Chapter 3 Family Tension

Dinner was heavier than it ought to have been.

The table was laid, all the plates in place, knives and forks fitted in their proper places, everything was in its place, except for one thing.

The homewrecker.

Me!

Daniel was seated at the head of the table and his wife, the mother of Clara was seated beside him.

He was healthier than he had been a few days ago. Stronger. He was back to his color, his shoulders were set straight, his face was less serious. He nodded when she spoke, answered lowly when she spoke to him, and whenever she smiled he appeared to melt down in his turn.

He still loved this woman!

It hurt more than I expected.

“This is beautiful,” said Helen, the mother of Clara, looking at the dishes, and smiling at Clara. “You both did a great job.”

Clara cheered up. “We tried to make it special.”

“Not we, me!” Maya, the younger sister of Clara hissed.

She sat very stiff in her chair, her arms crossed, her eyes on her plate as though she could burn a hole in it. She hadn’t touched her food.

“Maya,” Daniel  said gently.

She lifted her head slowly. Her eyes didn’t go to him.

They went straight to me.

“No, it was not we who made this food, only me,” she said coolly.

The air shifted instantly.

Clara frowned. “Maya, stop.”

“I mean, we decided to cook! You and I Clara, we agreed to cook for  Mom. But someone! Decided  to make herself the center of attention.”  Maya hissed, if looks could kill, I’d be long dead by now.

“I required assistance at the florist, I said. “I had a desire that the flowers should be perfect.”

She gave a little scornful laugh. “You always need something. Tell me! What can you do yourself! Aside snatching my happiness and making my sister abandon me!”

“That’s not fair,” Clara snapped. “I chose to help Lina. You weren’t abandoned.”

The lips of Maya curled up in a bitter and sharp expression. “You chose her. Like you always do.”

The room fell quiet.

I could feel all the eyes turn in, the burden of the moment coming down on me. Daniel cleared his throat.

“Maya—”

“No, no,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “Don’t Maya me, let us say it aloud once.

Now she pointed a finger at me, and her voice was steady, but tremulous beneath. “You’re an exchange student. That’s all. You are not a member of this family! So do not bother to impress my mum with your perfect fucking flowers!”

My fingers bent gradually against my thigh.

“You shall never be one of  us,” she went on. “No matter how hard you try. No matter how long you stay.”

“Enough,” the mother of Clara said. “That’s not acceptable.”

Maya didn’t even look at her.

I raised my head in spite of the dryness of my throat. “Why do you hate me so much?”

The words came out before I could restrain them.

Maya looked surprised a second. Then her face changed, and anger filled.

“I hate you,” she said, and stood up and her chair rattled on the floor, “because you’ve taken everything  away from me since you came into this house.”

“It is not so,” I said to myself, though pain came to my heart.

“You dated my brother! Made him chose you over me, whilst you had my sister,” she said, “Her time. Her loyalty. You had stolen the attention of my parents. You took everything down to my room!”

“Enough, Maya, that is enough,” Daniel said sharply. “Sit down.”

She turned and looked at him with a bright tearful eyes. “You’re defending her too? Of course you are.”

“She is a member of  this house,” he said resolutely. “She deserves respect.”

“She is someone we took in because we pitied!” She corrected.

Clara’s mother nodded. “Maya, you’re being cruel.”

Maya’s lips trembled. “You’re all choosing her. You always chose her! You missed my birthday party because she broke her ankle! I spent my 18Th birthday all alone because you all had to be with her at the hospital!”

She took off her napkin and tossed it on the table.

“I hate you Lina! I pray you never find peace.”

Then she ran out.

“I will speak to her,” Clara said , moving her chair back.

“No,” her mother said, taking her hand. “Let her cool down.”

Daniel heaved a sigh and sank back into his chair. “I am sorry you heard that.”

“It’s fine,” I said, although it was not.

Clara reached for my hand. “She doesn’t mean it.”

I shook my head, yet my hunger was gone.

“I… I will go to my room,” I said in a polite manner. “Thank you for dinner.”

No one stopped me.

I lay down on the floor the second I got to the room, tears gathering in my eyes.

Just then a knock came on my door.

I quickly wiped away the tears.

Another knock.

The voice of Daniel was low and soft.

“Lina. We need to talk.”

My heart dropped.

“No,” I said immediately. “Please go away.”

He didn’t listen to me. “Just for a minute.”

“I said no.”

There was a pause. “Lina. Open the door, please.”

I got up and opened the door sufficiently to peep at him. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know,” he said.

He stepped closer. “Lina—”

I raised my hand. “Don’t.”

His expression softened. “I would like to know whether you are all right.”

“I’m not,” I said honestly. “And talking to you will not solve that.”

He faltered, uncertainly inspecting my face as though there had been something he wanted to say but was afraid of it.

“I did not intend to hurt you,” he said to himself. It was not the smartest move and we went wrong the entire way.

“That makes it worse,” I replied. “It makes it  worse that you call it a mistake. Just leave.”

He stepped back.

“Leave.” I said curtly.

“I’ll go,” he said.

Before he could say any more I shut the door.

I slid down to the floor.

How many days would I be able to conceal this?