Kara Rayne
Arriving home I was in a good mood that Tori kept teasing me about it but I could not be bothered about re-correcting him, as I climbed out of the car heading inside. I walked all the way up to my room, shutting and locking my door behind me and as soon as the lock clicked my heart just crumbled as I cried my heart out against my door. Today has been so surreal that I cried even harder while I crumpled to the floor. All my frustrations, all my loneliness, the fact I was losing my goddamn mind and that I believed it. I straight took his word for it because I loved him with everything I was made of, it always revolved around him yet he didn't know my family at all and I was okay with his decision because that's how he felt at the time and it made him and that made me happy. Here I am eight years later with a cheating husband, no children, no livelihood, no money, no job and now DIVORCED.
I didn't cause a scene at home, in public, at the office, in the company or amongst our family I always knew I was better then that. I didn't tell my family what was going on until I decided to leave him and return home as that would be more of a headache then I needed. I didn't ignore his family, tell his family or let in that we were having problems since they could see something was wrong when I stopped attending the dinners at their house. The imagination of the year is what angers me as he would manipulate the situation, pick arguments over nothing and then storm out as fast as he stormed into the house. Finally witnessing the affair with my own eyes, will be something that will forever be ingrained into my brain from that moment forward. I had laid there for an hour or so just silently sobbing, trying to fight the pain and second guessing myself on whether we could just forgive him and hope he doesn't do it again but I know that I would go mental with how paranoid I'd be.
Finally finding the strength I needed to pull myself up off the floor and on my bed as I lay there with my mind blank. Knowing I had to tell my father I slid from the bed and into the bathroom where I noticed my face was puffy from crying and I needed it to return to normal. Putting on my charcoal facial mask to hide my reddened cheeks does not alarm my family who would most likely do what I already did too Layton. Knowing this was the best I could do for now and I made my way back downstairs I went to find my father to share the news with him. I found both of my parents in their room so that made it better for me. Knocking on the door twice before entering, as not to give my father a shock as I had a habit of doing that to him. "I want you both to be the first to know. I am legally divorced due to proof of infidelity," I said as I produced my divorce certificate to my parents who wore surprised looks, My mother reacted first "We are sorry to hear that, babe," my mother spoke as she pulled me into her arms, ""I am happy for you my princess," my father said as he stroked my hair while my mother held me in her arms.
"It hurt what he did. I am beautiful, rich and intelligent and she's not even at my level let alone standards," I said as tears slipped down my face up QB. "I felt so satisfied at yanking her rank ass of his small ass peanut," I laughed as did my mother "The fact that I knocked his dumb ass out and saved his dignity after doing that by putting clothes on him," I spoke as I watched my father place my copy of the divorce agreement in his safe. "Rest up for the next few days before you do anything as this may be the only time you will get to grieve, something you fought diligently for and at least you did your best. Now you take every day as it comes," my mother spoke. I understood what she meant and that's why I loved my mama she was the best advice genie I know. My father was laughing so hard he ended up having a coughing fit with tears coming down his face, as he did the exact same as Tori did when I told him of my run in with Layton and Natasha. The events that had been happening had all come out, all in front of them because I was in so much pain that I just didn't stop.
As my mother and I were engrossed in our conversation that we had failed to notice one of my brothers had joined us and was just lying with us listening until he spoke "So Tori told me congratulations are in order?," Jared spoke as he had made himself comfortable on the bed too "Thanks Jared," I said as he suggested we go out for a celebration dinner or we could have it here, "Order it all in and some liquor I want some cocktails," I said as he laughed and did just that, by ringing up Max who answered on the third ring, "Hey Jay what's up?," he answered "Can you you do us a liquor run? Something to make cocktails with," I spoke to him as he was on speaker "What why," he asked as I sighed "I legally divorced him today." I said when jared spoke up "And instead of going out we are staying in and having a bbq with cocktails so that's why you need to get the liquor, that's why I rung you," jared teased Max when it was quiet, "I get the liquor and Ile have Sebastian get the meat and salad mix," he spoke as he thought out the dinner plans. "Jason, Ace and Tori can set up the gazebo on the deck in case it gets colder," Max recommended as we both nodded realizing he can't see us ,"Sounds good we will go with that, see you when you get here," Jared spoke as he hung up and he headed down stairs to set up outside and I went to go wash my mask off my face before heading off to help assist my brothers. My parents always supported our decisions and would give advice here and there and when needed. Our unit had always operated together until I moved out, got married and gave up my dreams and my family. The first couple of years were hard, as I navigated the household chores, learnt to be a good wife, learnt how to cook and bake. Helped him with his administration so that he was paying his staff and rechecking all his contracts were air tight because I had more patience and more of an understanding than he did.
