Consumed by Silence

Chapter 4

The car was filled with silence. Anthony was clutching the steering wheel, Adams father kept rubbing his hands over his face. Adam looked down at his own hands, which were now bloodied and bruised. They were returning to the Blackwell family home after a deal went south. After dropping Rian off and having a lecture on how to treat a woman, they had made their way to a farm in the country to meet a supplier when things got...tense.

Pulling up to the driveway, Anthony chose this moment to clear his throat, grabbing the attention of both Adam and his father.

"Before we go inside there are a few house rules I would like to go over on my wife's behalf"

Greeted with silence Anthony took this as a sign to continue.

"My wife won't tolerate any business talk around the dinner table and she will make it clear. As Rita and Rian would have cooked, it's our job just to wash and dry, nothing too major just respect the house and the person who runs the house and we should have a lovely meal" he finished with a drum of his fingers on the wheel.

Pulling up and parking, Adam wondered if or when they were going to tell Rian about their engagement. Would sh-

"Oh and Adam? Make sure to apologise to my daughter. You aren't married yet and I don't appreciate you upsetting her" with a pointed look from Tony and a curt nod from Adam they excited the car and walked towards the house.

He agreed. He needed to apologise to his behaviour. He had acted like a teenage boy throwing a tantrum. Whether he liked it or not he was getting married and therefore it would become his duty to support and protect his wife. He had to behave like the man he was raised to be.

Straightening his shirt and running a hand through his his hair, he waited for Tony and his father to reach the door not realising he had walked ahead. Entering the house he was met with an amazing smell and the sound of giggles. Following Tony's lead by taking off his blazer and rolling up his sleeves he followed the two older men into the kitchen.

The first thing catching his eye was in fact Rian. Gone were her fitted shirt and hugging pencil skirt, in its place were a fitted pair of leggings defining her legs and a baggy off the shoulder jumper exposing a bra strap that filled his imagination more than he had liked in this moment.

She was hunched over a salad bowl when she threw a small tomato at her mother, who in return spun and hit her with a tea towel. He allowed a smile to take over his features at their behaviour, maybe just maybe their marriage wouldn't be too bad.

"Good evening my beautiful ladies" Tony beamed walking to his daughter and kissing her cheek. He turned towards Rita and made his way over but she simply turned away.

Tony frowned but began grabbing plates to set the table. By Rita's behaviour it was obvious she had been told of the arrangement.

"Hello Rita smells lovely" John spoke out seeing the tension between the married couple

"Thank you" came her clipped reply.

Adam noticed the frown that over took Rians face at her mother's behaviour. Gone were the silly giggles and laughable behaviour, but instead a thick tension was welcomed in the silence.

"Rian May I speak to you a moment"

She looked over to him from her space by the counter where she was still hunched over by the salad bowel. She walked over to him, not breaking eye contact. Her eyes were so intense they pinned him to his place by the door. When she reached him he gestured for her to lead the way and walked like a lost puppy behind her. Coming to what he assumed to be the back door, he stepped in front of her and held the door open for her to step through.

"What is it you want to say" she asked

She was sat on a two seater garden couch with her legs tucked under her body, the sun bouncing off of her face as she ran a hand through her hair. Clearing his throat he sat next to her and twisted his body to face her.

" I wanted to apologise for the way I treated you and how I spoke to you this morning. It was unnecessary and uncalled for. I- uh I didn't know that you- well that you couldn't hear" as the words came out his mouth shame slowly began to set in.

"I appreciate it. It's not the first time that I have been judged nor is it the first time someone has noticed or made fun of my hearing" her face was sullen.

"No no I wasn't making fun I - I admit to miss judging but I wasn't- I didn't" he found it hard to get the words out.

Her face stayed straight. Her eyes locked on his. He searched every point of her face trying to read her thoughts. When suddenly a soft smile danced across her lips.

"It's okay Adam I know you weren't, you didn't know. You aren't the first to judge and you certainly won't be the last" she reached over and squeezed his hand.

In that moment all he could think about was how soft her hands were and how her thumb lightly stroked his skin.

"I am sorry Rian" and with that he clasped her hand

"It's already forgotten" letting go of his hand she stood and gestures for her to follow him inside.

He could do this. Being married To her won't be so bad. He thought