THE HONOURABLE MAN

Episode 55

Kiana closes the door behind her and exhales before flopping down on the bed next to her husband.

"I'm so sorry honey...I should have known better not to tell my sister about Sam's mother....I just thought maybe telling her would stop her from..."

Bryce shushes her and reassuringly squeezes her hand.

"You don't have to apologize at least not to me...you are my wife I know you very well and I understand why you felt the need to tell your sister but Sam doesn't." He states.

"I know...that's why I'm here....to ask you to head back to the dining room and watch over the kids while I have a word with Sam," she says.

He immediately jerks out of bed and slips into his sandals.

"I don't want the kids to be alone for another minute....I'm going to the dining room right away," he informs before striding out of the room.

Left alone, Kiana sighs and anxiously runs her fingers through her hair.

She slowly makes her way to Sam's door and exhales deeply before knocking.

"Sam...please open up...we need to talk," she desperately pleads.

She hears the sound of the keys jingling as he unlocks the door, she lets herself in and peers at the downcast expression across his face.

"Why did you do it aunt Kiana...why did you tell your sister when you know how she is... you gave her a new weapon to use to torment me. The most powerful weapon for that matter," he frowns with tears filling up in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Sam...I thought if I told her the truth she would be sympathetic and stop picking on you,"

"Well that clearly didn't work...it only made things worse,"

"I know and I feel terrible about it," she ruefully smirks.

"Why are you allowing her to treat me like this?" He peers at her,

"What am I supposed to do Sam...I can't control a grown woman," she raises her hands in protest.

"This is your house....why don't you throw her out. It's not like she doesn't have anywhere else to go...why can't she go back where she came from?" He spits.

For a moment she ponders over his words. She steps forward and rests her comforting hands on his arms.

"You know what...I will give her a final warning and if she continues to cause problems I will have her packing her bags," she states with determination in her eyes.

Sam's eyes widen with astonishment, " You would kick your sister out because of me?" His jaw drops.

"Of course Sam...and it won't just be for you but my sister needs to learn to respect other people. I can't let her get away with being a nuisance in my home," she scowls.

Sam smiles and throws his arms around her, "Thank you aunt Kiana," he whispers softly.

After a long moment, they pull apart and she excuses herself. She bumps into Courtney along the corridor.

For a second she is not sure how to respond or what to say to her. She blinks and swallows.

Courtney pauses for a few seconds and gives her an icy glare before mutely shoving past her.

Kiana follows her to the guest bedroom and gives her a piece of her damn mind. She gives her a final warning to start behaving herself or else she will be asked to leave. Courtney is angered and she feels disrespected by her young sister. She reluctantly promises to put on her best behavior just for the sake of getting Kiana to stop yabbering.

***

The following day in the late evening Kiana get's an invite from her parents asking her to bring the kids over for lunch tomorrow. The idea is to have a family reunion, she is informed that Maliah is also invited. When she asks Courtney if she also received the invite she nods yes and promises to attend.

Kiana is delighted by the invite as she looks forward the family reunion, having all the Rays together under one roof like old times. She is also excited to see her young sister Maliah whom she hasn't seen for a while.

On the day of the family lunch just a few minutes before lunch time, Kiana barges into the guest room which Courtney uses and she is surprised to see her still in bed and not yet dressed up and ready to leave as she had expected.

"Courtney! How come you haven't dressed up?" she questions before pacing to the standing mirror to view herself.

She smoothens her peach summer dress before turning back to face Courtney with her eyebrows lifted demanding an explanation.

Courtney starts coughing, wheezing and contorting her face. "I'm...sorry...sis...but.." she coughs again.

"I...don't...think I can make ..it," she sniffles.

Kiana throws her a doubtful eye and then a frown starts to form on her face, "you are not pretending to be sick...are you?" She sternly gazes at her. Courtney puts on an innocent face, "Of course not...I was really looking forward...seeing our parents and our baby sister Maliah...but my whole body aches and I...," she stammers.

"Okay...okay...I will go without you but everyone is going to be bummed by your absence." She pouts with thoughts in her mind.

"There is always a next time Kiana and I really don't think anyone will care if I'm not there," she gives her a crooked smile.

"Hmmm...fine then...suit yourself...I guess I will see you later ...and I hope you get well soon," she sighs and shuffles off to find her husband.

"Sweetheart I'm sorry to leave you home alone but you know how it is...sometimes parents just want some alone time with their children," she ruefully states.

"Don't worry about it my darling you deserve some time alone with your family," he glances over his shoulder for a brief moment.

"Where is your sister?"

"She is not feeling well...so she is staying behind," she answers.

"Oh what a shame...the family won't be complete after all," he shifts uneasily and Kiana assumes he is worried about being home alone with her sister.

"Bryce...she won't give you or Sam any problems...am sure she will spend the rest of the afternoon in bed...Iwell at least I hope so," she bites her lower lip.

"I hope so too, that way I can spend sometime playing video games with Sam and kicking his ass," he grins.

"I'm sure you will enjoy not having Kiandra and Bryan in the house," she rolls her eyes.

"Does that make me a bad parent?" He wrinkles his forehead.

"Don't be too hard on yourself...we all need a break from our noisy and demanding children," she casts him a reassuring smile.

He carries baby Kiandra in her car seat and escorts them to the car. He buckles up Bryan and Kiandra at the back seat and waves goodbye to them.

***

Kiana is the last to arrive, she is greeted with warm hugs, kisses and wide smiles. The moment Maliah clashes eyes with her sister, she ecstatically rushes to her and wraps her in a big tight hug.

Both their eyes sparkle with tears as they continue with their long embrace.

