CONFLICTED

Chapter 29| Jerk

Chapter 29: Jerk

Tracy

Dinner is all about eating and talking. Today, it was about eating, talking, staring, glaring, laughing, choking and being kicked under the table.

Christopher however, was quiet the whole time and I wondered why. Perhaps because of me. The only time he spoke was when he asked my mom how she met Aunty Lydia.

My mom had smiled in return and explained how they were university friends despite their age differences but got separated when Aunty Lydia travelled abroad for a modeling gig and they lost contact.

Kelvin was all about chipping in his comments into what the two women had to say and involving me in their conversations at times.

Mr Thompson was quiet too, just like his son and only smiled at his wife occasionally.

The old woman was just an old woman. She interrupted the women's gists with motherly advice or chastised the person in their gist for a bad behavior. She simply looked happy being a part of the family.

I on the other hand, wished Kelvin would stop nudging my leg under the table while flashing me his Mr Cool smile and interrupting the women by asking me idiotic questions. Couldn't he see I wasn't in the mood for petty talks?

Dinner ended thirty minutes later and I was thrilled to leave the table that intruded my privacy.

My eyes kept following Christopher wherever he went as if they wanted to uncover some mystical mystery about him. Or perhaps, they just couldn't look away from his drugging beauty. Adequate height, broad shoulders, intimidating biceps, his silky skin, his confident strides...

Features that any girl would die for. Unfortunately, his attitude disgusted me to even think of being infatuated.

He left the dinning room and settled in the living room with a magazine he found on the table. I finally tore my eyes away from him and went to the kitchen with the housekeeper while persistently insisting that I wash the dishes.

"You really don't have to, my child." she tried again.

"It's not right ma. The kids do the chores for the adults and not the other way round. I know you're just trying to do your job but it doesn't mean I should forget my manners."

She smiled weakly and patted my shoulder.

"Fine. If you insist. I'll retire to bed early then. Thank you dear."

I watched her make her way out of the huge kitchen which was about the size of our living room back home and turned to the sink.

The woman amused me by a lot. Her fluent English caught me by surprise the first time I heard it and I still haven't gotten it out of my system. But thinking about it now, I guess Mr Thompson wanted a housekeeper that could carry out the duties in the house and also speak good English, and he found those qualities in the woman to hire her.

No matter the modernized name they give it, I didn't think I want my own grandmother working as a maid in some rich home. Never!

After rinsing the plates I washed and placed them in a basket to dry, I was done in no time. Getting back to the living room, I found Kelvin sprawled on the couch watching a movie, my mom and her friend laughing in the other sitting room and the other two zombies nowhere to be found.

I dried my hands on my jean trousers and strolled over to where Kelvin was seated. He smiled once he sighted me.

"What's with the smiles? It's starting to get creepy." I said and sat on the couch with one leg bent under my butt.