I have a big family and although we don't see each other a lot we have a family chat group for both sides of our families so that we can communicate virtually. My mother's great grandfather had established his first hotel back in 1833 he was married to his high school sweetheart and they had three young children at the time and he employed the local college students who worked during there classes and needed a way to pay for school. He employed the local community to help their tiny town and he needed workers that would be able to help them run the hotel. It was so popular that he built three more hotels all adjacent to the local colleges in the area and then taught his children from the bottom up how to run the chains smoothly and he held the rains for thirty five years, owned 4 hotels and when he did pass it on to his children his first hotel was made the headquarters that his his eldest son ran and that was the tradition from then. The eldest of the eldest was based in the headquarters to ensure all parties were all in tuned with the running of every department we had now.
By the time my grandfather and his siblings took over the chains they had expanded the chains near every college in the state and out of state that had low funded communities to help the students that needed to pay for college by giving them work, a place to stay and life skills to succeed in the future. So for the first forty years that our hotel chains had been operating we had nearly fifteen chains in our city my family originated from and now we had been operating for over 190 years today and I was from old hard earner money compared to Layton's new money due to his father's luck at investing or else my father would have thrown his out of the city. Toughing it out and gaining my strength back slowly is what's gonna give me pleasure to wipe out his entire short sighted legacy.
My dream was to run my family's hotel chains in our city, since the three eldest opted for the family company as the headquarters and certain aspects were all delegated out so each of us siblings has our own departments that all link back up to our family's company that my three eldest brothers run and have been running it independently in the past five years. As I had neared the end of my masters degree I was supposed to step up alongside the three eldest and learn my new role from them and instead I chose to get married, help my husband and flourish his lively hood over mine. The operations of the hotel is what I had focused my energy into as a child, keeping up with the housing markets, keeping up with small impoverished communities, learning the running of the cleaners, to the maids, to the housekeepers, the maintenance crews, the front of house staff, the kitchen staff, the chefs, the quality of the menu, the prices, the cost of the rooms, the students rates and meal plans. I was engrossed in finding how everything worked from the ground up so we could better improve it.
Snapping into reality I realized I was watching my brothers set up the gazebo over our patio that had a wrap around porch that gave us enough space to host gatherings. The gazebo managed to engulf most of the patio and that made me happy cause as long as the tables and chairs fit inside we were good. Set up the gazebo with lights, set the table up, make space for a stereo system with surround sounds. Then we pulled out all the food we had, started plating up all sorts of chips, crackers, a cheese board, a fruit tray and some small desserts that we whipped together and placed those all on the table. My parents taught us all how to survive as well as to help her out around the house or in some circumstances that it requires more then one pair of hands. That's how we are all able to work with each other, cause as we were growing up we all would be yelling, screaming, pushing and shoving one another. Re-correcting off balanced canvas, plates, utensils, lights, chair or anything that was slightly crooked but now we work harmoniously as we all want to get it done then go back to mingling.
Jason and Ace shot off to get us a gas bottle for the barbeque, when Sebastian pulled up first with groceries for our dinner and he came with fresh vegetables, a range of seasoning, fresh seafood and some salad mixing that I put Jared and Tori on cutting up some vegetables to be grilled, while I prepared a seasoning rub to add to the meat when fifteen minutes into our task, my second eldest brother Maxx walks in with Jared and Ace helping him carry in the boxes of liquor I had requested. I knew that the beers were for the three eldest as they can't handle my sweet mixes and complain that it's too girly for them but yet buy all the ingredients for their favourites. Considering the last time we were all together was before I got married and it was the only time not everyone made the day so we did something before then since my family was everything.
Once the barbeque was on, cleaned and ready to go, I sent all our meat out to the grill with Sebastian, Jason and Tori cooking the food. Inside I had Ace slicing up my fruit for the cocktail bowl, Jared was setting up all our bottles that would be made into three different types of cocktails. Mimosa, Long Island Iced Tea and Mojito as these are my faves and I haven't had them in years, and now that the three younger ones are all of age they can drink anything at this point so this is why there's three different types. The week before the wedding I had tried a few different cocktails for the reception and had used all my brothers, my two male first cousins Axel and Rayne who are my age and my two youngest female cousins Stephanie and her twin Samantha in my family to test which drinks were better.
My mother had come down as well to test the flavours but she also prefer the beer and stopped trying it. We had sat up all night trashing each other's drinks and just enjoying everyone's company. The three eldest had chose which one they preferred and then resulted back to the beer as they were feeling the effects of the sweet mixes. All eight boys had all agreed on their top three flavours that they chose, as well as Steph and Sam agreed that those were the best and that's how we came up with Long Island, Mojito and Mimosa. Over the past five years we perfected it and now that's the one thing we all agree on. This had been something I needed this past year that I denied myself the pleasure because it was the one thing he never really touched or cared. Now I was engulfed by them for the first time in six years, that I was taking it all in. The first time I was sharing my pain in front of my family, knowing that my mum keeps hugging me and kissing me that my brothers are starting to pick at her. This was like when I was growing up she always made sure to love me that much extra after she had the twins, it bug the hell out of my older brothers.
