Ilona starts laughing giddily. "Oh yes! Perhaps we are!"
"What's happening in here ?!"
The intrusion of an infuriated demand has the three of us looking towards the opened double door exit of the kitchen.
Rachael appears as livid as possible while she strides over towards me.
I scramble to my feet, but she offers her hand out to me anyway. She tugs me behind her safely and glowers at her diabolical brother and his girlfriend.
"Didn't I warn you not to harm my guest!" She bellows.
Ilona rolls her eyes absentmindedly as she loops her arm around Vladimir's.
"Nothing has blinded you.." Vladimir begins sternly. "For you certainly see this.." He gestures out his bitten and bloodied thumb for her to inspect. "And yet have the audacity to accuse me of harming that Muslim rat."
Noticing his wound, Rachael grimaces openly. She turns towards me, her gaze falters in puzzlement.
"H-he started it first!" I insist, emphatically. "He w-wants to k-kill me!!"
Rachael's face contorts with anger. She returns her attention on him.
He aims her a monotonous look while his girlfriend wraps a paper towel around his thumb. Ilona then presses his hand against her huge breasts, while peering at him with affection.
"Vladimir, what did you do to Sanam!?" Rachael's voice laced with miffed disappointment.
"Go ahead.." He accuses in mild aridness. "Take the vermin's word over your brothers, your own flesh and blood."
"Don't twist this around!" Rachael scoffs, placing her hands on her hips.
"You've proven not to be any different to Rebecca." He continues, eyes levelled calmly with hers. "Backstabber, traitor.. just as she was."
Immediately Rachael turns scarlet in renewed amount of fury as she wags her finger at him. "Don't you dare compare me to her! Don't you fūcking dare!"
He only ignores her warning and serenely continues. "Just as her, you're disgracing mother and father's memory. You're disgracing the past generations of Nielsens and Molotov's. Another blight upon our ancestors legacies. You've disgraced th-"
The next words cease from his mouth as a severely loud smack echoes throughout the kitchen.
A gasp of shock issues from Ilona while I openly cringe.
Rachael's forceful slap leaves a slight outline of a reddening hand print across his pale cheek.
They both remain glaring at eachother. The atmosphere cloaked heavily with the undertones of a secretive family feud, of which I knew nothing about.
"You will say no more of the sort ever again.." Rachael utters in a tremulous voice. "I'm nothing like her! You hear me!"
His eyes follow a glimmering tear drop trickling down her cheek. Brows creasing in an inkling of concern, he extends his arm out, reaching for her.
She merely flinches away and pauses near me.
"Let's go Sanam, we will have breakfast in the city before the litigation." She exclaims, while guiding me towards the kitchen exit.
"Oh and one more thing." She pivots to sternly addresses her brother. "In three months time, Sanam will depart from here so no need to plan her demise anymore."
◆◆◆
"Oh my Allah, I can't believe I've done this!" I weep dryly. A sudden regret fills me over the decision I took four hours ago.
Having completed filing a court petition against my father and Naheed. They would soon be mailed a court order for an appearance next week. And then I'd arrive face to face with them in court.
Could I endure that??
"Shhh" Rachael pats me on my back reassuringly. "You're a brave young woman."
The jeep ride jostles us a bit as Duffield steers the vehicle in through the opened gates of the Nielsen manor and estate.
"No.." I shake my head in denial. "I'm not brave..I love my father and yet..yet I'm going against him."
Rachael suppresses a groan of frustration as she palms my cheek. "In due time, he will comprehend, believe me he will."
"No!" I interject, shaking my head again. "You don't get it! He's not at fault except for my stepmother!"
"I've never said he was at fault." Rachael frowns.
"Then why is he included in the petition? Why?" I query in concern. "I want to take it back! I want his name crossed out!"
"That's not possible, listen to me Sanam.." Rachael clamps her hands on my shoulders and causes me to face her. "You can't keep blaming yourself for your father's constant mistakes of blindly following his second wife."
"But it's not his fault that she's so cunning!" I issue a protest. "Even my paternal grandmother falls for Naheed's tricks!"
"Let me finish explaining to you, Sanam." Rachael states in an austere tone. "Your father would have been just as upset even if you excluded him from the case because he reveres your stepmother too much. That aside, excluding your father would have been a grave mistake and a danger to your brothers life. He would have visited your brother and could possibly take him on trips where your brother could be ambushed by those horrid gangster friends of your husband. The possibilities and danger is endless, you can't afford to take any risks. This a life and death situation."
