22. Chapter 22 #3
I admit, it was admirable of her.
Because she was right, I wasn’t giving her the satisfaction of acting out in another person’s home nor would it be appropriate to retaliate once we are back in the working environment Monday morning…
that being said, I do remember having a cart full of case files that I need to be summarised by Tuesday morning, that I was going to leave for the interns, but who better to put on the case than my star paralegal.
Two could play at this game.
Had she and I been friends, I would have expressed a sinister smile as a foreshadowing of what’s to come, but instead, I continued to scoop down my curry goat and rice as if what just happened did not affect me at all.
Everyone else at the table is determined to move on from the slight disturbance, except Theo, who is doing his best to de-bone a piece of mutton whilst Luna fixes a piece of tissue around his neck to fashion as a bib, so his clothes don’t get stained.
I force myself to focus on her brother’s words instead of how watching her interact with Theo affected me. By the time LJ spoke about his week, and Gran began her story of meeting a man during Zumba classes, I got the gist of what was going on here.
Just as I suspected, the happy family home life Luna and her siblings live continues to jab at my loss of such. It just highlights the perfection of her upbringing, like the respectful aspect of waiting for the oldest member of the family to eat first before you do.
A courtesy I only learned at the age of eight after meeting Min-Joon.
Then there’s the warmth of their smiles as each of them listens with such care, something that only people capable of love can feel, and then lastly leaves this family dinner.
Not only is this a luxury only close families are allowed to be a part of, but they even share the ins and outs of their week, something so simple, yet I can’t say I’ve ever experienced it.
You’d need a family big enough to fit around a dinner table first.
Maybe I did, once or twice with Min-Joon’s family, but not once have I ever experienced catching up with my own mother, nor do I think that is ever possible.
Therefore, I plan on doing everything I can to avoid the spotlight falling on me by excusing myself to the bathroom, but again, I’ve been betrayed by my own thoughts; being far too lost in my head, I hadn’t noticed Theo excuse himself to use the bathroom, dragging Luna with him.
Ridding me of the only two options I had that were underlined by my mistake of being here, so I was stuck with the three remaining Jacksons, all of whom don’t seem to have a high opinion of me.
I could cope with one, if not two of them glaring their judgment towards me, but there was something unsettlingly powerful about the head of the family’s attempt to read me like a book.
Luna wasn’t kidding when she expressed how stubborn her grandmother could be.
It was all in her stare, cold yet shockingly inviting, but at the same time dangerous, much like a truth serum.
One simple stare made me feel as though if she asked me a question, I had zero option of refusing; then again, this is how I got in this situation in the first place.
It was clear I needed to be wise with my use of words. I’ll give the Jacksons one thing, though: they’d all make a hell of a good lawyer, Gran especially. I hope Luna and Theo return from the bathroom with haste, as I’m not prepared to be in a room full of hard stares for a long time.
“So, Oliver. How was your week?” Macy asks, thinking I couldn’t hear how condescending she sounds, watching me stare at the bathroom with hope, wishing I’d hear the door open.
But it’s quickly proven there is no escaping this as Luna’s brother, LJ, adds to her statement seconds after not getting a response from me.
“Don’t avoid the question; first rule of family dinner is everyone has to share,” he grunts, then takes a big bite of food to stop him from saying anymore, but I’m clever enough to know how much he wanted to add ‘asshole’ or ‘jerk’ to the end of his sentence.
And as much as I hate the tone he’s using with me, if there’s one thing I respect is rules, so of course I follow through, clearing my throat to speak.
“Wait.” Gran blurts, bringing all of us to a halt as she turns towards the bathroom, Macy, LJ, and lastly me. Everyone follows her gaze to see it’s still closed before returning to the table.
“Instead of answering that, may I ask you a question instead, Mr Walters?” Gran asks, squaring her shoulders and turning towards me. I’m grateful my shirtsleeves hide the goosebumps that suddenly creep up my arms, making my hair stand on end.
