The Office Curve

Snapped

It was about to go down.

Karyn glowered at me, eyes red with rage, the damning evidence shaking in her head.  My mother stood beside her, looking just as angry, even hurt.  I stared at the picture in disbelief.  Seriously?  They thought Kaim and I got hitched behind their backs?  They've come rolling into my house like posse after a criminal because they saw this picture and assumed the worst?

Didn't they know that this was from a bridal fashion show?

Didn't they know that Kaim and I were nowhere near ready for marriage?

Of course they didn't.  They were here because they pissed for their own silly reasons.  Karyn's reasons were transparent and superficial - her baby sister, her mortal enemy, appeared to marry before she did and she wasn't having it.  She's always supposed to be the star of the show - she was the one meant to shine.  Heaven help anymore who was ballsy enough to steal it from her.  In turning into a blushing bride on the runway, kissing the man of my dreams, I'd inadvertantly stole her thunder and now, I had to pay the price.

If I had have know that participating in a fashion show would have brought me this much grief, I'd have talked my way out of it.

"I can't believe you would do this to me, Zara!" Karyn whined, sounding more like a dying feline than a human being.  "What were you thinking?  Do you even care about what this does to me?  Are you just that selfish?  Never mind, don't bother answering.  I already know the answer."

This was really happening - an episode of "The Twilight Zone" taking place right in my living room.  "You're serious.  You're actually serious."

"What were you thinking, Zara?"  My mother's icy tone cut me deep.  "I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but I know I raised you better than this.  Running off and getting married to a man you've just met?  Again, what were you thinking?"

I was thinking that they had no idea about the source of the photo.  "I'm thinking there's a bit of a misunderstanding..."

"Oh, we understand perfectly, Zara - you ran off and get married to spite us!"  Karyn spat out.  In the corner of my eye, I saw Kaim rolling his eyes.  "It was bad enough you went an embarrassed me in front of everyone at the dinner, but then you ran off and got married?  Knowing that my special day is coming soon?  You're a real piece of work, sis, you know that?"

She sure knew how to work my nerves.  "Again, Karyn, there's an explanation for this..."

"Of course there is!  You're a big fat, festering attention whore who thought she could steal my thunder!"  Karyn's shrieking bounced off the walls of the apart before stabbing through my heart.  My mother just stood there, quiet in her own fury as my sister readied herself for another attack.  "And while you may have got the jump on me, you'd best remember that you'll always be a pot-belly big compared to me - "

"Don't you dare talk to Zara that way!"  I looked over to Kaim, started by his angry roar.  He looked damn pissed.  "How dare you come in here, shrieking like a banshee in her apartment, by the way, throwing insults?  Show some damn respect!"

"Nobody asked for your opinion, pretty boy!" My rage threatened to boil over and Karyn pointed one lone finger at Kaim, a look of disdain on her face.  "This is a family matter, and we do NOT need your opinion.  So you can step off!"

"You can forget about that!" Kaim spat back.  "I'm not leaving Zara's side, and the last time I checked, I was more welcome here than you are."

"But we're her family!" my mother piped up.  Oh, she's still here.  "We were in her life way before you were, and we deserve some explanations!"