The One That Got Away

Two

Two

"I have no idea what has gotten into my daughter, but please take a sit son," her father's voice echoed in the silence and that was when everything else in the dining room seemed to thaw and the activity continued.

Zahra's eyes followed his every move until he was finally sitting on the chair opposite her. Of all the chairs in the entire room, the only one that happened to be vacant was the one right in front of her.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Jacob's voice brought her out of her reverie. Her eyes narrowed for a split second at the man sitting across her before a slightly forced smile surfaced on her lips and she looked at Jacob.

"I...I'm fine. Everything is fine. Matter of fact," her voice rose up an octave as she looked around the table. "Everyone is having a merry good time, what can possibly be wrong? Nothing," her sarcastic voice rang in the room, causing an awkward silence to cover the room once again.

"Zahra, kitchen please," her mother spoke, pushing her chair back and walking to the kitchen. "Now, please," her calm voice made her feel guilty and Zahra swore under her breath before joining her in the spacious kitchen.

"What's gotten into you young lady?" Her mother immediately asked with a hand poised on her hip and a look of disapproval etched on her face.

Zahra sighed. "I'm going to be frank with you Mama. That man just rubs me the wrong way. He knows better than to be here and I shouldn't pretend to like him."

"You know that's not the way we do things in this house and that's sure not the way I raised you to be, Zah. That man has no family to turn and the least we can do is open our doors to him," her mother reasoned.

"Well, the least he has to do is find some girl that he can spend Christmas with, something he's so good at. He's not even that close to Denzel anyway," she spoke offhandedly, referring to her older brother. "So, I don't see what he's doing here. Who invited him over anyways?"

"I did, okay? And I won't have you mistreat my guest in my house. You better get your act right or there will be hell to pay up in here," her mother's tone left no room for further argument and Zahra was wise enough to know that the conversation was over.

"Now, help me carry the dessert out."

Zahra trailed behind her mother with a stormy look, the bowls of panettone and pudding on a wide silver tray. Her mother started serving her father's on one end, so Zahra serving her nieces before moving up along to meet her mother halfway.

After all the bowls had been served, there was two bowls short. Zahra sent the intruder a hateful gaze, although he could not see her display of displeasure as he was engaged in conversation with her father.

When her eyes somehow steered across her mother, she allowed a tight smile to grace her lips and turned on her heels towards the kitchen. She placed the tray on the island and checking that no one was in tow and closing the door, she stomped her feet on the ground, just enough to release her frustration.

The low laughter had her twisting around with wide eyes. Her brother Denzel was standing by the door, his eyes crinkled at the corners and his tooth gap on show, no doubt enjoying her predicament.

"What's your ass doing over there cackling like a villain?" She hissed at him. If anything, that only seemed to entice him to deepen his laughter.