New Girl In The Court

Chapter 19

As a kid Raiyan was a fan of family meals. He liked when the family sat together, he liked how they laughed together, he also liked the meal his mother cooked. Everything in that scene was liked by him. It was his favourite gathering. But growing up things changed. The members reduced, the food changed and the atmosphere vanished. There was nothing that he liked about meals anymore, especially the ones he had with his family.  

"This is really good. It is different," Raiyan said and he took a bite of his chicken. His mother smiled before softly pushing the blow towards him.

"I saw a new recipe on Youtube. I thought it was a little odd but I was bored of our regular chicken. So, I tried it. Glad it turned out fine. I was worried it was bland so I added some spices and it worked like wonder. "

Raiyan smiled at his mother then changed the focus to his food and was engrossed in it, while his mother observed him forgetting about the food. Her spoon danced on the plate slowly but never lifted their feet. Her eyes were only on Raiyan as if nothing else existed. She raised her eyebrows when Raiyan's plate got lighter. She had been trying to find a way to speak ever since they started the meal but her hesitation could not allow her to be. She unintentional avoided the topic but if there was an opportunity it was now, she told herself. Keeping her spoon down, she adjusted herself in her chair. She was ready to speak. 

"Raiyan are you doing this because you hold resentment?"

"For whom?" Raiyan looked up as he said. 

"Your father?"

"My father? Why am I holding resentment against him? What are you talking about?"

"This case. Are you doing this because you are hurt? Do you hold resentment?"

"It would have still made sense if you had said brother. But why will I do this if I have resentment against my father? How is this going to harm or upset him? He is not here."

"He is not. But when you were young your father and brother were always a team. They did everything together. Sports, food, shopping. There was nothing they did without each other. I know your father always thought of him first and not you when he was up to something but he wasn't avoiding you. It was just that their interest matched. They both liked similar things and they both had similar thoughts. That is why they were a team not because they did not want you around. He tried doing all those things with you. But you were never interested in those things. They did not neglect you, nor did they dislike you. It was just that they clicked but you didn't."

"How shallow do you think I am?" Raiyan had a frown on his forehead and he tried his best to hide his hurt heart but failed. "You think that is why I am doing this? You think I am taking revenge? Is that really what you think?"

"No. I just feel that it is normal or natural for you or anyone who has been through this to have a thought like that. Nothing more."

"I am sorry to disappoint you but this is not an act of revenge." Raiyan stood up from his chair and left the room. He walked straight to his room and locked it. Closing his eyes he tried to calm his mind but that only aggravated his anger. He splashed some water on his face but his mind could find no rest. Following that, He did not leave his room for two hours. When he came to the living room later that afternoon, his mother was ready to leave. They got in the car but drove in silence. Raiyan could not remove his eyes from the road, nor that frown from his face.

"Are you upset? I did not mean to accuse you. I was just trying to think why. I cannot find a reason."

"How can you not find a reason? You think what she is doing is right?"

"What she or what they did, I am not talking about that. I am talking about you. You are not someone to go ahead and file a case against someone. Not your brother's widow a least. That is not you. And there is no other reason. We haven't been to that house in years. We didn't even have ownership of it for years. Then why? I cannot understand why."