I slump forward and heave a resigned sigh.
She's right...baba wouldn't even know the traps Naheed, Mrs.Mirza and Imran would set for Bilal while using him as a game piece.
But yet a jab of pain nags at my heart for going against baba. Perhaps it was very culturally ingrained, that we should revere our parents no matter how much they mistreat us. Or perhaps I possessed my mother's traits of overlooking the wrong in baba and even most of the times in others.
"Don't fret too much over this, the next court date will hopefully be the last one before you're granted a six month restraining order and full custody of Bilal." She explicates softly.
"Aside from that, three more months and you'll turn nineteen! A new life phase will begin for you and your brother. Once you're out of danger's reach, you could make amends with your father!"
The jeep door on my right is pulled open by Duffield. I gladly step out, stretching my legs from sitting two hours in the vehicle.
Outside, the humidity of the day cloggs the air strongly with the scent of the tropical flora.
The sound of water splashing and children's animated giggles, reaches our ears. Rachael and I make our way from behind the jeep.
We spot Bev and Katie along with the children, swimming in the aquamarine pool that snaked around the front of the manor.
The kids were floating about with their safety tube trainers secured at their waists.
A few paces ahead, reclining on a poolside chair is Ilona.
She's clad in the most scanty string bikini I have ever seen. Strings attached to scraps of purple fabric covering only her nipples and a small V shaped fabric concealing her crotch.
Upon seeing us before everyone else does, she makes a sordid face. Setting aside her glass of umbrella drink, she slides down her sunglasses on her nose bridge.
Then she shifts to her stomach, her huge breasts nearly spilling out of her bikini top. She wiggles her derrière, it practically looks as if she's laying there butt-naked.
"Rachael! Sanam!" Bev hollers as soon as her and Katie spot us.
"Princesssss jassssssmiiiiiine!!!" Arielle shrieks excitedly. "Come swim with usssssssss!!!"
"Hi!" I wave at the cute red haired child and blow a kiss at Charlie floating next to her.
We arrive to a halt infront of them. Both Katie and Bev exit out of the pool. The water cascades down their model like bikini clad bodies.
"Have a swim with us, the both of you!" Katie offers with a wide smile. "It's so hot out today!"
"Yeah!" Bev chimes in. "Might as well make the pool useful and the day enjoyable!"
"No swimming for me right now, my dears." Rachael declines, shaking her head. "I've got loads of work swamping my desk currently."
Then she directs her attention on me. "Sanam, have a swim and relax . I'll be in my private study, should you need anything."
"
Thanks" I offer my gratitude. She strides off towards the entrance of the manor.
"Come on girl!" Bev snaps her bejewelled fingers excitedly at me.
"Hurry up and get that nice and slim bod into a bikini."
"Errr I don't wear bikinis" I state flatly. "Not allowed to."
Their smiles dampen slightly and in puzzlement Bev remarks. "But you can still cover your hair!"
An image arrives to my mind of me in a bikini like theirs and a hijab still secured around my head.
I end up chuckling at the ridiculous thought. "Oh no, I'm supposed to cover my entire body except for my hands, feet, and face."
"Ohh" They both say in unison.
Katie raises a brow. " Then what is your swimming garb?"
"I don't swim..I've never swam before.."
"Whaaaaat?!" The both of them question in unison.
"Girl!" Bev begins, placing her hands on her round hips. "You're missing out on so much fun!"
"Indeed!" Katie nods emphatically. "We must teach you!"
She grabs ahold of my elbow and assures. "But don't worry, the premises contain a natatorium, so you could swim in privacy!"
"Ummm" I look to their attentive faces with uncertainty. "Alright thanks..maybe another time."
"You're welcome anytime, really!" Katie expresses in elation as she guides me to a pool seat.
"Stick around for the barbecue! Serge snuck in some halal meat for you this morning!" Bev lowers her voice audible enough for me.
"We'll have a barbecue right about now if the boys aren't too busy!" Katie adds with a wink.
"Speaking of the boys.." Bev nudges Katie to look in the direction of the manor entrance.
Grigori, immersed in a conversation on his iPhone, steps out fully. Serge trails along behind him, with his own phone clutched in his hand. Both of them garbed in business suits and sunglasses concealed their eyes.
