The Deceit

CHAPTER 3. BACK FROM AMERICA

Jay's P.O.V.

I know Cupcake is pretending to be enthusiastic because she wants to hide from me how sad she really is. Eyes don’t lie though, that’s why she keeps avoiding to look at me. I know she’s hurting as much as I am. and she's also worried about our sleeping patterns. She doesn’t sleep when I’m not around, she always waits for me to get home, doesn't matter what time I get home, she waits, we cuddle until she falls asleep in my arms. That is why I always come home, it doesn’t matter how late my meetings end, I  make it a point that I go back home because I know my little kitten will not fall asleep if she's not in my arms. Quite frankly I’ve gotten used to sleeping with her in my arms too. I don’t know how I’m going to manage sleeping without her little hands on my body.

My cupcake wont sleep tonight I know, tomorrow she may survive the day and attend her lessons,  but if she doesn’t sleep again, on Tuesday, she’ll miss all her lessons with her eyes saggy and red. I should fly out tomorrow morning so I can arrive on around 22:00pm and hold my kitten in my arms to sleep. She’s going to need that rest. I hate that she's not going to be able to sleep tonight and there's nothing I can do about it.

*****

A black Mercedes Benz parks in the airport parkin lot. Shaun, his wife Beauty and their 4 years old daughter Enhle walks out of the car. Today their beautiful 20 years old daughter is coming home. She has been living with her aunt in New York since 2013, for the last five years she has not set foot in South Africa. Little Enhle can’t wait to finally meet her older sister. Their parents always tells her stories about her older sister Kim, how beautiful and kind she is, and how much she loves food. She randomly talks to her on the phone when mom and dad call to check up on her.

The family of three arrives in the airport few minutes before the plane lands. The wait is only for a few minutes before they see her walk in, beautiful as ever. She is light skinned with a slim body and a flat tummy. Long legs without a pinch of stretch mark. Perfect body for a model. She is wearing a jean bum short, with a white crop top and  Gucci sneakers. She has a 16 inch long peruvian weave, with a cow boy hat on.

Her parents cannot hide how happy they are to see her, they all have a nice family group hug and her mother kisses her, before tears start rolling out her eyes,  tears of happiness. Shaun hugs his wife to stop her from crying. He hates seeing her cry. Regardless of whether she is happy or sad, he doesn't  want to see her tears.

Kim holds her little sister and swings her in the air, she was looking forward to meeting this little one. “hello sunshine, my name is Kim. And I am your …”

“Hi sister Kim, I have been looking forward to meeting you.  Mom has told me a lot about you" she says happily after cutting her off before she finished her statement.

“Well I hope she also told you that I am a foodie, because right now I am very hungry" she says with a smile on her face.

“I know you too well, Martha is preparing a feast at home.” Shaun comments

“Well what are we waiting for? Come on let’s get going family" Kim mutters walking away happily.

The ride home is so interesting.  Kim is telling them all about her stay in America, the beautiful places she visited, the celebrities she met, everyone is happy.

Within an hour they are  home.  Her dad takes most of her bags and she takes the last one.

“Woooow mom! you never told me that the house was renovated, look how beautiful it is, when did you become so stylish?” she asks happily

“I'd like to take all the credit but Martha helped a lot, she and those magazines she’s so obsessed with proved to be very useful.”

“Nice" she says slightly losing the smile on her face as she watches Martha make her way down the stairs.

“Miss Kim, hello, welcome home" Martha says forcing a fake smile

“Martha there’s no need to address Kim as Miss, this is not stone age where helpers were oppressed, she’s younger than you, besides you are practically family. You raised her" Beauty adds making her way to the kitchen

Kim rolls her eyes at her. And looked at Martha coldly

“I'm not your family! Take my stuff upstairs” she orders, almost whispering, throwing down the bag  for Martha to pick up. 

Martha obediently takes the bag and makes her way up the stairs, where she is stopped by Shaun coming from Kim’s room upstairs.

