Brat
Alisha finished her pasta and inquired, "Daisy Aunty, what do you usually do all day?"
Daisy smiled at Alisha's endearing use of names, "I mostly just stay at home and do nothing much."
"Don't you get bored doing nothing all day?,”Alisha probed further.
"I do get bored, so I try to help with cooking and other tasks,” Daisy admitted.
Alisha nodded thoughtfully, "Why don't you do something more? Mother Mary always says that girls should work and be self-sufficient."
Daisy's pride swelled at Alisha's words, "I used to have a business, but when Alice started his own successful venture, he insisted I take a break, so I did."
"Why would he stop you from working? How could he do that? It's not right that you had to give up your job because of him. He's a bad guy," Alisha questioned.
"He's not that bad, Alisha. It's just his temper. He didn't want me to work because of my health. He's concerned about me and wants me to rest," Daisy reassured her.
"What health condition, Aunty?,"Alisha pressed.
Daisy affectionately patted Alisha's head, "It's nothing, dear. You ask so many difficult questions, but always stay true to yourself, just as Mother Mary advises."
"I love Mother Mary and all my friends at the orphanage. It's a special place for me,”Alisha beamed.
Alice arrived and overheard Alisha's words. He stood at the gate, exuding confidence, and declared, "Surely you're coming with me to the office. As you said, everyone needs to work. You are going to work too. I will not feed you for free; do some work."
Alisha and Daisy turned their heads towards Alice, who stood there in all his glory, dressed impeccably. Alisha asked him, "What?"
"Just as you're telling Mom, surely you need to work too. Nobody here is going to feed you for free."
Alisha, with widened eyes, responded, "I'm just in my first year and attended the first day two days ago. How can you tell me to work? I don't even have a degree to work. Why do I need to work? I'm not a freeloader."
"Is that so? Because it doesn't seem like you're not free, as you live rent-free in your so-called orphanage, being a freeloader on them and now teaching my mom how to be independent, when you are not even independent enough to spell correctly," Alice raised his eyebrows and asked.
Alisha felt deeply hurt by his words. She felt the sting of his words, making her eyes teary. How could she be a freeloader? Mother Mary never made her feel this way. She's just 18; how can someone expect her to earn? She can earn after graduation. But now, he's just insulting her with nothing else. Tears started flowing from her eyes, realising how she's being made to feel like a burden, something her Mother Mary never let her feel.
Daisy saw Alisha in tears and angrily said, "What the hell are you doing, Alice? Why are you behaving like this? Look at what you did. Why make her cry?,” Daisy hugged Alisha and started patting her back, "It's fine. He's just wrong. You are not a burden on anyone."
"Who said she's not? She's 18, still living with Mother Mary in an orphanage when, according to the rules, she should leave. But there she is, still living with them. How clueless she can be, trying to teach you without having a brain in her head," Alice emotionlessly answered.
Daisy couldn't believe she was hearing her son talk like this.
"I'm not going anywhere, Auntie. I want to be here. What work can I do with my leg and hand injuries? I have college too; that's why I'm taking a holiday today," Alisha started crying hard and said.
"We're not playing here, dear. When I say we're going, we're going. There's no way I'm going to let this slide. You're coming with me, no matter how much you cry. You're just going to hear me out, rather than crying your eyes out," Alice interrupted.
"Eyes cry, not asses," Alisha, while crying, said.
Alice knew this was her usual response, so he ignored her remark. He said, "Cry from wherever you want, but be ready in 10 minutes. We're leaving from here. Your dress will be prepared here, Mom. Leave her. I don't have time to waste on this so-called drama."
Daisy sighed and spoke, "You can go with him, Alisha. It's fine. His office has a comfortable space. You're going to like it there. I think it will be fine if you leave with him, because that's something that just needs to be done."
Alisha couldn't understand why Daisy's words had suddenly changed. She replied, "But I really don't want to go anywhere. If you want to send me anywhere, please send me home. I really can't be here."
Alice, in an authoritative tone, said, "You can go from here. I can handle this brat by myself. She's coming with me in ten minutes. You don't have to worry about it."
Alisha felt scared when he said this. It scared her, but she hugged Daisy more tightly, not wanting to leave her at all.
Daisy felt uneasy and didn't know whom to help—her son or Alisha, who was sweet and innocent and needed her help but didn't know if she could provide it.
There was something inside her telling her that she was making a mistake, that things shouldn't have gone this way.
"Alisha, it's fine. Just try to understand, child."
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