ALL IS WELL?

LOLA

I adjusted in my seat, grabbing my cutleries even before every other person did, ready to dig in.

The food looked appealing. I wasn't sure what it was — I had been kept away for too long from eating according to my own terms, I had forgotten what most dishes tasted like, and now, what they looked like.

Sighing, I shook my head, pushing every thought of it to the back of my mind.

I felt a heaviness from the direction Eddy sat, and I knew at once that he must be staring at me.

Shifting in my position — the only response I gave to whatever message he was trying to pass, I grabbed a glass and proceeded to pour myself some water.

"You can dig in, Lola. The food is really nice here," my father-in-law encouraged. I smiled in response, returning my gaze to the plates in front of me.

It was pretty much a feast, and I couldn't wait to taste all the mouth-watering dishes that had been served on the table.

Clearing his throat, Greg pulled himself up from his seat, resting his arms on the table, and proceeding to glare from Eddy to Connor, me and then Freddy.

His expression was soft, so I was sure whatever he had to say wouldn't result in chaos, but of course, it was the Langfords, and you really never can tell with these people.

"Freddy, you did great with your match, and we are proud of you," he said, looking from Eddy to Connor for a reaction in support of what he had just said.

Connor's face softened into a smile, behind which was genuine happiness for Freddy, but mostly from the dopamine effect of last night.

A smile tugged at my lips, but I suppressed it with every will power.

Eddy didn't give any reaction. He just looked on. Occasionally locking eyes with me, and insisting on holding the gaze, but I always broke it off.

Freddy sighed.

"Honestly, what I think? You shouldn't have bothered with the stress of flying all the way here. I have been doing this for the last couple years and I have been good without any support from you. So, why now?"

I sighed, completely uninterested in whatever family banter they wanted to indulge themselves in over food I couldn't wait anymore to eat.

"We are on good terms now. Maybe we didn't make any effort to be in the past, but the present is what counts. Don't you agree?"

"Dad," Freddy snickered, "Cut me some slacks. Would you have even bothered calling me if I didn't decide to come back home when I did? 

"I'm sorry, Dad, but I smell hypocrisy, and it's making me damn uncomfortable," Freddy finished, his eyes reddening with a crazy anger.

Greg was going to say something, but Eddy caught him off — neatly, unapologetically.

"This whole thing was a damned plan from the very beginning. I knew it," Eddy spoke, his gaze trailing against Freddy's face.

Freddy shot him a hard stare, but he didn't bulge.

"Eddy, I don't think saying that helped the situation. You could be a bit more careful with your own words," Connor spoke, his gaze flickering from Eddy to Freddy.

Greg just sat there, his hands folded under his jaw and his face in a tight expression as he watched what unfolded before him.

"Maybe you could use a bit of wisdom. Know that this is a family conversation and you cannot just bolt in and out as you please," Eddy's voice was threatening as he lashed out those words to Connor.

I watched Connor fold back into silence. Swallowing the words I had initially wanted to speak, I pulled my concentration back to the contents of the table top.

"You haven't changed a single bit. You are still that loathing, selfish, immature and inferior person I have always known you to be," Freddy's voice was tense with an anger already blooming.

"You sound like you have just described the one person you have always tried hard to be, but never succeeded. Till this day, you are still trying," Eddy replied, his words harsh, but his tone as relaxed as ever.

Freddy gasped amusingly.

"Is that what you think? That I would want to be falling through that bottomless hole of self-deception with you? Too bad, boy!"

In that moment, my stomach rumbled in desire of the jam sizzled croissant in front of me, my breathing topping sharply before flattening out gently.

Not sure it was the right time to put anything into my mouth, but thinking that the room was distracted enough to notice whatever I did, I reached for the snack, my heart thumping excitedly as I brought it closer to my mouth.

"Even pigs behave better!" I heard Eddy's voice bellow through the space.

I shuddered, but still went ahead to ignore it completely.

My teeth dug into the softness of the baker's skill, my tongue savoring every sweetness, and my eyes widening to how much it tasted better that my expectations.

"I am not sure what you think you are doing, Lola, but you will not embarrass me in front of my family," Eddy groaned with rage, slapping the table hard as the dishes rattled to the sudden pressure.

At that moment, I turned to see every eye washed in my direction.

With a mouthful of the crunches I was munching peacefully with every delight before the attack, I looked from one person to the other.

Greg wore an expression that was difficult to read within the short period I had to. Freddy was more like prompting me with his stare to stand up to Eddy's attitude. Connor looked on with a curious smirk, I was sure he was wondering what I'd do next.

At that moment, a particular kind of energy possessed me. It felt like the whole world was watching to see what my response would be and I felt like this moment would define the rest of my life.

Adjusting in my chair, I stuffed the rest of the snack into my mouth and began to chew like nothing had happened.

I could feel the intensity of Eddy's surprise as he looked on like I had grown visible wings.

Nobody said anything, except for Freddy who let out a low chuckle.

I couldn't look at Eddy, to see what expression he was wearing amidst all of this. I didn't even want to imagine it.

As I swallowed and went for my glass of water, I knew I had accepted a heads-on challenge with Eddy's wrath, and there was nothing I could do to escape it.

I continued to slurp the water down like all was well.