Chapter 14

“Well, for one, you never asked, and second I don’t boast of my military background.”

Blake was annoyed at them, not believing he was in the military. So, he took out his old private rank ID from the army and handed it to his mother-in-law. She looked at the card and handed it over to Claire without saying a word. Being in the military was indeed a big thing for these women, and they were patriots, after all.

“So that’s why you were able to trounce Steve. No wonder you know how to fight so well.”

Claire stated while handing her husband’s card back to him.

“Steve, who’s Steve, and why did brother fight with him?”

“Steve is my fian… the heir of the Anderson family. He wanted to marry me also, got into a fight after I married Blake.”

“Sounds like a dick to me, trying to get you after you’re married. He doesn’t have any honor or morals like my brother here, and you’re better off for what I can see.”

“You’re not to slander Steve. He’s way better than this trash in front of me, and he has ambition in business and can provide a better life for this family and me. I don’t know what got into grandfather’s mind in betrothing this filth to me.”

Claire then ran into her room, angry with her little sister’s words. Tabitha looked at her brother and mother for a time and ran after her sister.

“I’ll take the dirty dishes into the kitchen and take care of the chore before I depart,” Blake said while retrieving the dirty dishes and heading into the kitchen.

Tabitha walked into the room and found her sister crying on the bed. Sighing heavily, she walked towards her sister and sat next to her.

“Sis, don’t be mad. I didn’t mean it. Why did you marry brother if you care for this Steve so much?”

Wiping away some of her tears, Claire looked at her little sister and explained the events the night before her marriage and what happened on her wedding day.

“It looks like grandfather had to have his reasons for doing this. Have you ever questioned him about it? It’s just too strange that he was so adamant in getting you two married and that quick.”

“No, you know how grandfather is and his temper. I have to endure this for another year, and I will be in Steve’s family and receive what’s mine in the end.”

“What about my brother’s feelings in all this? I wonder what his take on all this is. It didn’t seem that grandfather gave him a choice either, but with his temperament and sense of honor, he’s taking this marriage very seriously.”

“What that fool knows. He’s just someone who doesn’t know his place. No ambition, to achieve anything, content on only being a delivery person.”

Tabitha thinks her sister is blinded and doesn’t know what she has.

“Have you ever given him a chance? He’s handsome and kind towards this family; his food is to die for.”

“Him? Please don’t be mad. He has no taste in fashion, no ambition, and is always meek and timid. I was surprised that he could beat Steve in a fight but found out that it was all because he was in the military. Even a cornered rabbit will bite. As for his looks, it pales in comparison to Steve’s. He’s mediocre, to say the least, but just between us, his food is great, and if you say I said that, I’d deny it.”

“Well, I don’t know, sis. I feel that he will surprise us in the end. The diamond in the rough always gives us the best results. So, are we good? I didn’t mean to insult you. For me, someone to pursue a married woman? He’s just a dick in the end to me, but that’s only my opinion. I still love you.”

“Yes, we’re good but don’t slander Steve. You don’t know him as I do, and, in the future, he will be your brother-in-law, given time.”

“Okay, sis, if you say so, I’ll be nice, but I still think you should rethink why grandfather wanted this marriage between you and brother.”

“Tabby, I meant to ask why you refer to Blake as brother and not brother-in-law?”

“Isn’t it obvious, he’s my brother being married to you, and I’ve always wanted a brother. I like him, and he agreed to bypass the in-law part. We’re still family, are we not?”

“Huh, well, I hope you also give the same courtesy to Steve when he becomes your brother.”

“We’ll see, for now, Blake is my brother, and I will address him as such. I’ll be leaving first. Tidy yourself before going out. Crying makes you ugly.”

“You, witch, who’s ugly, but you’re right. I’ll tidy up a bit.”

Tabitha walked towards the door, picked up one of her bags, and headed out.

“Hey, where are you going with your bag?”

“Didn’t I say I will go with my brother to see his family? I need to represent, what if it gets out that we’re not giving face to his family, we’ll be looked down upon.”

“Looked down upon? By who? Those country folks? Please, what does their opinion have to do anything with us?”

“Sister, the internet is a mighty force. Of all people you should know that, working in the entertainment circle. I’ll leave it to you to explain it to mom.”

Claire thought about it and agreed that if it leaked out that she or her family was not respectful to her husband’s family, it would negatively impact her grandfather and company, so she just stayed quiet.

Blake finished his chores, walked out of the house, and got into his car without glancing. To his surprise, his sister-in-law was seated in the front passenger seat, waiting on him.

“What are you doing? Does your mom and sister know you’re here?”

“I explained it to my sister. She agrees that it would look bad if no one accompanied you in visiting your family. Being you’re married into the Weston family, it would reflect poorly on grandfather.”

Feeling grateful for Tabitha’s grandfather, all he could do was agree. He started his car and drove towards the capital. 

Unknown to them, Claire had looked at them from the window, leaving with a frown on her face.

“Where is your sister? Did that good for nothing leave already?” Julie had just then walked into the living room from her bedroom.

“Yes, he left, and as for Tabby, she left with him to represent us to his family.”

Claire turned around and faced her mother.

“That brat, how dare she disobey me. What good is it to represent trash? There is no reason for her to go, and what if he takes advantage of her? She’s a naïve child, calling him brother, the audacity.”

“Mom, calm down. I spoke with her earlier and agreed for her to take my place. If she feels that she has to go, let her go. Better her than myself going into the country. We decided that if it had leaked that we didn’t represent, it would look poorly on grandfather and the company.”

Thinking more on the matter, Julie decided to drop it. It didn’t matter one way or another, and here it looked like they would give respect to her good-for-nothing son-in-law’s family, making them look better than his family in the end.

 Driving out of the city, Blake looked in the direction of his sister-in-law and found her sleeping. He smiled and thought, ‘Silly girl, all that traveling must have tired you out. What a sweet woman she is. She is defiantly not her sister. Their two sides of the same coin one is sweet, charming, compassionate, and doesn’t look down on others, while the other is snobbish, rude, self-centered, narrow-minded, and materialistic dam; she’s not likable, unlike this one. I swear I shall be her brother if she wants me to be her brother. I never had a sister, so this could be a good thing.