Episode Four: “Dinner”

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Rachel arrived at her in-laws place and nervously fiddled with her hands. Patrick looked at her pitifully. “Are you nervous?” he asked.

“Yes” Rachel answered without thinking. She looked at Patrick sheepishly.

“It’s okay to be nervous. It is expected since this is the first time you are meeting her” Patrick said. “You will be fine, you are a nice girl.”

“Thank you” Rachel smiled and Patrick left. Rachel walked to the door and knocked. She knocked again and a maid opened the door.

“Good morning madam” The maid greeted and Rachel felt a bit weird to hear that. She politely responded just as Juliana, Vicky’s stepmother approached her with a warm smile.

“Good Afternoon ma” Rachel greeted politely.

“Good afternoon, don’t call me ma, you can call me mother” Juliana offered kindly. “how are you?”

“I’m fine ma” Rachel smiled hesitantly. As Juliana led her in, she was reminded of the brush up her father and Bethany gave her of Vicky’s family.

“Juliana Aiyedehin, she is Vicky’s stepmother and Austin’s mother. She is sharp-witted, observant, social and calculative. She is the one you have to watch out for–she has a way of getting people to talk–she is classy though.”

Juliana sat Rachel down and Rachel tried to hide her discomfort and nervousness. “You must feel strange, this is the first time we are meeting” Juliana said sympathetically. “Vicky was very cruel to not meet you before the wedding. He didn’t even bother to introduce you to the family.”

Rachel looked away, realizing Juliana was trying to make her feel bad. “It’s okay, Vicky must have had his reasons” she quickly defended, “what matters is that I will be meeting the family now.”

“You are right” Juliana mused. “listen, since we are having a dinner for the whole family, I was wondering if you could cook.”

“Cook?” Rachel repeated.

“Yes, is that a problem?” Juliana asked.

Rachel shook her head. “No, I can do it. It is a good idea.” Rachel agreed, “as your daughter in-law, it will be good to cook for the whole family. I will like them to accept me as the daughter in-law of the family.”

“You are a very sweet girl” Juliana smiled, cupping her cheek and got up. Rachel got up too.

“Um, where is the kitchen and what would you like me to cook?” Rachel said readily. Juliana shot her a thoughtful look and led her to the kitchen.

“I want a marvelous feast so I bought a lot of vegetables. Feel free to make what you can from them” Juliana said, leaving the choice up to Rachel.

Rachel looked conflicted as she stared at the foodstuffs. She was supposed to cook for a family of…eight and she wasn’t given a menu. Juliana took in this look and walked out of the kitchen triumphantly.

“You’re going to have to prove you belong to this family you ugly girl.” She thought smugly.

At the office, Patrick kept shooting pointed looks at Vicky. Vicky sighed, tired of Patrick’s pointed looks and turned to him with an exasperated look. “What?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking about how your wife” Patrick continued despite Vicky’s grimace on hearing ‘wife.’ “is probably suffering through Mrs. Juliana all alone.”

Vicky stared at him blankly with no sign of remorse and Patrick just continued. “Especially a sweet quiet girl like that, being ignored by her husband,” Vicky glared at him, “antagonized by her mother in-law and who knows, the whole family might hate her already.”

“What are you trying to say?” Vicky snapped.

“That your wife is an extremely quiet girl who seems easy to bully and take advantage of” Patrick deadpanned.

At the Aiyedehin Mansion, Juliana sat close to the kitchen, holding a magazine on her face as she snuck glances at the kitchen.

“What is this girl doing?” she thought. “Is she actually cooking something? How could she cook something with that mess I bought?”

Juliana feigned reading when Rachel came out of the kitchen. “Mother” Rachel softly called.

“Huh?” Juliana said in surprise.

“Does anyone have any medical conditions or what they are allergic to?” Rachel asked softly.

“um, Manuel can’t eat food with too much salt or oil and Austin doesn’t like pepper. Vicky…” Juliana was reminded about Vicky’s aversion to home cooked meals. “he doesn’t do well with home cooked meals, he had to be forced to this dinner.”

Rachel watched Juliana’s wistful look concerning Vicky. Juliana quickly brushed it aside and turned to Rachel. “That’s it. Can you really cook it all to their liking?” she asked.

“Not without your help. You are so capable to have cooked for the family with their picky habits for so long” Rachel said, subtly flattering Juliana so she would help.

