Sweety headed the exit door first after specifically mentioning Rob to exit two minutes after she did. Waving him farewell, she went to Papa's car.
He kissed her head in greeting and drove to home.
Sweety was delighted to spend the holidays here with them rather than Aunt Maliah's place even if there was Ethan who endure she enjoyed every moment.
"So, how's school?"
"First year over."
"That's good." He affirmed. "What else?"
"Aunt sent some veggies. It's in luggage."
Rowan nodded. Sweety was seated quietly in the car, reminded of the last time when whole family was present and the following anger of her father. Which has dampened the mood then.
"Today I bought meat. We'll make your favourite dishes! I told your Mom to cut onions and garlic, after which we can make it up."
Sweety prayed her mother did the needful. She didn't want another fight in the house.
"When will Tessa come?"
Rowan replied, "She won't be coming this holiday. Since she can't travel alone, there is no one to bring her here."
And with that her excitement dimmed away. If it had been Tessa, they would have done a lot of fun.
But it seemed Tessa will have her cousins Ramona and Beth to enjoy.
The first thing she did after eating an early dinner was call her sister.
"I want to come there too," Tessa moaned making Sweety's heart long.
"I want you here too. But Papa decided it, we can't do anything." Tessa was silent from her side. "At least we'll be able to speak with each other anytime!" She tried cheering her young love. "Ramona's there. She will let me speak with you whenever I want!"
"She'll listen to you?" Tessa asked to confirm.
"Of course! I am speaking through her phone now, am I not? Anyways, what special did you have for dinner today?"
"I don't remember."
"You ate dinner, yes?"
"Yeah I did. But it wasn't worth for me to remember what I stuffed in my mouth."
Sweety empathised with her sibling. She encountered the very same thing while living with Aunt Maliah.
"I know you are strong to handle any of that."
Tessa hummed in approval, "Till now!"
"Is it Tessa?" Mom entered her room to ask. Seeing Sweety nod at it she added, "Scold her why is she not listening to Grandparents and Ramona! I've received complaints from them about her!"
"They should start listening to me first!" Tessa yelled back in answer meaning, she heard Mom.
"What is wrong with the two of you?" She asked both of them, this time putting the phone on speaker.
Archie Roulette made herself comfortable next to her daughter taking the phone from her, "You are not listening to them and doing your will. Do you want your father to always yell at you?"
"What incident are you speaking about?" Tessa ferociously argued.
"Ramona informed you spoke back at her when she was disciplining you. Why are you not listening to her? She is your cousin sister and also a teacher at the school. How do you think will her reputation stand in such circumstances?"
"Then you should tell her not to shout at me in the middle of nowhere!" Tessa was clearly angry, partly due to her cousin complaining this way and mostly because Mom blamed her for all the reasons including those she was not related to.
Sweety signalled her mother to hold, "What do you mean Tess?"
"Why does she yells at me for every particular mistake? It gets so irritating. Especially when she does it in front of my friends!"
Mom was silent hearing that. Of course, no one told her that.
"Mom will speak with Ramona about that, alright? Just accommodate with Ramona and Beth, they are our sisters-"
"Not SISTERS. They are only my cousins. I'm not interested in making any sisterhood with them."
Sweety hopes her sister accepted them as own. Tessa was always the tough one between them who was difficult to handle. Where Sweety treated all her sisters the same, Tessa took the privilege on picking it.
"Take care Tess. I'll call you tomorrow." She hung up before facing her mother. "Speak with Ramona as soon as possible. Tessa is not wrong. Anyone in her place would feel embarrassed. Just because Ramona is Papa's niece it doesn't give her the right to consistently shout at Tessa."
"I'll do that."
They had thought the matter was left then and there until after a week Tessa's another complaint surfaced from Ramona.
"S-She kicked me in my stomach, Aunt Archie! I'm so done with this girl. If you all don't want me to supervise her then kindly tell me right away. I'll never interrupt if Tessa does any mistake." Ramona's exact words to Sweety and Archie each on their phones, including to Papa. What Sweety worried was about Papa. He could get really mad at Tessa.
Like every responsible parent, both gave a earful to Tessa as a last warning for changing her behaviour.
Sweety once called Ramona's cell to speak with Tessa, "How are you?"
"Surviving." Tessa mocked.
"Moms and Papa are upset."
"When are they not?" A second of silence and Tessa continued mumbling, "I have stopped expecting much from them."
"Mom spoke with Ramona that day. She doesn't yell at you in middle of classes now, yes?"
"Yeah, she is not yelling for now. But she can form a story any day and make Papa mad at me. That's why I've stopped interacting with those sisters."
Sweety tried, "Or you could accept them and they will live peacefully with you. Like me. I am friendly with everyone!"
"It's a great offer but I'm fine with being alone."
That day on Sweety realised how little they knew each other. If she's asked of a memory where Tessa and her had spent good time, she'll come up with nothing.
During the holidays Sweety ensures to give all her time to her sister and help make bonding between the three of them. It wasn't going to happen overnight but she hoped one day it would.
"Why do you care?" Rob questioned the first thing after Sweety exaggerated of her sister's problems.
"Excuse me?" They were seated in an ice cream shop which was completely empty, giving them time to speak with one another.
He shrugged, "If she doesn't like them, she doesn't like them. Why do you have to change that?"
Putting the spoon in big basket they were sharing, "I am her elder sister. I know if she will initiate on her own then everything will be smooth. Ever since then, there are less to no complaints about her!" Sweety proudly mentioned.
He slowly passed a nod. "If you say so."
She resumed eating ice cream when she felt his gaze on her.
For the millionth time she asked herself why she agreed to meet with him. Because it was dawning on her that it seemed more like a date than a friendly encounter.
"So... why did you want to see me?"
"I was bored and wanted to eat ice cream." His answer raised eyebrows of Sweety.
"And you instantly thought of me to give you company for that?"
"Yup. You are the only other crazy person to shift from a huge city into a small town." She laughed at the coincidence.
"Well, you know I didn't have much choice."
"Me too."
Being reminded of the reason Sweety looked down on the locket she was wearing. "What is so special about this?"
He again shrugged, "Tyler told me to get it. Ask him."
She smiled at him then seriously eyes, "What is special about this locket?"
"I told you-"
"If he wanted this then he would have come. Not you." She cut him off without a blink. "I also know when you pull your shoulder up like that, you want to say something but are not saying it."
Rob opened his mouth to interject then shut it up.
After a while he answered under constant pressure from opposition, "It is very.. close to us." When Sweety made him a face of 'say more', he continued, "Like, like a sentimental... value."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying! I.. it belonged to my mother. And that idiot used it as an experi-" he abruptly stopped talking.
It was too late to take it back as she already caught on to that. "Experiment?"
"Experience!" He corrected. She was definitely not taking that, it didn't suit well. "Experience for having a.. a sentimental belonging. My mother's locket," immediately Rob gulped in some melted ice cream. The cold sensation freezing his brains out.
He needed that to stay awake for forming excuses properly. Okay. Calling Sweety to have a chat was a bad idea. He got it now.