"Come on you two...that's enough," their mother chortles, forcing them to eventually pull apart.

"I've missed you so much Kiki," she cries.

"Oh...honey...I missed you too," she responds with the same soft tone.

Kiana takes a moment to take in the love and joy that's floating in the house. She perceives a sense of belonging and she feels charged and euphoric around her family. She recognizes with gratitude the attention and love that her children are being shown and the excitement across their faces melts her heart.

There are peals of merry laughter, heart warming smiles and good conversations being shared. Being around her parents and her young sister brings to mind her childhood memories making her appreciate the woman her parents groomed her to be and all the love and support they have never stopped giving.

Soon their mother interrupts them as she calls her daughters to help her set up the table and carry the dishes to the table. Once seated, with fine looking aromatic food in front of them the conversations begin.

"You are looking good Maliah...tell me is there a bun in the oven already...is that why you are glowing?" Mrs. Ray wriggles her eyebrows.

"Mom! No...the reason I'm glowing is because I'm happy," she beams.

"It's good to know Matthew is taking good care of you Mrs. Harley...now if he ever gives you any trouble you let me know and I will gladly kick his butt," Mr. Ray utters with a husky voice.

Everyone laughs softly for a brief moment.

"So...when can mom and dad expect another grandchild to be added to the family?" Kiana asks.

"Not anytime soon," she quickly responds.

Kiana and her mother share a look, "why not?" Her mother asks with great concern.

"I have been married for less than a year...I need to enjoy my marriage before bringing children into the picture?" She states.

"I can understand that but you are thinking of having children in the near future...right?" Mrs. Ray gazes at her with great concern.

"Of course...why not? Look at how adorable Kiki's children are...I would love to have my own children someday...definitely" she grins.

Her response alleviates her parents as well as Kiana.

"I'm glad to know my children will have cousins someday," Kiana grins.

"You had me worried for a minute sweetheart...I thought you wanted to follow in your sister's footsteps. I can't believe she has been married for ten years and still doesn't have a child...or...could it be that Courtney or her husband is infertile?" Mrs. Ray's eyes widen at the thought.

At the mention of the name Courtney, Kiana realizes that no one has even bothered to ask why she didn't show up for dinner and this puzzles her.

She puts down her fork and her eyes dart left and right before clasping her hands together with her elbows on the dining table. "How come none of you have bothered to ask why Courtney didn't show up?" She questions with a tinge of confusion in her eyes.

Everyone pauses eating and blankly stare at her, "What are you talking about...Courtney is in Roseland...isn't she?" Her mother gapes.

The surprised look on her parents faces confirms that they had no idea that Courtney has been back in the country since a few days back. She turns to face Maliah and notices she also looks shocked by the news.

"Wait a minute....don't tell me you didn't know as well?"

"Didn't know what?" Maliah wonders.

"But you are the one who gave Courtney my house address,"

"Me! I did not...why would I need to give her your address anyway?"

Kiana's mind starts racing as she desperately tries to make sense of whatever is going on.

"Kiana! What's going on?" Her father huskily demands an answer.

"Courtney is a liar...that is what's going on. I can't believe she would lie to me and I don't understand why?" She whispers whilst lost in her thoughts.

"She lied to you about what?" Her mother questions.

"Courtney is at my house as we speak...I found her there when I returned home from Bahida three days back. She said Maliah gave her my address and told her where to find the spare keys to my house," she blurts.

"But I haven't spoken to Courtney for a very long time. Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"Well...a lot has been happening and It just skipped my mind I didn't think it was important and I assumed she had told you she was crushing at my house,"

"Our daughter is in town and she didn't think to come home to her parents and not even to inform us of her presence." Mr. Ray grumbles.

Tension and awkward silence fills the air for a moment. Everyone seems to be scratching their heads trying to figure out what the hell is going on and what Courtney is up to.

"Mom...she has only been here for a few days...maybe she was going to tell you. I think she just needed some time. She is going through a lot," Kiana softly utters.

"You are defending her...wow...I never thought I would see the day. You two have always been on each other's necks since you were toddlers...what has changed...is she being a good guest in your home?" Her mother blinks with surprise.

Kiana hesitates to respond for a moment, "She hasn't been a good guest at all and I never expected her to be one but I can excuse her behavior this time because...she disclosed to me that Gareth filed for divorce...he is leaving her for another woman," she blabs.

Shock and sympathy glimmer in everyone's eyes after hearing the sad news of Courtney's pending divorce.

"Gareth is divorcing her? That's heart breaking to hear but that doesn't excuse your sister's behavior. She is a full grown woman whom I do not expect to behave like an immature child," Mr. Ray huffs.

"Courtney lied about getting Kiki's address from me...how do we know she did not lie about Gareth and the divorce just to gain sympathy from Kiki?" Maliah is doubtful and suspicious of her sister whom she has never been really close to.

Everyone takes a moment to mull over Maliah's words.

"Well...I think there is only one way to find out...we have to meet with Gareth in person," Kiana suggests.

"What! Who has the time to fly to Roseland?" Maliah gripes.

"Well...since she is in my house...she is my problem to sort out. I will ask Gareth to fly to Alandro. I will pay for the ticket and his accommodation."

"I think that's a better idea. Gareth seems like a reasonable man I'm sure he will agree to meet with you?" Mrs. Ray confidently agrees.

"I don't suppose any one in here still has his contact details?" Kiana arches her eyebrows.

Her eyes turn to Maliah who shakes her head and then they drift towards her parents who also nod their heads.

"Well...I guess I'm going to have to steal his contacts from Courtney's phone. Hopefully they won't be saved under a fake name," she smirks.