Chapter 15

Amanda's POV

"What the fuck is wrong with you Samarrah", I shouted at my younger sister. She was home after a long time but her presence didn't make us happy, in fact, paved way for depression to the Waters Family which included me and my mother. My father was not even interested to know our well-being.

"Stop interfering in my life", Samarrah threshed my words into half and turned facing mom. Well, she was acting like a complete bitch which annoyed me even more.

"Sam, she's your elder sister. I guess you've forgotten all your ", Mom tried controlling her which was much needed.

"Yes, of course, she has forgotten her basic ethics", I just wanted her to tell me about the missing puzzle in the jigsaw.

"Fuck off ", she raised her eyebrows in an evil manner and continued "You should be more interested in your life rather than mine. I'm not even interested in looking at your face"

Her words were pricking me straight in my heart because this was not something my younger sister was awhile back. It was really obvious that mom was hurt too. She had to act mature and thus she was doing justice to her responsibilities as a mother.

Mom brought a glass of chilled soda for Samarrah, told her to calm down for a while. I stood behind her back with folded hands. I watched her take some sips of the soda peacefully. "Who is the father of your illegal child?" I interrogated in a friendly tone.

"As I said earlier, I don't want to have a deep conversation about this, so don't annoy me for God's sake", Sam acted like she didn't care at all.

"Baby, you need to share with us everything that's going on in your life, okay? Take your time", mom caressed her and continued "But first, we need to abort your child"

Yes, my 18-year-old sister was pregnant and was not even ready to tell us about the one who was responsible for it. Maybe she was hurt or maybe raped. I had to know everything because I couldn't help without knowing the correct detailed information.

Samarrah didn't care at all. She marched towards her room thumping her feet in annoyance. I followed her footsteps but was stopped by mom. She wanted Samarrah to calm down first. I was against her ideology though. The sooner we knew, the more we could help.

She left her hand purse on the couch. I observed it carefully and finally decided to investigate it, if only I could find some clue. "Don't do this Ammie, it's a bad habit"

"It's a necessity", I replied instinctively while opening the chain. There was a little amount of money along with a small paper note which read J, just the initial alphabet. Maybe, it denoted the initial of the father of Sam's baby. I quickly placed the chit in the same position as it was earlier and took that to Samarrah's room to make up for my behavior as I felt guilty.

I took her wallet and went upstairs towards her room which was beside me. I missed her absence when she was away. Memories of the past drifted in my mind, in which I haunted her when she was asleep. I still remember our endless laughter at that moment. I didn't know what changed things, I just wanted her to stay normal, was it too much to ask for?

I slightly opened her room's door and first peeped to know what exactly she was doing and then knocked slowly and entered. "Here's your wallet, you left it at the couch", I positioned the wallet towards her direction and sat next to her. No one among us spoke, silence concealed the atmosphere.

"Why are you here Ammie?" Samarrah questioned while correcting her bedsheets properly, they were in a great amount of mess.

"Just for a sibling talk", I side hugged her "Nothing personal", I made an air quotation.

"Glad to hear that after being judged for an hour ", she smiled at last.

"Everything will be fine, okay?" I rubbed her sidearm comforting her.

"Let's just hope", Sam smiled forcefully.

"Oh! You must have been tired, you should sleep for a while", I acted dominant of course, but she was my younger sister and I had all the rights.

"yea, I was thinking about it and then you popped out of nowhere ", she intended to push me out of her room with harsh words.

"Okay", I smiled cheerfully, kissed her forehead, and left. I may have overreacted a bit but it was just the spur of the moment. She either didn't know about the baby or was specifically hiding that person's name.

I had to find out the truth but first I need to figure out "how?" I bunked college that day as the morning gave some chilly surprises already. I have been bunking college a lot lately. I just hoped that it didn't affect my academic results for that year.

I dressed up as fast as I could and rushed towards the office but first I took a quick shower. I always tend to take hot water baths when I was confused or puzzled or maybe just out of the path. It always comforted me, all my pains drifted along with the water which traveled across my body. Everyone has different stress busters right? Francis eats a lot and Gina just doesn't leave the bed.

