Trapped by Pandora

Chapter 7: Slap

Lord Vishaka Hamra watched his only puppet princess sitting pensively on the porch. His gaze stared blankly at the night sky. Alin doesn't usually talk.

“Lin, what are you thinking? From earlier Papa see sitting dumbly by himself.”

Alin was shocked, his papa was already on the side while locking the wheelchair. Alin was confused where to start, considering their conversation last time, he insisted on asking his father to marry first. Now it looks like he's gonna lick his own spit. Alin believes Papa will cheer cheer up at her wedding plans, but that's not the main issue.

“I no longer think of anything, Pa!” his elbow.

“You don't have to lie, Papa knows very well if you sit daydreaming here, there must be a problem.”

The tall-nosed girl is not good at lying, especially in front of her papa. Slowly Alin turned around to sit facing his beloved father.

“Pa,” Alin trying to collect pieces of his courage.

“Pa, if there is a child who asks Papa for help to be his parents, would Papa help?”

“Does the child have no parents?”

“Ehm, his parents are single parent. The child does not want his parents to marry someone else who is considered evil. He threatened to run away from home.”

Mr. Vishaka listened intently and tried to guess the direction of his daughter's conversation.

“Which men are lucky?” tanyanya full of search.

“Hah? Any luck? Mean Papa?”

“Who's lucky man will marry you?” Alin bought, the agitated moving eyeballs covered his shock. How could his papa's guess be directly on point like that?

“Kok, Papa can know anyway?”

“You're Papa's son, Lin. Of course Papa knows.”

“Ih, Papa is already a psychic!” muttered Alin who was greeted with his papa's righteousness.

“Have their families come here to propose to you,” said Mr. Vishaka calmly.

“But, Pa..,” Mr. Vishaka rubbed the back of Alin's hand.

“Alin, just do what your heart says. Do what you think is right. Papa will always support you, hem!” a nod to his papa's head set Alin's troubled heart.

“But there is no love between us, Pa. My dream is a marriage filled with love.”

“You're wrong, son. Papa look, you guys have the same love.”

Alin did not understand the meaning of his father's words. Obviously Beryl and himself just know each other, even just met three times. How can there be the same love?

“You both love that kid, right? It was the same love,” Alin just woke up.

“Love has many forms. The slightest love can be the foundation in a relationship. And all of that will work if you are both patient and fighting.”

“Look Papa, Papa was once just your broken-hearted Mama's escape. Even though your mother loved Papa as a friend, Papa was patient in accepting him. Continue to struggle without despair to maintain such a small love until this second,” continued Mr. Vishaka.

Alin was stunned in disbelief. In the eyes of Alin, both of his parents were lovers who became role models. There were never any fights during the time of their marriage. Always loving every day, the sight she missed.

“Times anyway, Pa? Papa don't joke, deh!” Alin thought it was just his papa joke.

“Yeah, that's the reality.”

“But Alin has never seen Mama and Papa fight, which I see you guys love each other.”

“That's because we fought each other to maintain the love we had no matter what form. Never mind, tomorrow introduce Papa to the jackpot-winning man.”

“Idiih, what a jackpot anyway, Pa! Was it a sweepstakes?” sulk Alin.

“Hahaha, stop! Come log in!” Mr. Vishaka laughed loudly.

“But Pa..,”

“Aparticularly?” Mr. Vishaka stopped his hand from reaching for the wheelchair key.

“My age and she's adrift,” Alin is back in doubt.

“How far?” Mr. Vishaka squinted his eyes.

“Di-he was almost the same age as Papa,” Alin took a look in his papa face. There was clearly a bit of shock behind his calm demeanor.

“Heemmm, honestly Papa was a bit surprised to hear that. But, sometimes love does not look at age, do not look at time, let alone place. All decisions are in your hands, Lin. Papa will support whatever your decision,” Alin's chest feels tight, Papa is the number one supporter. No matter in a sad, angry, disappointed, or happy situation, papa is always there for him.

Alin hugged his papa's body tightly, teardrops sliding down his cheeks. At times like this, Alin actually misses his mother even more.

“It's late, let's go in! Too long here, later even catch a cold,” exclaimed Mr. Vishaka.

^^o^

Alin parked his car in the front parking lot of the entrance to Monzana Enterprise Building. Shut down the car engine. Seeing the building that looked majestic towering, Alin hesitated. He even questioned his own beliefs.

“Not really am I here?”

The shadow of his father's speech last night, still vividly remembered. However, he himself did not know why he wanted to make such a sacrifice for someone else he did not know well. Was the reason really purely because of the empathy Mallory felt? The tear-filled face of Mallory begs her to dance in memory. The sad face made him remember himself when he lost his mother.

Armed with her humility and blazing social spirit, Alin gets out of the car. He walked into the Monzana Enterprise Building. Alin tidied up his clothes. Casual mini dress gray along the knee, made from babyterry with a short crate made of tile and three-fourth arms look so fit in the slender body.

“Good morning, Ma'am!” answer to the receptionist on duty.

“I want to meet Mr. Beryl Monza.”

“What's there been an appointment before?”

“Ehmmm, not yet mbak,” Alin regretted having not had time to tell Beryl about his plan.

