Chapter 8 Question for Question

"What happened Aster?. You look terrible." Kyle ran over to her the moment he saw her, with Arby in his arms.

"I'm in trouble." she blurted to Kyle's surprise. The Aster he knows would never tell anyone that, even if she's really in trouble.

He placed his finger on her forehead to see if she's alright as she's behaving strange but she smacked his hands away from her head.

"What's wrong with you?. Why would you be in trouble?" he asked staring deeply into her eyes searching for possible clues.

"I don't know too. I just found out I'm in one. And I don't know how I can get myself out of it." she spoke in parables.

"I bet you're really ill today. You're not always like this even in the worst situation." said Kyle.

"You're right buddy. I was joking earlier. Gosh!, you took it serious." Aster lied with a smile on her face.

"Let's get going before time runs out. My babies mustn't go hungry." she entered the car and Kyle turned around placing Arby at his usual position, but he didn't enter.

"I'm sorry Aster, I won't be able to go with you today." he felt bad.

"What happened Kyle?" she queried with seriousness.

"Nothing Aster, I have something to do."

"But, I think you're through with classes for today. What else do you have to do?."

"Just some menial but important things. You don't have to worry" Kyle said smiling.

""Alright then. Take care" Aster did not press further. All she had on her mind was her siblings. She wanted to go back to them as soon as she can. Every minute she spends without them makes her feel insecure.

Without a second thought, she drove off.

*

*

Mr Bright entered his wife's room with a frown.

"Amber!" he shouted before opening the door.

Upon entering, he couldn't find his wife anywhere.

"Amber!" he called for the second time and a lady-like figure came out from the bathroom with a white colored towel wrapped around her body from her chest, stopping just few inches to her knees.

"What happened sweetie?. Did something happen for you to yell that much?" she asked with no expression drying her wet hair with a towel.

"What's your duty and first priority as a mother?"

"What do you mean?. Hope no problem?" she looked at him quizzically, sizing him up from head to toe, and moved to sit on the chair in front of her mirror to cream her body and cloth herself.

Before she got to where the chair was, Mr Smith dragged her back holding her left arm angrily.

"Do you still make use of your manners?. I'm talking to you, and you're walking out on me. What's gone into that head of yours?" his neck veins were so evident that one would think they were about to burst out of his skin.

"See Austin, I don't have time for your nags again this afternoon, can't you just leave me in peace?"

"No, I won't. What am I even saying?. Never!. I will never leave you until you change back to the responsible woman you were when I married you." he fired with rage.

"Ok fine, let's say I'm irresponsible like you said. But please, what have I done to warrant you speaking like this?. What have I done?"

"Really, I mean, for real, are you asking me what you did?. If you must know, you're not doing your duty as a mother. Will you tell me you don't know about your daughter's habits?. She's getting worse by the day. Always playing around and watching movies till so late at night. If I'm to mark her manners, she'll get nothing but a zero in all." he paused and looked at his wife who folded her hands.

"Please, that's no good talk. You're a father. What did I say Austin?. A father. Bringing up a child requires the efforts of both parties. You can't just walk up to me and tell me I'm not training your daughter properly. It just doesn't make sense. If at all I didn't train her well to your expectation, why don't you take up the responsibility to train her?" Amber spat fire.

Her eyes grew wide with anger. Her brows furrowed with confusion and an undescribable emotion.

"Is that what you'll say?" Austin shaked his head sideways out of disappointment. "You really let me down." he added before Amber cut him off.

"What were you expecting me to say?. Or what were you expecting me to do?. Go on my kneels and apologize?. I just don't get you. She waved her hand and faced her standing mirror once again."

"Amber, what has gotten into you. What made you this way?" Austin was pained. His heart was hurt seeing his wife behaving in such irresponsible manner. Years back, when he married Amber, she has been the sweet, gentle, humble, and submissive lady any bachelor would wish to make his wife. She cared for everyone around her and gives the respect they deserved.

Not until things changed in the last couple of years, when her elder brother died. Since then, she acted anyhow she likes, treated Austin like trash and even picked up fights with Jackson, her first child.

At first, Austin thought her actions were as a result of mourning her brother, but as time passed by, he noticed other drastic negative changes in her which made him think that her actions were probably beyond just her brother's death. On several occasions had he tried talking to her in order to solve whatever the problem could be, but she always brushed him off, disrupted the conversation, or showed apathy to him whenever he takes such steps.

"What do I do?. This is getting out of hand and unbearable for me. Oh Lord!, I need my cool, loving wife back." Austin prayed silently staring wishfully at Amber's back which was still half clad in a towel.

"Fine, I heard what you said already. I'll try to lead her to the right path and make her responsible. But I want to ask you something, why would you tell her not to play with her cousins. They were quite close before your brother's death, and now, it's otherwise. What's happening?"

Amber's eyes widened. She never expected the conversation to include that particular topic of her nieces and nephews. She cleared her throat lightly and spoke up.

"Which of her cousins are you talking about?. And what do you mean I told her not to talk to them?. Who told you that nonsense?" she feigned ignorance, pretending to be angry with her voice sounding lightly like the passing of wind across a falling leaf. Almost inaudible.

"Amber, I won't tolerate you answering my question with another question. Answer me immediately!. What are you driving at for you to poison your daughter's mind against her cousins?" his voice sounded fierce.

Amber stood up to his height yelling at him in response.

"I asked the question first Austin, Who told you that nonsense?. Did Sephina tell you that herself?"

"I told him!" a voice was heard as the door opened at that moment. Husband and wife both turned there heads to the direction of the voice.

"I told him!. I reported you to him!" repeated the voice.

Amber became short of words. She felt like the ground should open up and swallow her.

"Jackson?!!!" she gasped, her gaze on her son.