1 Your Father Loves You

"Ashley's getting married and you still don't want to see her?"

"No, I don't. She brought shame unto this family, Caitlyn,"

"Shame? Don't be ridiculous, this is the 21st century!" Caitlyn said and held up her hands to show her disbelief.

"That's what you people say every time, how does the 21st century make it right for people to become pregnant before marriage?"

"Richard, that's enough. She's your sister and she needs you to walk her down the aisle. What will people think? Your father is not alive to do that and you are the son he begets!" Caitlyn insisted and Richard scoffed.

"Half-sister," He corrected.

"I don't care! You have to do what you have to do. She made a mistake which anyone could have made and now that she has finally found love, you should be happy for her," Caitlyn said and sighed.

" What sought of man is her so-called husband-to-be to take in a woman with another man's child?" He asked.

"That's the power of love, Richard. You have no right to question them. Just be happy for them and give them your blessings," She said pleadingly.

"This is insane, she should at least give birth before the wedding. I have never seen anything like this," Richard said.

"How old is your sister? You are telling me that a 28 years old woman is not old enough to make decisions on her own?" Caitlyn asked.

"She is 28 and still foolish. When did she meet this new man and she already wants to marry him?" Richard asked.

"This new man gave her everything that her ex-boyfriend, who is the father of her unborn child couldn't give her. So what's the point?"

"Can you allow your child to do the same?" Richard asked and studied his wife. She had her back to him as she was busy with her hands.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean,"

"If you're asking what I would do if my daughter gets impregnated, that would be left unsaid. At least she's not pregnant and I've had many discussions with her on this subject," Caitlyn responded as her back became tensed.

"Caitlyn, let's not pretend you wouldn't be devastated if she gets pregnant before even going to college," Richard said.

"This isn't about our daughter, your sister isn't in college. For goodness sake, she has a job and can fend for herself. Let her be and do not chase away the chance of her marrying someone who loves her. Someone who doesn't mind that she is pregnant for another man. That's rare to come by. Would you have been happy if you were forced to marry someone you didn't love?" Caitlyn asked.

"Turning my own words on me, clever Caitlyn," Richard said and she chuckled.

"It's just a sincere question though. Would you have been happy?" she asked again.

"I guess not. I am only trying to protect her," Richard replied slowly.

"Just leave them, they will be fine,"

"Alright then,"

"Is that a yes to walking her down the aisle?"

"I didn't say that," He responded and she laughed. She knew that he had conceded to do that. They remained silent while she continued working.

"Are you going to be around for dinner?" she finally broke the silence.

"No, I've got work,"

"You always have work to do. You aren't the only working-class husband! For goodness sake, I have a job too and it appears like I'm the only one taking care of our kids. This is unfair, Richard,"

"Caitlyn, I'm doing all these to give the kids and us a good life," Richard said and sighed. He stopped adjusting his tie and walked toward his wife. He wrapped his hands around her and kissed her neck softly.

"What is the job this time around?" Caitlyn asked and turned to look at him. She cleaned her hands with the hand towel that was on the kitchen slab.

"Just some job you can't understand," He said and she interrupted abruptly.

"Don't even say that, I don't want to hear it anymore. What is it exactly that I don't understand? You've been..."She said in a low angry tone before she saw an image lurking behind the door.

"Simeon?" She called out and the image stepped inside the kitchen.

"No, it's me, Henry,"

"You're eavesdropping? That is unacceptable!" Caitlyn chided her son.

"I came to check if the food was ready," He said and walked towards a basket full of apples. He picked one and threw it up, caught it with his mouth, and took a big bite. He chewed while his parents were watching him.

"Mummy, is the food ready?" He asked in a high-pitched voice and they all burst out laughing.

"Stop mimicking your brother, that's wrong!" Caitlyn said and resumed chopping the vegetables.

"I've got basketball practice tomorrow morning. I need to eat early so I can sleep early," Henry said and grumbled.

"Then assist me so the food can be done quickly," Caitlyn replied. She switched on the electric cooker and poured the washed rice into the pot.

"Why can't you use the rice cooker, this is a time-waster!" Henry protested and ran his hand over his hair.

"I'm in charge today, I prefer to cook it using an ordinary pot. If you want to cook rice in a rice cooker, you get up from your video games early enough to cook it," Caitlyn said softly while her son was staring at the pot with distaste.

"Cut the remaining vegetables while I talk to your father outside," Caitlyn said and began to walk out of the door.

"Dad, are you working tonight again? Why don't you just stay with your wife tonight? Are you seeing the sexier woman?" Henry asked and picked up the knife. He did some stunts he had probably watched in movies.

"Which sexier woman? What's he talking about?" Caitlyn asked and stopped dead in her tracks.

"I_I don't know what he's talking about," Richard replied.

"Is this some kind of joke, dad? Most married men cheat on their wives. I remember my coach saying that a couple of weeks ago," Henry began to explain before Richard screamed at him.

"Shut up Henry! Shut up! You know nothing! If only you could use your retentive memory in your studies, I bet I would have been proud of you!" He said and stormed out of the kitchen. Caitlyn gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. She was torn between running to meet her enraged husband or comforting her shocked son. She finally chose the latter.

"You have to know that he didn't mean that, your father has always been proud of you and he loves you. He has never said these words to any of you," Caitlyn said and cautiously moved toward her son. She took the knife he was still holding and dropped it on the kitchen slab. She hugged him and he dug his face into her neck while crying silently. She patted him softly on the back till he ceased crying.

"What's gotten over him?" He finally asked and wiped his tears with his hands.

"It must be work, I think he has been stressed. Promise me you won't hold grudges against him?" Caitlyn asked and looked at her young son's face. He looked away for a while and bit his lips.

"Pressure and stress just pushed out the words of his heart. That's how he had always felt about me," He said and turned to look at his mother with fresh tears running down his cheeks. She held his face and shook her head vehemently in desperation.

"That's not true….. that's not true," She said and sought his eyes for signs of resignation from believing that his father thought lowly of him.

"I would love to be left alone. Goodnight mum," He said and walked out of the kitchen. Caitlyn held a kitchen stool and sat on it.

"Let me help with the cooking,"

Caitlyn turned to see her daughter, Sheila. She smiled and nodded.

"I thought you were going for a sleepover at Jordyn's house," Caitlyn said.

"Well, that was my plan till y'all ruined it for me. I heard the noise and came to check what was going on. Don't worry about Henry, he's a 13 years old boy that would forgive anyone once they apologize properly. Who you should worry about is your husband," She said and began to finish chopping the vegetables.

"I should probably go outside to talk to him," Caitlyn said and stood.

"He's gone. I saw him leaving in his car," Sheila said.

"Okay," She responded and they began to cook in silence, with many unspoken words between them.