Angel sat silently behind the dining table. She didn't try to talk to anyone. She was content with being busy eating or pretending to be busy. All that was on her mind was her father. She would have at this time be eating lunch with him, talking to her, he jokes with her, and he tries in every way to entertain her, even if only in the few hours he spends with her.
She was awakened from her distraction by her uncle's voice saying: "Did you just wake up, Liam?"
She raised her head to whom her uncle was looking at and saw her cousin Liam, who was descending the stairs at that moment. He looked like Mark in the color of his black hair, but he had a sharp look on his fase. His skin had a light tan and was clearly handsome. He was Approximately as tall as Mark and he is wearing jeans and a black shirt.
Liam yawned and said indifferently: "Yeah."
His father said sarcastically: "Why didn't you sleep more then?"
Liam said as he approached the dining table: "There is no need to mock me, dad, Here I woke up and came to have lunch with..."
He cut off his sentence and furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Angel, who was moving the spoon around the plate aimlessly. Then his father quickly said: "I forgot to know you. This is your cousin Angel. She came to spend a few days here until her father comes back from travelling."
Liam pulled up a seat and said in astonishment: "My cousin? What uncle?"
"Your uncle Henry. As I told Mark and Olivia earlier. This is something we don't want anyone to know about this except us. I trust all of you because you are my children.. Everyone outside the house will know Angel as Olivia's friend. is this clear?"
Liam said while eating a piece of carrot: "Why all this secrecy?"
His father said firmly: "Just do as I told you."
Liam turned to Angel to look at her with a short glance and he turned back to his father and said: "Where has my cousin been all these years?"
Angel stopped moving the spoon on the plate as she listened to what is being said. If only he knew that she had longed to come here but her father always refused. he wouldn't have said this.
While James said sharply: "Speak politely, Liam. one She is your cousin , and two She is in our house ."
Liam shrugged his shoulders and said: "I didn't say anything that bothered her. I was just asking about the secret of her disappearance all these years. Why didn't we see her until her father traveled?"
His father answered him, saying: "Her father had no other choice but to keep her here especially since he would spend a period abroad it might be a week and perhaps..."
( Excuse me)
Angel said as she turned around in her seat to leave the table. Olivia said in annoyance: "Are you happy now, Liam? She barely agreed to have lunch with us. And now you're making her leave the table with your indifference to her and her feelings, while talking about her like this."
Liam was silent in astonishment as he looked at Angel, who had moved away from the table and headed to her room. Then, he quickly turned and looked at them, astonishment still rising over his features: "I did not know before that she was crippled."
Mark said angrily: "Would this have changed your indifference at all?"
Liam said as he pursed his lips: "I'm not a person without feelings, Mark."
Mark said as he turned away from him: " clearly."
While James said sharply: "That's enough, everyone, Olivia, go to her room and try to talk to her."
Olivia nodded as she left the dining table and headed to Angel's room. While James said nervously: "Listen, Liam. If you are going to talk to my niece in this way, it is best that you never eat lunch or dinner with us again."
Liam said annoyed: "I didn't say anything that would make you angry dad. beside I didn't know that she was an overly sensitive girl."
" Angel was raised and lived alone all her life. That is why she cannot accept things easily. If you want my opinion, she wouldn't only be sensitive but hostile even. That is why I hope you all treat her kindly. It's only one week and no more."
Liam said as he stood up: "It's not my job to tolerate a girl like her."
Mark said sharply: "She is your cousin, first of all."
His father said as he tried to calm himself down: "Well, I won't ask you to tolerate her presence. I just ask you not to hurt her with any words. If you ignore her presence, that would be better."
liy said as if he didn't hear a word of what was said: "Excuse me."
"Where to?"
Liam said as he pursed his lips: "To the club."
He said that and left the place and at that moment Olivia came back and said, shaking her head: "She refused to come back to eat lunch with us again. She says that she is tired and will sleep."
Mark felt pity for Angel, especially when he saw her plate, which was full to the brim, she hadn't eaten a single piece of it.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Angel looked boredly at the door of her room. Did she come here to imprison herself?. Three hours since she left the dining table. She didn't know why she felt so much distress and pain from Liam's words.
Perhaps because he made an explicit accusation against her in his words for coming only for the sake of interest.
He doesn't know anything about her constant insistence to come here and her great insistence that her father invite them at least on one occasion and how would he know. when he has a large family that showers him with all the love and affection he wants? Money, brothers, and relatives...
As for her, she only had the love and affection of her father, whom she only saw two or three hours a day at most.
She sighed again as she looked at the room's door. She felt an overwhelming desire pushing her to go out and relax herself a little by talking to anyone.
She followed her desire to open the room's door to leave while quietly pushing her seat. She looked around at the hall, devoid of anything except the furniture and antiques scattered around the place.
she looked around again before continuing her movement in the house. Perhaps she will spend this free time by seeing the parts of this house and its precious antiques and...
(You finally left your room)
Angel turned to the speaker She looked at Mark calmly, who was confidently crossing his arms in front of his chest.
She didn't comment on his words, but preferred to remain silent.
He said with a smile: "Are you looking for something?"
She nodded calmly. He asked, "What is this thing?"
She thought that he would leave her alone and not ask more if she answered, She thought for a while and then said: "Olivia"
He leaned towards her a little and then said: "Why are you looking for Olivia?"
She silently turned her face away while caressing her necklace with her fingertips. He asked, "Do you want me to call her for you?"
She nodded again, and he smiled, saying: "I think you want me to leave more than your want for me to call Olivia , right?"
She didn't answer him and remained silent.
even if she agreed with him deep down in what he said. she really didn't want to talk to anyone , someone she didn't trust or didn't feel close to.
she did want to have friends but at least someone she could trust.
But they are her cousins. even though they didn't try to visit her once at her home while she felt lonely and afraid of staying at home alone.
They didn't even bother to ask about her and her father over the past years.
She came here for one reason only, She doesn't want to feel that she is alone anymore. She doesn't want the fears of loneliness to return to her. She wants to feel safe and reassured that there is someone to share the house with.