The Things We Do

THIRTY SEVEN

What do you do when you can't take it anymore? Do you scream? Slam doors? Or take it out on innocent beings?

Let it out or self-destruct. How could we hold it in?

When we lock up our feelings and our pain and put up a façade, we become ticking time bombs. Bombs that will explode and destroy everything with it.

◈ ━━━━━━━ ⸙ - ⸙ ━━━━━━━ ◈

Church service had been even more exhausting than normal for Kasy with the kind of tension in the air. She had convinced Kendrick to stay for the weekend but even that did little to nothing in making her forget that they were a uniquely dysfunctional family.

The drive to church, the service—having to sit next to each other and all—and the drive back, it was all silent awkwardness.

Kenneth and his kids had put hands together to make lunch that Sunday afternoon and Philomena didn't seem to care. Either that, or she had finally decided to give them breathing space.

Sitting at the dinning table to eat too was very much awkward. It was all awkward silence until the woman finally decided to speak and make things worse.

"Nkasiobi, I hope you've picked up a few things in the kitchen. Your father won't be your cook forever."

Kasy didn't say anything to that. Maybe if she ignored it, it would go away.

"Nkasiobi, did you hear what I just said?"

"I heard you."

"So what are the steps in preparing tomato sauce?" she asked before taking a sip from her glass of juice, eyeing Kasy all the while.

The question infuriated the hell out of Kasy but what could she do about it?

"I don't know, my mother didn't teach me."

Spoons drops and forks clattered to the floor. Kasy didn't even know when she had said that.

"Nkasiobi, I si gini?" her mother's voice rose and so did the woman.

"Kasy, why would you speak to your mother that way?" Kenneth looked visibly annoyed as well and that only made Kasy even more fed up.

"Why should she be complaining that I don't know these things when she's not there to teach me?" Kasy exploded, speaking rapidly. "Where has she been all this while? What makes her think she can abandon us and still dictate our own lives?"

"Nkasiobi!"

"It's Kasy!" she yelled, turning to glare at her mother across the table.

"Ara ana pu gi?" her mother had had enough. She stood up and matched towards Kasy. Kenneth and Kendrick stood up as well to stop her while Kasy sat there, breathing heavily in fury. "Get out of my way let me teach this stupid girl a lesson!" Mrs. Philomena yelled at Kendrick.

"Kasy, apologize to your mother, now!" Kenneth thundered, looking down at his daughter.

Kasy seemed hesitant. Everything she'd said was the truth and nothing but the truth. Why should she apologize?

However, she should have just kept her mouth shut and let the woman have her way. After all, she would be leaving the next day.

"I'm sorry," she said in a rush, not meaning any word.

"Sorry for yourself!" her mother yelled back, still trying to get to her. "I can see you lack respect for your own mother—"

Kasy didn't wait to hear the rest. She stood up and stormed out of the place with different voices yelling at her to get back. She couldn't stand it anymore, and besides, she had packing to do.