Sharp Tongue

Episode 23

Eureka marched into the sitting room,
followed by her husband and daughter. Martha and her husband were seated on the cushion.

Daniel cleared his throat, “Good morning,
we know it is early… ”

“Yes it is very early,” Eureka snapped and
settled on the first chair she found.

The couple exchanged glances, “We
apologize, we are actually here to see Sheila,” Martha addressed them.

John sat beside his wife while his daughter
sat opposite Martha and her husband.

“Why do you want to see Sheila? You could
have called, isn’t it too early to hold a family
meeting?”

Martha coughed and leaned back on the
cushion.

“Please excuse my wife. She had a late
night.”

“Your visit disrupted my rest,” she added
without remorse.

Martha got to her feet, so did her husband,
“We apologize once again. You are right, we
should have called.

We know it is quite early. But, the
earlier we… We will come back.”

Eureka looked at her sister-in-law, then at
Daniel.

They both looked as if they had not slept
well.

She felt sorry for them. Her attitude had
probably bruised their state of mind.

“I am sorry, I become cranky whenever I
don’t sleep well. Please sit down.”

Martha shook her head, “We will call, then
come back.”

“Please stay, we insist,” John assured
them.

They sat back on the cushion and turned to
look at Sheila who had been watching them all.

“Sheila… ” She cleared her throat, “We don’t have the best of relationships. It is my
fault.”

She watched her aunt, confused by her
saddened countenance. What happened to her? Why was she taking the blame for what was not entirely her fault?

“Regardless of your bad attitude and… and
the…

” She cleared her throat again. Daniel sq
££zed her shoulder. “I… I should have known
better.

I should have acted better. I… I should have
responded in love. You know… What kind of
auntie am I? What kind of Christian am I?

If… If I cannot be Christ like,” tears slided down her face.

She had never seen her aunt this way. The
woman always acted in control of things.

But, she looked as if she had been broken, inside out.

She wished she could wipe her tears away.
“All I am asking for is… I want us to… Even
if we can’t… Can we… ” She tightened her grip on Daniel’s hand. She inhaled and tried to hold back the tears threatening to flood her face.

John and Eureka exchanged glances. Was
this the reconciliation they had been praying
for?

They had been interceeding for Martha and
their daughter for several months.

Sheila took a deep breath and exhaled
slowly.

She could hardly remember why or how her
relationship with her aunt detoriated.

She would love to get to know her and build a better relationship with her. Not just her, but every member of the Adams family.

“I am sorry too… I… It is not entirely your
fault. I am at fault too.”

She met her neice’s sad gaze.

“I am sorry for everything. I would really like
us to be… to be… to be…” She bit her lower lip.

Martha looked at her husband. God had
answered their prayers. They had asked him for help.

They had asked him to restore their family and he had done more than what they asked.

Eureka dabbed her wet eyes with the edge
of her nightwear.

“We forgive you for everything. Please
forgive us too.”

Sheila nodded and swallowed hard.

Martha got up and stretched out her hands,
“Can I have a hug?”

She pushed herself up and walked towards
her aunt. Her heart was hammering against her chest. Who would have thought she and her aunt would ever reconcile? She closed the gap between them and embraced her.

Daniel sighed with relief. He was glad that
his wife and her neice were going to make an effort to build a healthy relationship.

“I hope you are both staying for breakfast,”
John winked at his sister. She nodded and her
husband smiled at him.