 “Martha how many times must I remind you that you are not a man? Why would you carry such a heavy bag up the stairs? Put it down!” he orders

“It’s not that heavy sir, I can manage" Martha responds trying to sound unbothered.  when in reality the turmoil in her heart  is unbearable.  She's struggling to  believe that even America could not change this ill-mannered monster child. She had already made  promise to herself that if Kim comes back with her same old  evil, disgusting, and manipulative attitude,  she would resign. Now that  that Kim has arrived, and she has seen that she has not changed at all for the better, but instead she’s worse,  she has no choice but not to resign. Sad as it may be, she has been working for this family for over fifteen years, she endured Kim's evil tantrums for three years before Kim moved to New York. She never told anyone about Kim's ill behaviour, but she's not having it anymore.   

“Just put it down woman!” he orders, his voice low, shaking his head. This woman was very stubborn. He continuously had to remind her to take it easy, she always acts like ‘Batista' carrying around heavy things as if she’s tough. Why can’t she understand that she isn’t young anymore and take good care of her body?

Shaun takes the bag and walks towards Kim's room.

Soon Beauty’s voice echoed from the kitchen.  “come on guys make your way to the dining table, I’m hungry now”

Everyone sits on the table, except for Martha who's out to fetch Champagne from the kitchen on Kim's orders.

“Mommy you can’t eat before everyone is on the table. We have to say grace, we'll pray as soon as aunty Martha comes back.” Little Enhle says blinking her beautiful big brown eyes with an innocent smile on her face

“Of course sweetheart,  mommy will definitely not eat before aunty Martha comes back and we say grace” Beauty responds with a smile, forcing back laughter trying to hide her embarrassment for trying to eat before praying.

Little Enhle  saw all the nasty things her sister did to Martha. She doesn’t understand why her sister is so mean to her aunty Martha. As far as she knows, Martha is the most kindest person ever. She always cooks her favourite food, plays ball outside with her. When she gets tired of playing ball, and wants to change and play dolls, Martha will patiently play dolls with her.

 She has never shouted at her. She always tries to make her smile. Today she cooked many different meals just because her mean sister was coming home, she’d been standing the whole day cooking, poor Martha must be tired. Even though her sister was mean to her and asked her rudely what she was doing when she saw her take a sit on the table while her parents were busy talking near the stairs. Martha still went to fetch the champagne for her mean sister. Little Enhle was confused as to why her sister would smile at Martha when her parents are around, but then be mean to her when they are not looking. 

Whatever the case may be, she is not going to allow her to forbid Martha from eating the food she worked so hard to prepare. Soon Martha comes back with the champagne,  little Enhle calls her to come and sit next to her.

 “aunty Martha would you please feed me” she asks looking pitiful. Even though she is young, she understands her aunty Martha so well. She knows she wont come back to sit on the table after the way her mean sister spoke to her.

“Enhle aren’t you too old to be pestering Martha to feed you?” Kim asks, clearly annoyed by the little girl.

“Don’t waste your energy.  She’s so used to manipulating Martha,  and Martha likes it. You’ll end up looking like the bad guy, trust me I’ve lost that battle far too many times” Shaun says, causing everyone to erupt in a laughter. Martha just smiles trying to hide the discomfort in her heart.

“Okay fine, I’ll show you I’m not a bully daddy, aunty Martha you have been nice to me every day, why don’t you sit down and let me feed you for a change? Please, please aunty Martha? I won’t eat if you don’t let me feed you" she says folding her arms acting all coquettishly.

“You see? there you go manipulating her again!” Shaun exclaims! Making everyone erupt in a laughter once more. Martha can’t help but laugh at how cute this little girl is. She is so sensible for a four year old.  She’d do anything for her, as long she blinks those beautiful eyes and asks.

Martha finally decided to sits next to her, she says grace and everyone starts eating happily, well everyone except her mean sister. She watches her randomly throwing unpleasant glares at Martha. But she keeps talking to Martha trying to prevent her from looking at this mean sister of hers.