“My name is Alin Odity, his children's dentist. Can you please convey to him?” Alin hoped his arrival would not be in vain.

“Oh, Doctor? I briefly connect to his secretary first.”

The receptionist contacted someone by phone in front of him. Alin waited patiently as he spread his gaze across the lobby. The design of the room looks minimalist but classy with dominated dove colors until not impressed stiff.

“Excuse me, Doctor Alin!” Alin turned his eyes back to the reception desk.

“Please go up to the seventh floor,” the receptionist moved her hand courteously towards the elevator next to the reception desk.

“Alright, thank you!” Alin was relieved to hear it. He rushed to the elevator.

Arriving on the seventh floor, Alin dived to the right and to the left. On the floor there are only two large rooms. One is written meeting room, means Beryl's office is in the other room. Alin stopped his steps at the secretary's desk in front of the room that read the chief director. Alin did not see a single person roaming the area, even a hollow sound was heard.

“Tante don't dream of marrying Daddy! Later if you do not deliver, Aunt can faint! Make a fuss!” suddenly a voice came from inside the room.

“Huh, what kind of little rabbit do you get? It still smells like fighting me! No level!” there's another voice. Alin stepped closer to the door.

“Yeah, I still smell fast. Not quite as high as Aunt. But that doesn't mean I can't fight Auntie! Basic grandma drop by!” Alin tiptoed, it seemed like he was familiar with that voice.

“What did you say? Grandma attachments? How dare you!” a loud slap rang out from behind Beryl's study.

“Remember boy, you and your sisters are just pickups! When I get married to Beryl, I'll make sure you guys languish in the dorm! If necessary, I will send you back to your Papa family!”

“Basic lunakaa woman! Aaarrrgghhhh ..!”

Next came the alternating screams of two people that made Alin even more panicked because he knew very well that Mallory's voice. He also opened the door. How surprised he was when he saw Mallory and a much older woman were snapping and clawing.

“Rory, stop! Stop it!  Rory...,” Alin ran then pulled Mallory's body away from the woman.

Instead of being calm, Mallory was getting louder.

“Lease! Unhand me! I'm going to beat up that attached grandma!” mallory's youthful energy was so strong, Alin had barely any power to hold it.

“Mrs, please stop! She is still a child, please stop!” pekik Alin tight.

“Hey, what did you say? The madam? Who are you, huh?” Zora paused for a moment as she was troubled by Alin's appearance.

“This is none of your business, so get out of the way!” fierce Zora with hot breaths that hunt.

“Are you not ashamed of fighting against minors like barbarians?” Alin is not completely confused with Zora's childlike behavior. It does not describe the maturity of his age at all.

“I told you, this is none of your business! Now leave! Go say!” Zora is completely out of control.

“I'm not a...” a hard slap landed on Alin's right cheek before she finished her sentence.

Alin held onto her cheek which felt very sore. He did not accept being treated like this. The woman standing in front of him was acting so wild, like he was running out of sedatives.

“Sister Alin!” Mallory held tightly onto Alin's left arm, the girl was anxious.

“That's a lesson so you don't interfere in other people's affairs!” said Zora cynically.

Alin countered Zora's slap which resulted in the woman glaring sharply.

“That's a lesson so you don't haphazardly slap people!” yang Alin ketus.

“You!” zora growled, clenching both hands.

“You should be glazed! A dignified woman would not commit such a violent deed and persecution! I do not accept, I will report this to the Police!” threatening Alin who managed to make Zora's anger even more exploding.

“Aarrrghhh.., you!” Zora was about to attack Alin by sticking her fingernails into Alin's scalp.

“Zora!” beryl's voice was as loud as the roar of lightning ready to strike.

“For God's sake, what are you doing?” Zora shuddered in fear, Beryl's voice sounding exactly the hiss of the arrows released from her bow. Ready to slash and slash him.

“A-I,” Zora tongue.

“Daddy!” Mallory ran to hug Beryl who was in shock seeing the appearance of her ABG daughter disheveled. There were some thin scratches on both cheeks. Beryl turned to Alin. His right cheek was red, at the right corner of his lips was like a bloodstain. Implied anger in Alin's cynical eyes.

“Beryl dear, they attacked me!” Zora defended herself as Beryl looked at her with a glint of sharp eyes.

Beryl tightened her jaw, her hands clenched, her molars pressed firmly. If Zora had been a man, Beryl would have killed her. Had Zora's parents not been friends with her parents, Beryl would have drowned her. Beryl could not see her daughter crying. He never hit the kids, Zora could do that.

Then Beryl pulled Alin's left hand and placed it on Zora's cheek, confident that Beryl would not dare to hit. Beryl never hit a woman as bad as her behavior. However, he was aghast as Beryl used Alin's hand to slap him.

“You've gone too far Zora! Get out of front of me! Just for the sake of appreciating the friendship between our parents, I won't report you to the police. But remember well, once again you hurt my family, I myself will destroy you with my hands!”

“Beryl, dear Beryl, why are you defending this woman? He attacked me!” Zora pointed at Alin. If Beryl defends Mallory, she can understand that. However, this was an alien woman he had just met, out of nowhere.

“She, my future wife! Now get out of here, before I can't control my anger! Eijaz, call security! Get him out of here!”

“Good Sir!”

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