104: Slums and maids.

GIOVANNI.

We were all seated round our large table looking at eachother’s faces like we had just been put through the most ridiculous bullshit ever.

Gaston, Imelda, Father and Mother were seated opposite me while Kiki and Grace- uh- mum, sat by my sides. Mother kept glaring at Grace while Grace just stared back at her, remaining relaxed.

Kiki on the other hand remained mute at everything happening and for her, that was new. But I guess she just knew that there was absolutely no reason for her to add more fuel to the fire already burning by speaking right now.

Father who had asked the guards not to lay a finger on Grace out of nowhere and had even invited her in remained mute too, all he did was stare at her with certain looks that I couldn’t quite decipher but knew that it was that of affection.

I have never seen him look at Mother in that way ever. Not in the years that I have lived with them, at least.

“Are you not going to say something already, Leonard?” Mother broke the uncomfortable and awkward silence. “Is her son now going to follow her to wherever he’ll she came from?” She added.

“Oh, it’s about time he does, dad. He should have been gotten rid of for years now, he’s a bastard and doesn’t deserve to be raised as a son, I’m happy that he gets to go live in the slums where he belongs now.” Gaston said, sounding like the dumb idiot that he was as usual.

“Why would dad let his son live in the slums, you idiot? He’s still his son!” Imelda defended me while I just smiled, refusing to even say something on such ridiculousness.

“No, he’s not. Who knows if the Mother he has actually slept with more men other than dad, huh? Isn’t she just a slut afterall?” Gaston said and before I knew it, my fist had immediately connected with his face.

Like the weakling that he actually his, he collapsed on the floor while Mother ran to get his son up, shouting and screaming frantically like I had just shot him or something.

“How dare you raise those bastard hands on my son, you ungrateful son of a bitch!” She screamed at me while I just remained unfazed and stared at her right in the face.

“I’ve always wanted to do that, Gaston, now, I would watch my mouth henceforth if I were you, any foul words from you and you would get your face punched! You don’t want to Stat getting punches like it’s a prescription!” I snapped at him as he was being helped back onto his seat, his nose was red and blood tripped from one nostril but his mom was quick to dress it for him in no time.

“Say something already, Leonard! These mad people do not deserve to spend any more second in our home! Son inclusive!” Mother screamed in Father’s face.

“Sit your stupid ass down, Laura! If you haven’t noticed yet, You’re the only one running around and screaming like a mad person. Shut the hell up for Pete’s sake!” Father finally said, shutting Mother up.

“Giovanni, you might be confused but I would like to let you know that whatever Grace had told you is the truth. She never abandoned you like you were allowed to think, we threw her out and honestly, I still regret that till this day. Giovanni, you deserved to know your mother and bask in her love and we deprived you of that, I’m sorry…” Father said and I listened as I just got infuriated.

I have never heard Father apologize to anyone for any reason at all but hearing him apologize to me didn’t calm my anger, it fueled it instead.

Sorry cannot undo the years that I missed my mom nor the trauma I was put through in this family. Sorry cannot do anything at all.

But before I could speak, I felt Kiki’s hand on mine on my laps under the table. I swallowed my anger as I remained seated instead.

The door opened as Fifi and her mom walked in, I rolled my eyes at her dramatic entrance as she immediately rushed to greet Father and Mother like such an hypocrite.

She was coming to greet me with one of those hugs if hers that I was absolutely not going to condone this time but then she stopped suddenly as she notice Grace and then Kiki.

“Kiki? What on earth are you doing here? How dare you bring your gold digging two left legs into this house, huh? And with her at that?...” I glared at her as she turned towards Mother as if confused about what was happening here and she needed to report it.

“Mom, what is your useless maid doing here too?” She said in such demeaning tone and I knew I had to stop her foul mouth already.

“I would watch my mouth if I were you, Fifi. Do not even dare to cross your boundary right now.” I warned sternly hoping that she’ll take it for her own sake.

“Huh? What are you talking about, Gigi baby? I’m seeing such strange faces in my fiancé’s home and you expect me not to ask questions? They are even poverty striken ones too? Oh hell no!" She said, adamant.

I banged my fist on the table just before speaking, “I am not your fiance, Fiorella! Get that information into your skull once and for all and the woman you’re talking in such demeaning tone about is my Biological mother!” I snapped at her as she looked at me in absolute shock and disbelief.

And she wasn’t the only shocked one, Grace was shocked too and so was Dad.

I repeated myself as I liked how it sounded, “you will talk with respect because that is my mom!”