G R E E D

P A R T S E V E N

P A R T S E V E N

The silence was deafening, was a turn of phrase I always found to be an oxymoron but as I sat at the small diner table of my childhood home, I felt it ringing true. The silence, minus the car horns, loud yelling and random music being played from the outside, was deafening. Kiki was angrily stabbing at her food and tearing ruthlessly into her bread like some savage animal while Devin was just pushing his food around and looking as sullen as could be.

The reason wasn't exactly lost on me. Both of them were upset with me, of course. The news of my impending marriage was as much of a disappointment to them as it was to me but nonetheless it had to be done. Neither of them would have understood that though. Kiki would have thrown a fit of even larger proportion if she knew I was marrying for money, especially with that money having the intention of going to her and Devin.

Devin just wouldn't have understood. He was a boy who lived with his own ideas of how the world was and he wouldn't understand my reasons. Money was not a concern of his, Kiki and I had always made it that way for him. And the idea of me marrying for anything other than love would have been not only beyond his understanding but beyond most people's.

I didn't live in their world and they didn't live in mine, something I envied and had resentment towards them for.

"I think I may leave on Wednesday instead of Thursday."

I saw Devin's head shoot up from the corner of my eye, "But that only gives us 3 days."

"I'm sorry, kiddo." I said with a small smile, "I just have some things to attend to back home."

"Like what?"

"Like--"

"Like marrying some man she probably barely knows for reasons we are not meant to know for her father who barely knows her."

I glared at Kiki but I had to hand it to her, she wasn't far off. Still, I didn't respond to her, I reached over and gently put my hand over Devin's, "You know I'll be back soon."

"In a three months maybe."

"I know it's hard--"

Devin stood up from his chair, "You don't know how hard anything is! You go to New York and forget about us for what? A designer handbag and some asshole who says your his kid's money? What about us Odie? We're your Family!

"Devin--"

"And now your getting married to probably an asshole just like your dad whose never going to let you see us and then what?"

I kept my eyes on the table as I answered, "It won't be that way. I wouldn't allow that."

"You can't promise me that!"

"Devin, I'm trying--"

"You're not trying to do anything! All you do is come for these pity trips and then go back to being some park avenue bitch so you can take from daddy's wallet!"

"Devin!"

Ignoring Kiki's cry, I slammed my hands on the dining table before getting to my feet. Devin was probably 8 inches taller than me so I tilted my head up to glare at him before pushing him back a few steps. He frowned at me but I did it again and then again until he was almost falling back on the nearest wall. His dark eyes were rimmed with tears but I wouldn't let it effect me. Not now.