THE HONOURABLE MAN

Episode 59

Kiana makes her way back home driving at a leisurely pace of twenty km per hour. Her heart pounds faster and her mind keeps racing. (Where did mom and dad go wrong in raising Courtney?....Do I really know her at all and are my children safe around her?) She pensively mulls over the new information about her sister.

When she gets home, she lingers in her car as if dreading to get inside. She rests her head on the steering wheel, feeling weak and distressed. After a few minutes she gathers the strength to get out of the car and slip inside the house.

Her son rushes forward with his arms reaching out for her to swoop him into her arms, she crouches down to pick him up and he clutches on to her as if a little bird had whispered to him that his mother needs a comforting embrace.

She squeezes him in her arms and kisses his cheeks. A relaxing smile begins to appear across her face. Bryan weighs almost fifteen kg therefore his mother is unable to carry him for long, she brings him down and holds his hand as they walk together into the living room.

All eyes turn on them the second they stride in, "Good afternoon aunt Kiana," Sam greets with a sheepish smile on him.

"Afternoon Sam," she responds.

Her husband shoots her a concerned look, he can easily smell the distress she is trying to hide from the children. He walks up to her and wraps her in a big hug. She feels the warmth of his neck and the sweet smell of his cologne. She allows her body to melt into his arms. Bryan soon joins in the hug by wrapping his arms around his parents legs. They laugh heartily as they smile down at him.

She quizzically darts her eyes around the room, wondering where her beloved daughter is. She quickly spots her napping on her pushchair which is standing idle next to Sam's chair. She paces over there and bends down to kiss her soft cheek. She adoringly quirks her lips at her sweet and innocent looking face.

She turns around to face her husband with her eyebrows furrowed, "Where is Courtney?" She manages to ask without scowling at the mention of her name.

"You know her, she is not big on spending time with others. She is probably relaxing in her room all by herself like she prefers," he answers.

"I'm not complaining," Sam mumbles not aware that he was loud enough to be heard. He only realizes it when he looks up and sees Bryce and Kiana sternly staring at him. When he begins to frown with regret, he hears them giggle hilariously.

"We were just joking Sam...we understand that your aunt Courtney hasn't been very kind to you to say the least but..." Kiana says before her husband intercepts.

"But...it doesn't mean you shouldn't be kind to her. You should fight unkindness with...?" He peers at him expectantly.

"With Kindness," he reluctantly responds.

"Good!" He says as he proudly and teasingly slaps him on the shoulder.

Sam breathes a sigh of relief and a sheepish smile spreads across his face.

Kiana decides to unwind a bit by spending time with her family which she adores more than anything in the world. Bryce wraps an arm around her, with her legs curled up on the couch she comfortably leans her head against his chest and relaxes.

Just as she is about to shut her eyes and fall into a peaceful sleep she is jolted by the sound of feet barreling towards the room. In a a few seconds, Courtney storms into the room wearing a vicious scowl, her hands on both sides of her hips.

"Where is it?" She roars at poor Sam who blankly peers at her with narrowed eyes and bewilderment showing in his expression.

"What are you talking about?" He gasps.

"Does it look like I have time for games?" She grumbles.

Bryce and Kiana have been quiet owing to shock and their minds were still trying to process what's happening.

"Courtney! Talk to me...exactly what are you accusing Sam of?" Bryce intercepts.

"He stole my money...I had a hundred dollar note in my purse and now it's gone," she scowls.

Bryce and Kiana quizzically peer at each other before turning their gaze to Sam. They observe how enraged he is by Courtney's accusation.

"I didn't take her money...I have never set foot in her room ever since she moved in here," he frantically mutters, desperate to get his foster parents to believe him.

"Is it possible that maybe you misplaced your money?" Kiana asks.

Courtney rolls her eyes and laughs in a disrespectful and offensive manner. "Because Sam is an angel right? It's just not possible that he is a bloody thief so I'm the one who misplaced my money?" She sneers.

"What proof do we have that you have lost your money? For all I know you could be making this whole thing up just to get me out of this house. You have made it clear that you don't like me from the moment you walked in here," Sam cracks and is now on the verge of tears.

"Sam, take your little brother Bryan and head upstairs," Bryce orders.

Sam hesitates for a moment. "Go now Sam!" He sternly orders and Sam hurriedly picks up Bryan and disappears.

Tension hangs in the air for a long moment, all three adults peer at each other with unsaid words.

"Why would Sam steal your money?" Bryce questions her in an intimidating manner but Courtney is not fazed at all.

"Why wouldn't he? He has a mother in jail...maybe he wants to send her some spending cash...how am I supposed to know?" She scoffs.

"Did you even try to search the room, maybe it fell under the bed or..."

"Oh please cut the crap. I'm not going to search for something that is not there. How does a hundred dollar note grow legs and move from my purse to hide under the bed or wherever?" She grunts.

"It's actually very possible that you remember putting it in your purse when you actually put it elsewhere, these things happen all the time." Kiana intercepts.

"Why is it so hard for you to believe that Sam stole it?" She folds her arms across her chest.

"Because we know Sam...he is a good kid and he doesn't have any reason to steal. He has everything he needs provided for and we give him a weekly spending allowance so why would he steal?" Kiana raises her eyebrow at her.

"To send his mother money," she abruptly responds.

"We send his mother enough money every month so he clearly doesn't need to steal for that reason," Bryce responds.

Astonishment and bewilderment flashes in her eyes, "What! You are sending money to your convict ex girlfriend?" She then stares at Kiana with disbelief before breaking into laughter.

"Listening Courtney, its none of your business and we don't care what you think of it. You say Sam stole your money, I say he is innocent until proven guilty." Kiana snarls.

Courtney gives her an icy glare before she turns around and storms out of the room.

Kiana exhales deeply and slumps into a chair. Her husband tries to relieve her stress by massaging her tense shoulders.

"We haven't had a chance to talk about how your meeting with Gareth went?" He whispers.

"If you are hoping for a reason to kick my sister out of the house....don't worry you will have a very good one," she smirks.

"Well....your words not mine," he chuckles.

"But you were thinking it," she chortles.

"It's one thing to think about something and it's one thing to actual say it out aloud."

"Oh it doesn't matter...to be honest I'm tired, I miss the peace and quite we used to have in our home before Courtney came here with all of her drama," she frowns.

She quickly gives her husband a brief summary of the information she received from Gareth. There is an appalled and frightened look plastered on him.

"Are you kidding me?...we are living with a cold heartless person who is capable of murder?....We need to get her out of our house tonight!!!" He demands with a serious look on his face.

"I still have to talk to her about it...I just can't kick her out without giving her a chance to explain herself," Kiana blinks with uncertainty.

"Explain what?...how she tried to have her husband killed and then ran away from the law. Do you know that we are harboring a fugitive and we can get in serious trouble for that?" He frets as he paces back and forth around the room.

"Honey...you need to calm down, we are not in Roseland and ..."

"Stop right there... I don't want to hear you defending your dangerous sister," he grumbles.

"I'm not defending her...I'm just telling you to calm down. You are over reacting, " she says.