"No, dad, I didn't know. She hasn't said anything."

"I don't really know what happened. I only know Giovanna went to argue with Kali about something, and they got into a fight. Kali hit her and forbade her from going back to yours."

"Okay, I'll talk to her. I'll handle it. I am sorry for the trouble this caused."

"It's okay. I'll call you later."

"Good night, dad."

Kali, the subject of their conversation, was in the shower. He had come home to absolute serenity after a tiring day at his work desk. The dining table had been decorated with a new tablecloth and several dishes Kali had prepared. He ate his fill. She had been considerate with the amount of spices she used.

In fact, she had joked about it when he complimented her about the food.

"Did you notice you are not choking this time?" she teased, using her fork to point at his plate. "I made sure to cook this to serve your weaker constitutions."

"Sorry, I am not used to eating magma for dinner."

As far as evenings went, everything had been superb. Kali had never mentioned that his sister came over, much less that they had a row. The call had come as a shock, but he wanted to wait for Kali to finish her bath before they spoke. What was done, was done. There was no need to bang on the bathroom door, demanding she step out and talk to him.

Thankfully, he didn't get to wait long. Moments after he ended the call with his father, Kali walked out of the bathroom, robed and moisturising her skin as she padded around in her fuzzy slippers. When she stared at him, she smiled but said nothing still.

"Can we talk?" He

"Sure. What about?"

"Why did my sister come over here?"

Kali looked over at him, her hand frozen inside the robe. Then she looked away, rubbing more lotion over her shoulders and chest.

"She overheard something days back and came to tell you about it. You weren't here, so she asked me about it."

"Then you fought?"

Kali nonchalantly sat down on the stool, crossing her legs and resting her arms on her thighs. "I should have told you the second you got back."

"Yes. You should have. Why didn't you?"

"I honestly was still too angry to talk about it. I was going to tell you before we went to bed when I was calmer."

"You seemed calm at dinner."

"Yes, because I was trying not to think about it. I know she is your sister, and you care for her, but that is not enough for me to put up with her intrigues and vulgar behaviour."

Samuel was tired to his bone. He honestly was beginning to enjoy himself. It lasted a few days, but he was. They lived far from his home, and he never had a reason to visit the house or office, which made it easier to avoid his mother. He called his dad and older siblings often, to keep them informed so they wouldn't worry, but he generally kept away from the house. The isolation gave him peace and allowed him to think clearly.

"Why did you hit her?"

"I lost control. She said something, and I reacted without thinking." She looked down at her hand, spreading her fingers open and staring at them like foreign materials attached to her wrist. "I would have apologised, but I was too angry to do it."

"Kali, I told you, your anger will be disastrous. Didn't I."

"It had nothing to do with your mother or how I feel about anything to do with your family. Honestly. It had everything to do with Giovanna and only Giovanna. She is a capricious, spoiled, ignorant, rude little girl, and I don't have enough patience in me to become her punching bag too. I may put up with your mother, but that's because I have to. If not, I would put her in her place as well."

"What did she even say to you to get you mad."

"I am not surprised she didn't tell you the full story." Kali stood and walked over to the bed, towering over him. Hands-on her lips, feet apart and face brimming with anger. "My only defence is that I held on for as long as I could."

"She didn't tell me anything." Her eyebrows lowered, confusion setting in. When he stood, she stepped back, but they still stood close. "My dad, who also only had half the story, called to inform me. Now, I want you to tell me what happened."

Kali let out a deep breath, folding her arms across her chest. "The day we left for our honeymoon when you left your mom to speak to me. Giovanna was in the halls. She overheard bits and pieces of the conversation. Your mother had informed me that she paid my debt, and I thanked her for the freedom and implied that I would be taking full advantage of my new life."

"Giovanna heard this?"

"Yes. She also heard your mother prompt me that paying my debts wasn't a licence to my freedom. That particular part of the conversation, I believe, is what drove Giovanna to believe your mother is trying to cover up the fact that I am a shameless, bald face gold digger who sunk my fangs into you with the hopes of draining your family dry."

"Is that what she said."

"More or less."

"Is that what made you hit her? She insulted you?"

Kali's eyes shifted left for a moment, and she shook her head. "No."

"Then what?"

"It doesn't matter, Samuel." She dropped her arms and turned to walk away. "I don't really want to talk about..."

"Calm down." Samuel caught her to him, holding her tightly when she struggled to move away. "Calm down. I am not trying to fight with you."

She huffed, pushing the hair off her face, her hand pressed between them. "If you think you can make me apologise to her, you are dead wrong."

"I won't do that. I am not happy you fought with her, or that you hit her, but I am not forcing you to do that."

"If you think I am going to allow her to come back to this house, you'd be dead wrong about that too."

"I didn't even think about that part of the story."

He kept his voice even, low and soft. No hint of criticism. It had taken some time, but he was learning how to handle Kali. When she was hot and boiling with anger, combatting her emotions with equal measure never led to anything. The best way was to meet her with ice. When she was angry, he needed to keep a cool head on his shoulder, then he could steer them towards peace.

It also helped to remember that he didn't know the full extent of the fight. Kali was hiding the main reason she reacted the way she did, and Giovanna's story wasn't complete because his father didn't no much.

"Then what do you want?" She asked more calmly.

"I want us to talk about what happened. If Giovanna knows half of the story, then she is going to want to find out the whole story. She told my dad what she heard, and he didn't believe her, but then she will tell me and whoever else she needs to until someone believes her."

"Why should we care? More for us is she screams it to the ends of the earth. In fact, I said just as much as that when she threatened me. If she tells, your mother is outted, and we don't get our hands dirty."

He took a deep breath, counting down in his mind.

"I thought you were smarter?" Samuel chastised when he finally regained some calm. Kali rolled her eyes and attempted to free herself, but he held fast. "Even if Giovanna exposes all of this, my mother will still make us pay just to make herself feel better."

She looked away at a spot above his shoulder, but he pinched her chin and made her face him, looking straight into her eyes.

"Your sister will be back any time soon. Do you think my mother wouldn't go after her just out of spite? Flora is still in danger. The people we love will pay for anything that upsets my mother's plans. Even if we are not the cause."

"What do I do then?" She spoke after a long pause. He could feel the tension leaving her body, and he loosened his grip in response but didn't let her go.

"You need to tell me, word for word, what she said and what she might have heard. I'll work a story to serve my family and convince them that Giovanna is just being paranoid."

They stood like that for some time, his arm around her and hers pressed against her chest.

"Fine."

They walked back into the bed, and he sat her down on it. "Now tell me everything. From the very beginning."