“…Yes, Ma’am,” I nod in agreement, reaching for a glass of water. I wish I could blame my current actions on the food being spicy, but sadly, I have a very high tolerance from eating food from all around the world, my favourites being Mexican, Indian, Korean, and Jamaican cuisine.
No.
My cause of dry throat was all to do with her tone, her gaze, and the weight of her suggestion. It was clear I was not a stranger to this household.
Way before Luna began working for me, Macy made it quite clear she wasn’t shy about sharing her opinions on who I am from a work perspective, which probably encouraged Luna to do the same, as she allowed them to have a whole new perspective of me, whilst living in close quarters with me.
Yet again, I curse myself for being so stupid as to agree to be here, and although swallowing feels near impossible, I prepare myself for whatever it is Gran chooses to ask me.
So long as it doesn’t involve my and Theo’s background, I plan on telling the truth; that doesn’t even make a dent in the utterly gruelling questions she could fire at me, especially since she seems more confident to question me without Theo and Luna in the room, which again raises so many alarms.
I mean, she could ask about…. no. She wouldn’t ask me about that.
Surely, they weren’t that close a family that Luna told them about what happened last week. Was I about to be questioned by an elder about my intentions with their grandchild, because if I was, then I’d rather get shot in the head.
It is nearly impossible to explain that the brief act of intimacy Luna and I shared meant nothing and that it wouldn’t go on to be anything beyond that, but if that is her choice of conversation, then I shall do my best to make my intentions clear, and then proceed to throw up later when I’m in the safety of my own home.
“Mr Walters,” she starts, allowing sweat to form in the corners of my brow.
It unsettles me further how my last name comes out of her mouth.
They say that a name is power, words I never believed until today, as being called by my surname is common during my day job, but having it said here, whilst choking on anticipation, made me want to channel everything into jumping out the nearest window.
But I have a child to raise, so of course, I put my big boy pants on and settle on chugging the large glass of water down to help settle my stomach, although not sure it’s doing just that as I glance at Macy leaning forward with excitement and her husband still doing his best to stare me down while I nod towards Gran, nudging her to continue.
“Now, this is a question I’ve been curious about for quite a while now, so pardon me if I overstep slightly,” she warns, doing a quick check that the bathroom door is still closed, then she shares a look with Macy, who isn’t afraid to hide the glint in her eye.
The kind that elevates her excitement of finding out unheard information about her boss that she can go and relay to her colleagues, come tomorrow morning.
It, of course, heightened my anxiety about what this sweet-looking old woman was possibly going to ask me, but nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for what she asked next.
“Do you have a sex dungeon in your home?” Gran questions with confidence. But I choke on the water trying to make its way down my throat; I’d learnt the meaning of manners, spitting it out wasn’t an option, hence the choking.
Everything after that happened so fast; Macy burst into laughter, trying to fall off her chair, but LJ’s firm grip stopped it from dipping backwards.
A pure instinct to protect his wife and future child from harm, despite the pale look on his face, his complexion matching the plates before they were coated with the colour of curry and lastly, as I’m still attempting not to choke on my cause of death, when I hear her voice.
My saving grace.
“Gran!” Luna scolds, raising her voice, and enters the room as none of us realises she returned in time to hear the question her Gran just asked me.
She sprints towards me, hitting my back with the palm of her hand to counteract my suffering.
Despite its refusal, I force myself to swallow the water clogging my oesophagus and allow Luna to guide me back to normal.
“What? He said I could ask him a question; that’s the one I chose.
” Gran shrugs, standing her ground. I don’t remember much of what happened next as I had to focus on clearing my throat so breathing was an option again, but it was easy to assume there was bickering between Grandmother and granddaughter, whilst Macy’s wholehearted laughter surrounded the room and something I only noticed once my lungs are no longer in jeopardy, is that LJ is gone but that doesn’t seem to surprise anyone else.
“That doesn’t matter; we already talked about this.
Are you trying to get me fired?” Luna is still stuck in the endless loop of why what her Gran asked was wrong.
I can hear the annoyance in her tone. This is a conversation she’s had multiple times, but regardless, her Gran only saw her side without thinking of the consequences of it.
The fact she voiced it without fear proves that.