I wondered where the demon was ?
The men haven't glanced over yet, so Bev calls out to them. "Grig!!!!Serge!!!!!"
They immediately turn their attention towards us. Grigori holds an index finger up, gesturing her to wait as he continues speaking on the phone. She frowns openly.
Serge arrives to a standstill, and reaches up to slide his sunglasses off. His gaze directed on to Katie, as he pockets his sunglasses and strolls over.
A smile tugs at his lips while his eyes rake over her figure appreciatively. "You ladies enjoying a swim without me already huh."
Katie rolls her eyes while crossing her arms. "I'm still not talking to you!"
"How many apologies would it take for a friend to forgive another friend?" He queries, his smile faltering. "What can I do to get you to quit ignoring me? Atleast offer me a hint."
She continues pouting as she defiantly raises her chin at him. Bev inches forward and whispers something in her ears. The two of them suppress their giggles. He raises his brows at them questioningly.
"So no barbecue today ?" Bev asks instead.
"I'm afraid not." He declines with a shake of his head. "Something came up, certain fools need to be straightened out for crossing the Molotov empire twice."
"Ughhh I wanna go!" Bev pouts with a stomp. "You guys are always doing fun shįt!"
"Not always." He chuckles. "Aaand believe me it's not fun when Vladimir is involved."
"Then I definitely need to witness the action!" Bev smirks.
"Hey babe, what did you need ?" Grigori asks as he saunters within our vicinity. He pockets his phone and shoots me a rigid look before directing his attention back on his girlfriend.
"A kiss!" She exclaims as she winks deviously at Katie.
Grigori and Bev lean into eachother with their usual liplock. I avert my gaze but not before I see her reach into his pocket and quickly draw out his phone.
"What you doing?" He questions, breaking the kiss.
"Hey! My phone !" Serge nearly shouts in bemusement as I witness Katie snatching his out of his hands.
Then without warning, the girls shove at the men forcefully. Instantly they lose their balances and fall backwards into the pool.
"What the fūck, Bev!!?" Sputters Grigori a few seconds later, as him and Serge resurface from the depth of the water.
"Oh is this what it is huh! Revenge!" Serge halfheartedly chortles. "I guess I'm forgiven?"
"Nope!" Katie sticks her tongue out at him.
"You have to play with us a game of chicken fights first!" Bev chimes in.
"Fūck no!" Grigori scowls.
"Well then you won't get your phones back!" Bev reminds in a sing song voice.
"I can easily overpower you." Grigori growls while swimming to the edge of the pool and readying himself to exit. "I'll punish you for this later!"
Right then Bev takes the phones and dangles them above the waters surface.
"Don't you fūcking dare, Bev!" Grigori narrows his eyes.
"Arielle come here quick, sweety." Katie calls her niece. The little girl pauses playing with toys along her little bother and swims over.
Katie takes the phones from Bev and hands them to Arielle. "Be a good girl for auntie and hold these on your floating rubber chair. And if any of these uncles swim to get them from you, just dump them in the water. Okay?"
"Okay aunt Katie!" Arielle grins as she takes the phones and swims across to rest them on her floating chair.
"Come on, man!" Serge starts laughing openly while Grigori shoots Bev a glare. "Let's give these pretty girls what they want, one round of chicken fight shouldn't take up much time. "
"That's right! You're already in the water!" Bev nods.
"Fine.." Grigori glowers. "One round and you better win."
"And if I don't ?" She asks as both her and Katie splash into the water.
"Then I'm punishing you later." He warns.
"What if I do win?" She purrs sassily, swimming towards him.
"Punishment either way, you've been getting out of hand lately." He states casually while submerging himself under water.
Serge does the same and the girls drape their bare legs over the men's shoulders. The back of their heads nestled between the young women's legs as they resurfaced half way out. With vice like grips their hands secure around the girls bare thighs.
I can't help but stare in surprise, what kind of a game were they about to play? Seemed way too inappropriate for my eyes.
The girls squeal and giggle as they lace their fingers in each others hands, and try shoving forcefully at one another.
The men continue holding the young women's legs around their heads determinedly, trying not to fall back themselves.
The girls concealed crotches rubbing inadvertently against the back of their heads seemed so bizarre for me to continue watching. Embarrassedly, I divert my attention towards the two children playing some feet away.
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