I decided to keep the whole pregnancy thing of my sister a secret as it would disrupt her public as well as private image in the minds of people. I thought of keeping quiet for a while and hiding it from Gina and Francis but certainly, they could help me reveal the missing part of the jigsaw so I decided to talk with them about it.

I quickly took a taxi as I couldn't afford to wait any longer for the public bus. It sucked sometimes, though they were pocket friendly and economical.

I reached the office within half an hour. I quickly took the elevator and rushed towards my cabin. No, I didn't greet Mr. Reynolds as I was in no mood for it. I took my place, settled myself for 10 minutes, and took a peaceful sip of water.

On hearing a continuous siren at my cabin, I rushed towards his cabin. The siren was an effect of the bell Mr. Reynolds rang whenever he required my presence.

"Yes, sir ", I didn't ask permission and just marched in his cabin. James was right there smiling whilst looking at me.

"Manners, Miss Waters ", Mr. Reynolds started pointing out the nooks in me.

"I'm sorry ", I apologized

"Now go back and come again after taking genuine permission", Mr. Reynolds looked towards the door and smirked. I hated his arrogance but God Damn I had no way out of here. I was no longer interested in the seduction game after knowing the bad kind of good news from Samarrah.

I turned back towards the main door of his cabin, forcefully smiled, and asked: "Can I come in now sir?"

"Surely", Mr. Reynolds answered quite formally. He didn't even laugh after insulting me. His actions and words were the reason I wanted to stab him several times in his chest.

"Yes Sir, why is my presence required?" I questioned quite formally.

"Get ready Miss Waters, we are going for a business meeting on the outskirts of this city", he ordered me like I was one type of a slave he purchased from some local market.

"Okay, when do we have to leave?" I questioned again.

"Probably in 10 minutes", James answered with a grim face.

"Okay!" I felt like I was some kind of Hazel Grace saying innumerable okay.

"See you guys at the party there, I have some important work here. After finishing some leftover work, I'll join you guys there", James talked while running his hands through his hair making it a mess. He always played with his hair. Like, excuse me, James, it's a girly move.

"What kind of work do you have? And since did you start taking interest in doing work?" Mr. Reynolds smiled whilst looking at James. They had this brother-from-another-mother kind of connection. I felt like a third wheel in between their friendship.

"I will tell you later but for now I have to rush", James grabbed his coat and rushed outside the cabin.

"So let's go, Miss Waters. You are highly warned before you create any scene there", this was becoming our little tradition as whenever we had to go somewhere, I was warned before, but the more I tried to control, the more my actions turned out to be clumsy.

"Yes, after you ", I signaled him to walk before me.

"Take all those files and my laptop bag, don't forget any of it and freshen up if you want because it's a long journey ", and the boss was ordering her personal maid aka the secretary again.

"Okay!" I myself was annoyed with the innumerable okays I used in a day. I took a deep view of myself in the mirror and tied up my hairs into a high ponytail, straightened up my knee-length shift dress, took all of the belongings of Mr. Reynolds in both of my hands which were fully consumed because of it.

I texted a short message to Mom mentioning her to stay calm if I came home late. I sighed after receiving a text back from her.

After keeping all the files and the laptop's bag carefully at the back seat of Mr. Reynolds's car, I settled myself comfortably in his highly imported and expensive car.

To my surprise, Mr. Reynolds sat next to me and a driver was appointed to drive us to someplace I had no idea about. But then, I remembered that owners of the car never sit next to their drivers, one stupid concept of this society, so whatever he did was fair enough.

"Drive towards Pallapora town", he signaled the driver while looking at the time in his watch. The town's name was somewhat similar to me, I just didn't remember so I focused hard and then realized that it was the very place where Samarrah was. Maybe, I could do a little digging there.

Heading towards Pallapora town was the only decision of Mr. Reynolds that made me happy but the fact that I had to sit there all the time with him was threatening me. He had this devil kind of image in my mind.

"Keep those files and laptop on the passenger seat ", this time it was the driver who had to obey the command of the king. He quickly opened my side of the door and took all those stuff from my hand and placed them on the passenger seat next to him.