MTLNOVEL Chapter 338: Unwelcomed Visitors
Harriet was busy sweating it out in her medium-sized kitchen, preparing the most befitting meal for her husband when she was informed that she had visitors.
"Visitors!"
Harriet looked up from the pot of steaming stew she was stirring; a frown etched across her sweat-covered forehead.
"Who are these visitors?"
"It's cousin Gwen, Aunt Regina and Aunt Pearl," David replied excitedly, flaunting a shopping bag containing some goodies. "Cousin Gwen got this for us to celebrate Dad's return."
"Hmm...What could they possibly want now? Can't my family and I have some privacy, at least for one day." Harriet grumbled under her breath, ignoring the thrill in her son's eyes as he sampled the gifts.
She lowered the heat on her steaming pot of stew and the cooking rice before returning her attention to his son.
"Where is your elder sister?"
"She's in the sitting room with them."
"What about your father?" Harriet wiped her wet hands on the napkin as she made her way towards the door.
"He's still in his room sleeping. Do you want me to go and wake him..."
"No." Harriet almost shouted her response causing her son to flinch.
"Did I say something wrong, Mom?" David took a retreating step into the kitchen away from his mother.
"No honey." Harriet took in a deep breath to calm the storm brewing in her. She forced a smile and said softly. "Do not disturb your father. He needs to rest. I will wake him up when dinner is ready. In the meantime, stay here and make sure my food doesn't burn. I'll send your sister to relieve you. But keep those hands away from the fried chicken. I counted everything."
"I'll do my best, mom." David crossed his fingers behind his back while grinning at his mother.
Meanwhile, in the sitting room, Elsie, Harriet's eldest daughter, was keeping her cousin entertained with a recap of the dramatic event that took place at the mansion.
"You mean to tell me, Lilian, of all people, is now looking trimmed?" Gwen shifted her alarmed gaze to her mother and Aunt who had intentionally skipped that part of the story. "How did that happen?"
"The same way you added a few pounds." Regina rolled her eyes at Gwen, clicking her tongue.
"Don't be a snob, mom. It was just a harmless question." Gwen nudged her mother on the arm playfully.
"How long would it take for David to get your mother or your father?" Pearl asked, irritation rising in her tone.
"Dad is still sleeping and Mom..."
"I'm here." Harriet entered the living room, plastering a fake smile that didn't reach her curiously brimming eyes.
"I'm sorry I missed all your calls, Aunt Harriet." Gwen stood up to receive her aunt. "Please, pardon me."
"It's fine. I guess you were busy." Harriet embraced Gwen briefly before exchanging cordial greetings with the other two women.
"I wasn't expecting any of you today." Harriet motioned for them to take their seats.
"Yeah... sorry for the impromptu visit. I tried calling you on the phone but your line was switched off." Gwen said, sitting and crossing her legs.
"Oh, my battery died", Harriet lied. "I haven't had time to charge it's because I've been very busy."
"But Mom, Claudia has been using your..."
"Elsie, why don't you go to the kitchen and make sure your brother doesn't consume the entire food before it's ready?" Harriet harshly cut her lousy daughter off before the latter could expose her lies.
"Oh...Sure, Mom." Elsie hopped to her feet laughing feverishly as she exited the sitting room in a hurry, avoiding her mother's glare.
However, all three deceptive women already knew that Harriet was lying about her phone running out of battery.
An awkward silence lingered in the sitting room for a split second before Harriet asked in her usual cheerful voice.
"What can I offer you? Wine, snacks..."
"There is no need for that. We've had our fill before coming." Regina said, staring at the beautiful family portrait on the wall.
"Okay. So... how did your dinner date go with Mr Handsome, Gwen?" Harriet asked, second-guessing the purpose of their visit.
"It went well," Gwen replied blushing. "He picked me up on a chopper, took me out of city, treated me to a luxury dinner, and you can guess the rest..."
"Wow! Now I perfectly understand why you didn't want to take our calls." Harriet winked, laughing.
"Only a man can make my daughter forget me." Regina elbowed Gwen softly on the arm, giving her a nonverbal signal to stop fooling around and go straight to the point.
"On a more serious note, I heard what happened between Uncle Matt and Dad. Although I expected a fallout, I didn't know it would spiral out of control to the extent of getting Nana hospitalized."
"You needed to see the way Greg was punching the hell out of Matt. He even had his security guards beat him up." Harriet exaggerated. "It makes me wonder about the relevance of the family reunion.
"Obviously to humiliate us and ridicule his brothers before the entire family." Regina scoffed.
"That is so heartless, especially after everything you all have been through for the past six months." Harriet shook her head, hissing.
"Including taking the life of my innocent unborn child." Gwen spat out, her tone chilly and bitter.
"Amelia and her heartless father won't go unpunished for everything they've done to us." Harriet reaffirmed her resolution.
"I just hope Greg's foolishness hasn't cost us Nana's life." Pearl pointed out giving Gwen another nonverbal signal to go straight to the point.
"That's true. How is Nana? Is she getting any better?" Harriet asked, her voice brimming with anticipation and worry.
Even though Harriet detests the old woman, the fact that her husband cares so much for his mom makes her worry.
"That is what we were hoping to find out?" Gwen said, staring at Harriet quizzically.
"How do you mean?" Harriet raised a brow.
"We were hoping to get answers from you concerning Nana's health," Regina said impatiently.
"I have no idea."
"What about your husband?" Pearl spoke up. "I saw him talking to Greg shortly before Greg left the mansion premises."
Harriet was beginning to feel as though she was being interrogated in her own home.