Once drinks were made, the salads were done, seafood also shelled and placed on the table and last but not least was the meat to be done, so I popped upstairs for a hot shower to rinse off the day I had off and embrace my freedom. I was a very prominent young lady back in my school days, as it was necessary to engage. I dressed up in black Nike track pants matching black Nike air max, I black sleeveless top secured by a gold chain around the middle. Matching white gold hoops and a gold long necklace that stops above the gold chain around my waist. I kept my hair up in a high ponytail as I was determined to enjoy my new found freedom. Finally satisfied that I was ready I walked back downstairs to join my family and smelt the amazing aroma of the food all being dished up as I was walking out, I stopped at the opening of the doorway and took my family.
It had been so many years to enjoy this moment in time. The day I was severely bruised and will forever be bruised by this day, but also brightened even more cause now it was my time to show myfamily what I am made of
I had been blessed with the best and I took it for granted. I had missed out this past eighteen months on the three new faces I saw sitting at the table. I pulled out my phone and snapped some shots and a couple of videos before adding myself to it. "Hello, I've never met you before, I am Sarah," I feminine voice spoke in front of me as she invaded my space, ," I am Kara lovely to meet you," I said not extending my hand or anything as she seem to not move so I could pass, when Ace stepped up "This is Sarah my girlfriend," he said as he leaned forward to kiss my cheek and hand me a glass, the look she sprouted was murderous at my brother so I stepped in her line of sight catching her off guard as I stood regarding her up and down."If your attitude doesn't check itself, I'll throw you off my balcony," I stated before my eldest brother moved me out of the way, "Mum said to cut it out, your hands are still healing," he said as he gave me to our parents who were shaking their heads, while my mother was hiding her behind her hand. "See the only one, just like you!" my mother admonished my father as he looked at her all innocently and just shrugged his shoulders. "All of them look like you," he stated as as he pointed out all his son's, "the only one who is my spiting image," my father said lovingly, as my brothers all groaned in annoyance but Sebastian who was stuck to his phone with a serious expression and Jason who was quietly talking off to the side of the tent.
Enjoying my night with my whanau when the door bell rang. Max who had moved before anyone else did, as he went to answer the door, when in followed three new people who entered behind Max "Congratulations Kara," they said shocking the hell out of us before we all sprung into action, each greeting one another it had been too long. Before we served the food my father stood up to welcome all that had gathered here tonight on such short notice "Thank you all for being able to come at such short notice to help my wife, my children and myself our enjoyable occasion of my only daughter finally returning home and Divorcing that idiot. Of course we all should have done it at the WEDDING but you all know your cousin is feisty because of my wife. Like they say like mother like daughter," he teased as everyone around erupted into giggles. "I know you are trying to stand strong in front of us and we see your hurting but we will always back you one hundred percent." my father spoke as I had tears running down my face. "Thank you, I love you," I said as I flew to my father, "You old man, made me look like a raccoon," I teased as stood "Thank you my family for tonight, I have obviously been needing this, needing to see you all and here I have everyone here. Let's bless our food as I am starving," I said as I blessed our food and waited for my plate to be served well I chatted with my cousins who all made it out by themselves, which was a feat for us all.
We were all taught to communicate with each other, since we would all be taught how to handle the division we would take over and still operate efficiently and effectively. The business chain was a family owned business one hundred percent.. My grandfather fought for forty years to secure every last share and invested in his bloodline instead, invested in their education, invested in time and sweat teaching my mother what was expected to keep the business as a whole and each of us grandchildren were to follow the same direct line to ensure every one ability to work together as a unit, to move as one and that leaning on each other will lessen the load at the amount of you all plus your parents running their respectively and then when they retire we will be able to work effectively.
The night was something that I had missed in so long, I almost forgot what it was like to be carefree. Not worry about another grown adult who could tend to themselves. My family had always doted on each other it was something we did because of my grandfather. He made us glove up if we had issue with each other and since Axel and I were the same age, we fight like crazy that my brothers would have to step in because we both refused to give in. My grandfather would let us box it, since it was under his watchful eye would we result in allowing our different opinions to find common ground. By the time we both reached seventeen was the last time we were allowed to box it out as we are now entering adulthood no one is allowed to negotiate that as real life situation it is only in self defense and you were scared out of your mind.