It did not take long for Vincent waiting for his first date with a spectacular woman, according to him, who never intended to show up. She had blocked all contacts they had together.
Still though, he couldn't sit quiet until writing a last message for the lady he began loving to. After he sent her the message, he checked in for days to see if she replied anything or had seen the post. But he was walking on a broken bridge which was not going to last forever. The sooner he got that, the better.
Meanwhile, Sweety was watching the failed marriage of two people she had been living with for sixteen years and the more she saw, she was better convinced of her decision taken right.
"Sweety, help me hang the curtains. I have to make sweets and snacks for the festival." She helped her mother who was working tirelessly the entire day.
"I shouldn't have come here, right?"
Archie was holding other side of the curtain when she paused hearing her daughter. "Why are you saying that? It's an auspicious festival for us!"
"Why not? Nothing is going right here. What's the point of me taking a break from school if I'm mentally tortured at home?"
Archie had nothing to say, seemingly clear what Sweety was claiming.
"And you." Sweety continued, pointing her mother, "You never stand up for yourself to say something to him. Why? Why do you listen to him? Just pack your bags and leave! Then he will understand your importance."
The air around them turned dire with left around unanswered questions. Sweety felt bad after few minutes to shout at her Mom, specially when she was enduring it more than her.
But the girl knew the real reason. It was because of the guilt she had in her heart where she did not give a chance to a man interested in her. Solely because of the reason that she was scared of falling deep in that feeling and either getting hurt or tremendously happy.
Both had fifty-fifty chances to occur in her life.
For clearing her head, she had prepared some coffee for breakfast.
While sipping it, she was reading newspapers due to which she did not hear footsteps approaching the hall she was sitting in.
The footsteps stopped in front of her and the only manly slippers in the home came through her view.
Before Sweety looking up, his voice thundered. "Archie! Come here at this instant!"
Mom was working somewhere, cleaning maybe. As Sweety gazed her father, she was afraid if it was because of her that he was this angry.
"What did I tell about you NOT spoiling my kids? Tea? Coffee? You are making her used to those bad habits! First Sweety then next would be Tessa!" Rowan glared at his wife with bloodthirst eyes.
Archie managed, "She made it. I did not give it to her."
"Why are you keeping those ingredients within reach of them?!" Then, he turned to Sweety, "And you listen very carefully, do not indulge yourself in these habits or your mother will be the one to take the fall."
"I don't eat tea or coffee because I know these things when consumed regularly becomes difficult to resist." He boasted further, this time his tone returning to a calm one. Sweety did not know what to do with her fully brewed tasty beverage. "But your mother has the tendency to never inherit good habits and I know she is the one to have these nasty drinks harmful for your health. These deprive you of actual nutritious foods."
So long as Sweety heard his scolding-turned to-health advice, she pondered if Mom used to feel the same in her place. Confused and heart-broken.
Doorbell's ring interrupted the talkative man. Thank you Bappa! Sweety praised Bappa for the timing. She took her coffee mug and went in her room.
Mom followed after her, closing the door behind her. "You don't drink tea or coffee in front of your Papa, when he is not at home, then you can have that."
"Just go, Mom." She was frustrated with her life where everything is controlled and established on fear. Where she could not do anything in her own home.
Her mother did not wait to check how her daughter was doing, rather she went along the 'rules' Papa made.
"Come. You want tea?" Sweety heard Papa ask the visitor. The visitor must have said yes because of his next words. "Fine. You sit here, I'll make it for you."
The only person who vents in their house for drinking tea was-
Tessa entered the room, shutting the door behind. With a bored look she declared what Sweety already guessed. "Miss Prada is here."
Paradhya uff nicknamed as Prada by Tessa, behind the doors of course! She has been working for Papa for the past fifteen years. Thereby gaining privilege of coming and going from here anytime she desired.
Which wouldn't have been a problem for anyone in the household except that she would give a hard time to the women of Roulette.
"Archie! Where is ginger? And the cream biscuits I brought two days ago?" Rowan screamed, bringing the house on its toes.
Right.
That's what she meant. And its starting with poor Mom.
Sweety took a walk past her room towards the hall where Prada smiled at her. It wasn't a genuine smile but it was also not a corrupt one. Returning the gesture, Sweety entered the crowded kitchen which was an uproar just for making tea!
Reminded of the beverage, she scooted over to the basin to wash her cup.
"Sweety, get the biscuits out and serve it to her on a plate." Sweety watched the man being overly active for serving a person who was employed UNDER him.
Nonetheless, she had to do it.
Or someone else would have done it. Which in turn meant we were serving our servant. Sorry for the language!
He called for Mom a several times until she snapped. "Why doesn't she do it on her own?! She comes and goes whenever she wants, knows every place we keep our stuffs in! Just tell her to do on her own. I've other things to work on!"
Coincidentally, Sweety was placing the tea and plate of biscuits for Miss Prada. "Here." And if she heard every word, for sure Prada heard it too.
"Sometimes I think Papa keeps her as his mistress." Tessa started the moment her sister stepped in the room.
"Shh! She is sitting right outside!" Sweety told her to lower down. Then concentrated, "How do you know what a mistress is?"
Tessa shrugged. "I'm not a small girl. I'll be going hostel next year."
"Well... I have the doubts too. But then when Papa shouts at Prada for something, that thought simmers away." Sighing she concluded, "he's just too good for everyone. And she takes it for grante-"
The door to their room opened up when Sweety was picking up on Prada woman. I remember I locked the door.. Right?
Tessa was already seeing the incomer, Sweety turned to the Prada's face. Artificially cosmeticized from hairline to toenails.
"Your Papa is calling for you."
"Coming." Sweety shared a look with Tessa who was controlling her laugh. Rolling her eyes she followed after Prada shoes.
Damn him.
Damn that Prada shoes.
"Tessa gave her a fitting name. Prada shoes. Bring this, bring that, Prada is going to make food and will put the kitchen in a hurricane which Mom has to clean up to!"
"Eh? What Miss?"
"I wasn't talking to you! Just give me whatever's on the list."
"Aye, Mam." Fuming in anger Sweety continued blabbering. "She could have brought the ingredients while getting home. But no, she always has to make people 'work' for her.
If only she could smash these 'stuffs' Papa made her bring. But what will be the use? He'll scold her and make her do it all over again!
Double humiliation, Sweety cried in anguish!