust my judgement?" It was so low for her cousin to think racist but that was the difference of values which people inculcate growing up.
"Of course I do but he is also a Christian, Sweety. Our families will never accept him."
Ramona had a boyfriend for the last two years without the knowledge of our families and they were happily together till date. When Sweety came to know of them she was happy for them as they genuinely interested to be along for the life.
To top that, Ramona's luck was on her side as the guy Virat was of... an acceptable caste match.
"You are thinking too far with him. I am only meeting him up for a few hours."
"Don't drink with him!" Ramona strictly stamped on.
"I-I wasn't going to."
"Ha! As if! I am telling you Sweety, don't indulge yourself in something you won't be able to undo."
Breathing out in a flow Sweety nodded, then realizing she can't see her. "Yes Mam!"
During the call, she texted of the change to Vincent. Letting him know, she won't be able to drink with him.
He replied as- A soda day for us then.
"Why are you laughing?" Ramona inquired when she found her sister laughing for no particular reason.
"Just read a joke. Hey, listen, I'll call you later. Papa is calling for me."
Rob stared at the screen in front of his laptop. Hacking into an FB Account was not a difficult task thus he took it no big a problem to include Tyler, our love-fool in the fiasco.
"You see that? She is already slipping out of your reach. And... you were saying she will u-n-der-st-aa-nd you! Woah, what a terrific word."
"Shut up. Why are you showing me this? Shut it off then." Despite him saying that, not once did his gaze leave the screen except when Rob's laptop went out of battery. It resumed after plugging in.
"Why don't you get up and leave then?" Facing his friend he revealed in sadism, "Whatever you do, I never wore out bothering you." Grinning he continued, "It's a splatter of peace seeing a rich blob tampered under me."
Tyler's expression was not of amusement, much to Rob's chagrin. "Remember? You were a rich 'blob' once. Which you threw back like a shoe and came here. Any other would have been dead by now."
The time Tyler fondled Rob's past, he would go into a stand by mode. Reminded of glimpses in front of eyes and then making fun of himself.
"Ain't I a miracle?"
"Not for long if I put in a word with the Embassy for an illegal migrant. You won't last a day after that." Tyler wasn't threatening him but disclosing the truth of how his life was hanging in a single thread with no pillars to tie onto.
Neither was Tyler going to be here for him nor was Sweety. The rest were strangers and their relatives.
"Maybe Mukh will be on my side."
Ty raised a brow.
"Well, if I pay him." Rob added. "On the rocks, rich man. Here, I toast for my friend and our challenges."
"Cheers!"
"Cheers."
On Sunday when Sweety was getting ready to meet Vincent, she was thrown back with another one of her parents' brawl.
They were fighting over another one of reasons why them being together under one roof was a lofty task to uphold.
"You are a disgrace as a wife! But don't you worry, I won't let my children inherit your deeds."
Those were pretty hurtful words to hear as a daughter but she could not intervene or stand up for her mother because she had no power in front of Papa. If she will say anything, he might throw her out of house too, cutting off all ties with her. Just like he did to his brother and Avery's Dad- Ronald Roulette.
When bring up his name in front of Papa and he goes berserk with the betrayal he obtained from his own brother.
Sweety and Tessa were diligently minding their studies when Mom entered in to put cleaned blanket and sheets in one of cupboards.
Sweety peeped at her mother's face. At least she wasn't crying but she was upset and clearly frustrated. That day, Sweety did not have the heart to leave her mother alone with the painful crust called Papa. With that, she also did not have the courage to come clean with Vincent.
Miles across in a cafe, a dark skinned guy was clad in perfume and gel which enhanced his look essentially. He waited long enough that he decided to message her.
Suddenly, he noticed his messages were not reaching to the receiver. He tried repeatedly, then began calling through the network but it was futile. Seemed like she went off trail in a second! Vincent tried reaching her in any means possible, sadly he never received her cell number which could have helped him a lot but it appeared to be the way it folded out.