“And how sure are you that I cook for the family?” Juliana pointed out, staring hard at Rachel.

“Because only a wife and mother can know her family’s picky food habits and be satisfied cooking for them herself” Rachel said, though it is revealed she actually asked a maid so she could get on Juliana’s good graces.

Juliana sat quietly in thought. She got up. “Okay, I will supervise and you will do all the work. I can’t embarrass my family in front of yours since we hosted the dinner” she said and left for the kitchen.

Rachel looked up in relief but pursed her lips in a painful thought. “My family…” she muttered.

Two hours later, Austin arrived home to the smell of food. “Hmm, that smells nice” he said to himself. “Mom?!”

He walked to the living room and saw his mom coming out of the kitchen. “Austin, how are you? How was work?” Juliana asked smiling.

“I’m good, work was good.” Austin answered, peering into the kitchen. “Are you cooking for the dinner?”

“No, my daughter in-law is” Juliana said with a slight smirk. Austin looked at his mom surprised and glanced at the kitchen.

“Really?” Austin asked.

“Yes and she is doing a good job, cooking all kind of dishes” Juliana said. “I have to admit, I am impressed.” Austin glanced at the kitchen again. Juliana held him, “you should prepare for the dinner, go.”

“Okay” Austin said and went upstairs.

In the kitchen, Rachel sweated heavily while cooking. She relaxed a bit while waiting for a dish to get ready and glanced at the wall clock. It was past 6pm and the dinner was at seven.

She looked down sadly. “I don’t think I am going to be able to wear the dress I bought” she thought, remembering going shopping with Prieye. “And to think I struggled to use the card to pay for it.”

“Hello!” Austin said cheerfully, startlingly Rachel put of her thoughts. She stepped back in surprise and accidentally touched the pot on the gas stove.

“Ah!” Rachel hissed, grabbing her burnt wrist.

“Oh, I’m sorry” Austin apologized immediately and grabbed her wrist. He led her to the sink and turned on the tap. Water poured on Rachel’s wrist and though the sore hurt a bit, it cooled down.

“Thank you” Rachel said quietly, drawing her hand back.

“You’re welcome. You should be careful too, cooking is quite dangerous, so I have learnt” Austin remarked, staring at her with a piercing gaze.

“I know, I will be careful” Rachel said quietly. “It’s nice to meet you. This is my first time meeting you.”

“ah, yes. You recognize me?” Austin asked curiously.

“How can I not? You are my husband’s family. Even if this is the first time we are meeting in person, I am still obliged to know you.” Rachel said and continued her cooking.

“Hmm” Austin said and leaned on the kitchen doorpost, watching her. “It’s a shame we didn’t meet before the wedding, Vicky refused to let the family meet you, he didn’t even bother to meet you until the wedding day.”

Austin stared at Rachel while she stared at the pot in front of her. She said nothing and made sure not to betray any emotion. “Why are you telling me this?” Rachel finally asked.

“I am just curious that you aren’t angry.” Austin said amazed. “He insulted you by that, I even thought he wasn’t going to get married with that attitude of his.”

Austin stared at her, watching her reaction carefully.

“I’m sure you know very well what our marriage is, an arranged marriage” Rachel said blankly, staring ahead. “It can’t be helped that we have some reservations towards this marriage and we agreed for reasons known to us but,”

Rachel looked at Austin in disgust, “don’t you think you are going too far by telling me all this? Are you telling me this to see me hurt or to prove a point? I know Vicky isn’t your real brother but do you have to one up him every time?”

Austin’s cheerful expression soured. “I think you should watch it,” he said distastefully. “You may be married into this family but that doesn’t mean you are a part of it.”

“I know I’m not a part of it but that won’t stop me from telling you as it is.” Rachel retorted, staring at him in the eye for the first time. She walked to the sink.

“You like preaching a lot” Austin quipped.

“Yes, I’ve been told” Rachel said dryly and dried her hands. Austin smirked and got up. He walked closer to Rachel and she eyed him warily while taking steps back.

“You seem pretty miserable in this marriage and it hasn’t even been a week” he said leaning in. “if you had met me first, don’t you think it would have been better? I think you would have been happier.”

“I–”

“I always knew you were a shameless being” Vicky said, rolling in to the kitchen. Rachel looked surprised to see him and a little worried at the position he found them in.

