CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN.
“You see what you caused, right?” Shannelle scolded at the top of her voice the moment Adele and Jamal walked into the living room. They just got back from work and weren’t expecting to be scolded by Shannelle.
Jamal, who was shocked at his sister’s behaviour, looked at her fiercely, wondering if she had lost her mind.
“Is something wrong with you, Shannelle?” He demanded in a calm but deadly tone and his sister walked closer to him.
“Mum and dad moved out the moment you two left for work. They didn’t listen to me no matter how much I begged them. It is your fault that they had to go away Adele.” She scolded yeah again, pointing furiously at Adele and Jamal stood between them.
“Withdraw that finger of yours this instant!” He ordered with a domineering tone and Shannelle quickly did as told. “Have you gone mad? Raising your voice at me and pouring accusations on my wife, have you lost it?” He wasn’t scolding. His voice was low, but one could tell that he was enraged.
“What do you want me to do Jamal, our parents left because…”
“It was their choice to leave I didn’t shove them out the house.” He angrily cut her off. “And if you’re going to stay here and whine and raise your voice at me, you might as well follow them. I don’t have time to entertain your nonsense shenanigans. Your parents spoiled you, I’m not not going to pay the price so you go live with them!” He scolded badly and immediately, his phone rang in his pocket.
He took it out and when he saw his father’s name on the caller ID, he answered the call.
“Father.” He called with a subtle voice.
“Jamal, since you have decided to choose your wife over your family, your mother and I have left the house for the two of you.”
“I knew you’d take this decision, father. Thank you for making my work easy and yes, I will choose Adele over all of you because she is the family I want to be with. Have a nice life.” He said and ended the call.
“You don’t mean this Jamal! You are not choosing a woman over our parents, Are you?”
“Address my wife inappropriately one last time and I will make you leave this country and never return. Let’s go, love.” He told Adele and they both left the living room.
“This can’t be happening. No, I’m dreaming… this cannot….”
“No, you are not dreaming.” Said grandma as she descended the staircase.
“Grandma, can you see what is going on? Jamal’s wife is tearing our family apart!”
“Jamal’s wife is not tearing your family apart. Your parents are just being very dramatic right now. Go over to the sitting area and have a seat, there’s something I want to discuss with you.” She ordered.
“Hmmm?”
“Hmmm hmmm.” Grandma mimicked her mockingly and she quickly did as instructed. When they both seated, Grandma cleared her throat and looked up at her. “Shannelle.” Grandma called calmly.
“Yes, grandma.”
“I would love for you to give me one solid reason why you hate Adele so much.” Grandma Devon demanded and Shannelle went mute.
Jamal had asked her the same question one year ago and she had no response and that was still the case. She stayed quiet, giving grandma a confused look because she had no reason for hating Adele.
“Your silence means you have no reason. ” Grandma concluded and she still did not utter a word. “Shannelle.” Grandma called as she chuckled and shook her head. “My dear granddaughter, you hope to get married someday, don’t you?” She asked looking at Shannelle who had no idea what she was up to.
“Yes, Grandma.” She agreed.
“And you hope to get married into a good family and to a good man, who would treat you like a queen, don’t you?”
“I do, grandma.”
“So, imagine being married into a family where no one likes you. Your father-in-law snobs your entire existence, your mother-in-law hates you to the point where she is willing to go extra miles to sabotage your marriage, your sister-in-law is nothing but a thorn in your flesh and she has a friend who is trying to take your husband away from you. Imagine that you get married to a man who doesn’t give you his time, who doesn’t show you any love or affection. Imagine you loving your husband so bad, but he cannot reciprocate that love because his family is holding him back. Imagine marrying a man who would make you lose your first pregnancy. Imagine that after losing that pregnancy, your mother-in-law mocks you, while your sister-in-law tells you to your face that she had been waiting for that to happen. Imagine being into such a family, how would you feel?” Grandma asked, giving Shannelle a very critical look and the young girl had nothing to say.
Her head was bowed and she played her fingers guiltily because she had understood that her grandmother had just described how badly her and her parents treated Adele.
It was a horrible thing to hear from someone else’s mouth and she would not want to ever experience such a thing.
“I would never want to have such an experience.” She replied almost inaudibly and Grandma Devon let out a deep sigh and rose to her feet.
“Look at me.” She instructed and Shannelle obeyed.
“I want you to go into your bedroom and reflect on everything I just said. I want to think about all the horrible things you and your mother have said to Adele. I want to ponder upon those things and decide if you will change or not. Remember, there’s something called Karma. It could be a very bad bitch sometimes, so be prepared for it because it’s going to catch up with you sooner or later if you don’t change your ways. If you like, keep following your mother’s footsteps, it will lead you to your end.”
Shannelle burst into tears the moment her grandmother finished saying those words. She couldn’t hold it in anymore. The guilt she was feeling in her heart was too much.
“Change Shannelle, change and maybe, Karma will have mercy on you and make your punishment less excruciating.” Grandma told her and left the living room.
Shannelle sat on the couch and bawled her eyes out.
Words have never hurt her as much as they did at that moment.
She just realised the fact that she had been a horrible person.