C4 THE FAMILY TREE

I looked on as the rest of the family dipped into the food and started scooping away silently.

"Eat," Lewis murmured.

"Yeah." I started with the vegetable and I took my time with it. By the time everyone was done with their food, I just finished the vegetables. I dropped the spoon like they did. The maids filed back in, packing the dishes.

"Thanks for the meal Berenice," The old said facing a woman in her late fifties. The latter smiled broadly.

"Okay. Now, let's dive into reports. But before then, Lewis has someone to introduce."

When he said that, Lewis quickly stood up beckoning me to stand and I did the same.

"I'm getting married to Evelyn next month." He said rather sheepishly.

"And what about Danielle? You're no longer waiting?" That came as sarcasm and I bet he didn't get that because he answered nonetheless.

"She is not."

"So we have a wedding to plan next month?" One of the younger girls in the room probably in her late twenties puts in.

All I did was smile broadly at everyone.

"I'd like you all to introduce yourselves to her. She is part of the family now." The old man said.

I saw reluctance in their eyes, especially Gerald who wouldn't take his eyes off me the whole time.

"I am Charles and this is Clarke. We're Lewis's uncles. This is my wife Berenice, and Genevieve, my daughter." Charles should be around sixty years old. So I'm guessing Clarke is older.

"Cathy is my wife and this is Gerald, my son," Clarke added. Cathy is Gerald's mother, that doesn't explain the dead-hard stare she had been throwing at me since I walked into the dining.

All this while, I looked on trying to remember the name and the stretch.

"I'm Gwen, Lewis's aunt. This is Shawn my husband and my two daughters, Elaine and Chester."

Of course, Chester is the girl from earlier.

"This sucks." That was Elaine. She had a soar look compared to her sister who was all cheerful at the thought of a wedding. Her mother rolled her eyes and she exhaled irritably glaring at me.

If I make it here alive, I'll try my best to stay off the family's table till my contract is over.

"I'm Theresa and my Mum isn't here. I'm your husband's half-sister."

That explained the hatred.

"I am happy to be a part of the family," I muttered.

'You already met me. Mrs Dabs. Lewis' maternal aunt."

Of course Mrs Dabs. Only her face and the old man's put a little relief in my heart. All I want right now is to get out of this house wrap my head in my duvet and surf the Internet.

The introduction was over and the family business commenced. It was Gerald that first stood up and the scornful look on Mrs. Dabs couldn't go unnoticed.

"Since you're insisting on till your favorite grandson gets back on his feet which he hasn't seen to have, Gold Purse had withdrawn their contract late yesterday. The pleadings fell on dead ears. And I doubt he knows the big blow he just landed on the face of the company." He was maintaining eye contact with Lewis all the while as the latter rested his chin on his folded arms on the table looking into no one but Cathy who wouldn't keep her eyes off me.

"He is coming back. This is the evidence we need." The old man was pointing towards me. I return the gesture with a smile.

"I don't know why you're not seeing any light in this. You gave your whole life to Aaron when he was alive and you're still keeping his illegitimate son on the throne even after his death. What do we make out of that? Because Aaron is the son of your beloved wife? And the rest of us born by the concubine are what? Outcast? I have Gerald here. He wants nothing in his life than to push this family's company to all lengths imaginable. He spent his years learning about business in school only for you to go out there in the streets and bring this stain into the family. Now he is changing wives like a wardrobe." It was Clarke. The anger was feasible and I'm getting to the point of this whole scenario.

"You shouldn't be raising your voice on me, Clarke. Your mother was never a devoted wife. And all this temper of yours is what your son inherited. So I should leave my company in his hands? Like you managed the company the whole three months that Aaron was in a coma? Tell me what you achieved in those three months. Go on and spit it out." The courtesy I saw in the old man earlier had vanished. He was filled with bitterness and anger. I'm guessing Aaron is Lewis's father. Interesting.

"Three months? You used three months to judge my competency. Oh great!"

Cathy was tapping him, beckoning to him to sit but the look on her face says otherwise. She is probably enjoying the whole argument.

"I think we can have an argument-free conversation, Clarke." It was Gwen, Lewis's aunt.

I didn't expect Lewis to be silent the way he is. He was all talk and no action. Why isn't he defending his father or not himself? I heard a lot about the Global company even before Aaron came for Lewis on his dying breath. The only name I knew with the company was Aaron Dawson. If the dead man hadn't done such a good job for the company I bet the old man would defend him the way he just did. Lewis is probably a disgrace to him. But he seems to be fond of him.

Silent descended on the room once more, like a graveyard.