CHAPTER 17: DIANA'S VISIT HOME I
Diana woke up the next morning to an empty bed. She felt a pang of relief, realizing she wouldn't have to face James's coldness that day.
After freshening up, she donned a stylish black outfit, complete with sleek black boots and her cascading black hair flowing freely down her back. She didn't know why she always parked her hair, oh now she remembered cause they tangled quickly. Her hair was long, black and full that sometimes it was hard to get a comb through but today she combed it nicely and stretched it till they were straight and flowed freely. She applied minimal makeup, opting for a natural look.
Remembering the matching watches she got for herself and James, she put hers on, hoping it wouldn't upset him since he had rejected his. Taking her bag, she gave herself a final once-over in the mirror and headed downstairs.
The house felt eerily quiet when Diana came down. She saw Nicodemus who stood by the side quietly and asked him about the others.
Nicodemus informed her that James had left with the others after breakfast. Diana nodded and continued heading out when Nick asked, "no breakfast maam?
"No. Thanks Uncle Nick. I will eat at my parents place." Diana responded not turning back once to glance at him".
"Alright. But your husband says Antonio goes with you wherever you want to go."
Diana nodded and opened the door to see Antonio standing beside the car waiting for her. Diana smiled at him, as he opened the door for her with a curt "Good Morning Ma'am".
Diana responded once again with a nod of her head as he shut the door behind her. Antonio got into the drivers side and drove them out of holland gardens.
Antonio drove her according to her wishes to pick up some gifts for her family, then dropped her off at home.
When Diana got home, her mother and sister Phoebe were standing at the door waiting for her. She had called earlier to say she was coming that morning. They rushed to hug her immediately they saw her come down from the car. Diana hugged them back and smiled "oh I've missed you guys so much".
"Oh me too, Phoebe responded smiling".
"Well i missed her more than you did Phoebe," Katherine chipped in and the three women laughed heartily.
Their warm welcome was interrupted by Rebecca, Diana's other sister, who came to the door and smirked at her mother and sister as she said, "at least let her come inside first and stop with all the mushy stuff, 'urgh'!" She sighed and stormed back inside the house.
Unaffected, Diana laughed along with her mother and sister as they joined the rest of their family inside, completely ignoring Antonio.
Antonio carried the gifts inside and dropped them at the side of one of the sofas before leaving again.
Jackson, Diana's 2nd brother, arrived and went straight to hug his sister. "Well, hello baby sis".
Diana scoffed as she looked at him. Jackson ignored her and continued asking. "How have you been?"
"Very well", Diana responded plastering the best smile that completely deceived everyone.
"And where is your husband?" Jason the first son and child asked from the foot of the stairs immediately he saw her, startling everyone in the process.
"Oh yes, your husband Diana", Katherine said suddenly remembering she was supposed to come with him.
''Well he had some loose ends to tie up at work so he couldn't make it". Diana lied fluently through her teeth, in truth she knew nothing about her husband's whereabouts she just had to say something so her family wouldn't think there was anything wrong at this early stage of her marriage. Rebecca specially was going to laugh if she even got the least inkling of what was going on.
"Is that even enough reason to miss a family dinner?" Jackson commented resentfully.
Just as Diana was about to support him again, the family patriarch, Raymond, entered. He bellowed at Jackson and eyed him surreptitiously before he turned his attention back to his daughter. He seemed surprised to see Diana but still asked out of concern. "You don't look well my child, is everything alright?"
Jackson, ever the outspoken one, couldn't help but question his father Raymond. "Well how will she look well when you had willingly sold her off into that sham of a marriage".
"Jackson!" Katherine cried out obviously scared for her son's life.
"You unfilial child Raymond bellowed, pointing a shaky finger towards his son. You have just bitten more than you can chew. How dare you say i sold off my own daughter?" As Raymond spoke, his eyes turned red with anger as his whole body shook furiously. "You will not be the death of me" he said, giving his son a deadly-head-on-glare. "From today, you are banned from the company till further notice".
''What!" Jackson cried, "i'm banned just because i said the truth huh, so your son-in-law is suddenly more important than your own son?"
"Enough Jackson!" Diana quickly cut him off before he could speak further nonsense and put himself into more deep shit, wasn't he already realizing the situation, that their father could cut him off at any moment.
"I'm already married now Jackson, and saying all these things will not help anymore. In fact am even starting to like my husband, He's not as bad as the newspapers claim. Those people don't do him any justice. So please calm down and stop fighting with our parents over this".
''And Dad, you also need to calm down". Diana said as she held her Father's hand and patted it gently.
"Well that's good" Raymond said patting her cheeks in turn, "if he's that good to you then i'm relieved".
"Now look who's the center of attention, you don't really try so hard right Diana? Maybe you should tell me how you do it over and over again", Rebecca snidely commented.
"Isn't it obvious, she doesn't always try to be a bitch like you". Phoebe retorted at Rebecca making a face at her in the process.
Diana ignored them and turned to the position where Antonio had kept the gifts, "see my husband even got gifts for you and mom 'dad'".
She presented the gifts she had bought for her parents on behalf of her husband, surprising everyone with their thoughtfulness.