“I am just making a better offer, that’s how you do business” Austin said with a mocking smile. “After all, isn’t that what this marriage is? Business.”

“At least we are honest about it than lying and living a life that is not yours” Vicky tactlessly said.

Austin glared at him. “You can think whatever you want to think.” He said and walked out.

Vicky looked at Rachel and she looked at him. “I, um” Rachel started to say.

“What are you doing?” Vicky interrupted impatiently.

“Your mother–”

“Don’t ever call her that, don’t ever call her that” Vicky cut her off. “If you know who that asshole is, then you know who that witch is.”

“Your stepmother” Rachel said quietly. She looked away and muttered, “I can relate to that feeling.”

“What did you say?” Vicky asked.

“Nothing, I was just answering your question” Rachel lied. “Your stepmother asked me to make the food for the dinner tonight. I’m almost done.”

Vicky looked at all the pots of food and at Rachel’s disheveled appearance. “Are you going to eat with us looking like that?” he asked, “did you get the dress I asked you to?”

“I left the dress at the house and it’s way too late to go and get it” Rachel said disappointed. “I hung it in the wardrobe in preparation but I don’t think I can wear it today.”

Vicky stared at her face, noting her disappointed expression. He looked away when she looked up.

“Finish and freshen up” He said gruffly. He was about to go when he saw the place Rachel burnt her skin. It was already red.

“What happened there?” he asked a bit concerned.

“I accidentally burnt myself” Rachel said, looking at her hand. “ah, it’s red. It will be fine, you don’t have to worry.”

“I’m not worried” Vicky immediately denied and rolled his way out of the kitchen.

Rachel looked at her burn and thought about what Vicky said. “He sounded worried” she said in thought but brushed it aside.

Some time later, Rachel was done cooking but it was almost time for the dinner. Juliana gave her a room to freshen up so Rachel took a bath. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw the dress she bought for the dinner.

It was a red short sleeved, knee length gown. There was a make up pouch next to it. Rachel stared at it in surprise and disbelief.

“Who…?” Rachel said in surprise as she touched the dress. It was not a figment of her imagination, it was real. Rachel smiled happily and remembered Vicky asking about it. She clutched the dress smiling.

Downstairs at the dining room, Senator Uche, his wife, Bisola and Bethany arrived. Vicky stared in impassively though he greeted them with his father. Austin stared in surprise at the sight of Bethany.

“Welcome to our home” Juliana said kindly. “how was the ride here? I hope it was safe.”

“The road was smooth, thank you for asking.” Senator Uche answered all smiles. “Where is Rachel?”

“She is upstairs getting ready” Juliana said. “Take a seat. You should know, Rachel was the one who cooked all the food for the dinner.”

“Really?” Manuel said surprised as he looked at the pots on the large dining table.

“Yes, she is a very good cook. She knows a lot of dishes” Juliana said. “she spent hours cooking, she must be very tired from the stress. She couldn’t even get properly dressed because of it–”

“She is here” Austin said and everyone turned to see Rachel come downstairs looking really pretty. She looked good in the red dress matching with smooth black pumps. Her middle parting black weave-on contrasted beautifully with her incredibly fair skin and a dark eyeliner brought out her eyes.

Vicky smiled pleased and he remembered driving home with Patrick to get Rachel’s dress.

“Why are you being so nice all of a sudden? I thought you didn’t like her” Patrick asked curiously. “it’s not that I’m against this.”

“She seems like the only one trying and getting hurt. I can’t let her get hurt or humiliated again for trying.” Vicky said.

“Oh, she got dressed” Juliana said, holding in a grimace.

“Good evening sir” Rachel greeted Manuel.

“Good evening my dear” Manuel responded pleased.

Rachel looked at her father and his family. She tried not to hesitate and walked to him. “Good evening dad” she greeted shakily. Vicky observed this.

“Good evening my daughter” Senator Uche said, surprising Rachel by hugging her. “How are you? Are you fine?”

Rachel froze, thinking about how her father threatened her to marry Vicky and how he had never warmly touched her like this.

“Answer” Senator Uche growled menacingly in her ear.

Rachel’s eyes glistened with tears. “I’m fine dad, I’m happy” she answered to everyone’s hearing but Vicky found her answer sad.

 
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