The Office Curve

Snapped

"Oh, now you're her family!" Kaim scoffed.  A part of me wanted him to back off, but most of me enjoyed watching him stand up for me - the pissed off part.  "Ah, now, I get it.  Now, that she's gotten married and found happiness, suddenly you give a damn a damn about her life.  I guess we should have gotten married sooner then."

My eyes flew open.  "Kaim!"

"So, you admit it, then!" My mother's voice was so quiet with anger, it made me feel uneasy.  "You two really are married?  You two got married behind our backs?"

The smartest thing would have been to say no, explain that the picture's origins, then ask them to leave - apology or not.  I felt this desire to assure my sister that her precious spotlight wasn't in danger of being stolen, and I wanted my mother to know what whatever relationship we had, I would never be so immature that I'd keep such a big secret from her - especially in a world were information is easily accessible via Facebook, Twitter, and even MySpace.  I wanted to tell them that while Kaim and I were very happy, we weren't ready to take that step and when the time did arrive, they would be the first to know.

But then I thought to myself - these two women came into my house, throwing around baseless accusations off of a photo that came from who knows where, treating me like shit in my own house.  I've spent years being respectful, turning the other cheek, even though they've done nothing to make me feel like I'm apart of their cozy knit group - their family.  If Kaim hadn't come up here with me, there is no telling how far they'd go to cut me down.  At the end of it all, there would probably be none of me left.

They didn't deserve answers, nor did they deserve my kindness.

So fuck them both.

"So what if we did?" I said with all the calmness I could muster.  "So what if I got married to this wonderful man beside me?  What the hell do you two care?"

"Z-Zara," my mom began, taken aback.  "That's not..."

"True?"  Bitterness saturated by laughter.  "Please, Mom.  We both know that I'm not fit to be a part of your little group there - both physically and emotionally.  You and Karyn have been thick as thieves since the day I was born.  It's always been about you two - and I've always been the interloper.  Never mind that you brought me into this world and I didn't have a say in it."

"Watch your mouth, Zara!" Karyn growled.  "Don't talk to Mom, like that!"

"And of course, my darling big sis jumps in, running her big fat mouth!" Now, it was Karyn's turn to stumble.  "You know, you're right Karyn - I am a big girl and you're a skinny hot mess.  But what you lack in size, your make up for in your inability to just shut the fuck up."

"You bitch!"

"Ah, ah, ah!  That's 'Mrs. Bitch' to you, sis.  Zara 'Mrs. Bitch' Harris."  I turned to Kaim with a smirk.  "Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"You better believe it does, wifey," he replied, not skipping a beat.  "I'll never get tired of hearing it, babe."

"Of course you won't."  I turned back to Karyn, on a roll.  "And you, big sis, can not only shove your righteousness up your ass, you can kiss my big fat one.  I'm a grown ass woman and I can do whatever the hell I want.  I don't have to answer to either one of you, especially since my personal life has never interested you before."  My eyes narrowed.  "I bet if this happened after your silly wedding, you wouldn't give two shits about who I got married to.  I could get married to a corpse, and you wouldn't care so long as it didn't have an effect on your miserable little life."

"My life isn't miserable!"  Karyn looked like she would pounce at any moment.  I stood my ground - I was ready for a roll across the floor.  "My life is so much better than your pathetic little life.  You wish you had my life."