WORRYING CONFRONTATIONS

I am still rooted near the door, peeling at the scene before me with bewilderment. "You both stop this!" Mrs. Riccaforte exclamations, standing between them and gazing at them one after another.


She is a burning lioness among the two lions, but her anger is different. It is not because she is angry at someone, but that anger and fear of a woman seeing his family fight, and much worse, in front of her. It is that fear of seeing a hint of your family being torn into pieces- the fear of losing a home, a family that you built for years and with a lot of sweart and sacrifices. She looks miserably furious, torn, and her fears cannot go unnoticed as well. I feel sorry for her, especially because neither Damian nor Mr Riccaforte is willing to back down. Not even at her plea.

"It has been years since we were together like this as a family," she continues, trying to stop that fight and speak some sense into the two enraged me, 'and this is what you two can do best? Can't you set your differences aside for once?" She cries, and I mean crying, except that only the tears are not falling. I don't know for how long, though, because her voice is totally broken, and I can see her chest heaving up and down from here.

Mr Riccaford takes a step back from Damian, perhaps opting not to stress his wife any further. He then fixes his eyes on his son. "I expect you to do what is expected of you, Damian. Prove yourself that you are my son and act like a Riccaforte for once! All we did was solely for you, and I am not apologetic for that!"


Damian locks the gap his father created, tossing his mother aside gently as he does so, and racks right in front of his father's nose. Both giants are tall and strong, exuding the same demeaning power to each other. "I will have you know that I too am not apologizing for what I did, nor for defying you even now. I am done being controlled a long time ago when I left this house and if you didn't stop me back then, father, you undoubtedly don't stand a chance even now. I ain't proving myself to you or anyone."

'You have to…"


'I know my worth," he cuts his father off, not giving him a chance to speaks, 'and if doing only what you want is what will make me your son, father, then I am done being a Riccaforte!"

Even I had to flinch at that, while his mother's jaw drops to the floor, a tear leaving her eye which she scours right away, perhaps refusing to breakdown before she can save the situation. She reaches for her son who is daring his father. 'Son, you can't do this. You are…"

Damian raises his hand to his mother's face, but his eyes are still locking with his father's. Mrs. Riccaforte remains defeatedly mute, while Damian continues addressing his father, 'You can also remove me from your will if I am incorporated into it. I have made enough wealth for myself, so I don't need to bend to your selfishness for anything."

'Watch how you speak to your father, Damian. I am still…"

'Fathers," Damian proves himself to be a stubborn ass once again, cutting his father off, 'Fathers see the potential in their sons and support their dreams. I will not ask what kind of a father that you are because I don't want to soud more insulting, but I will tell you one thing, father; it is not my fault that you can't see that I don't need to be a Riccaforte to succeed in life! If this is the last day to see you, I might as well take the pleasure of letting you know that I proved you damn wrong! I made it in life - without you, without your money, without your connections, without your influence or guidance, and without even using your name! And all these years that I was away, I was so happy and peaceful without your mendling, Father! I made it really big, as just Damian Almeda! That what the city of Mombasa know me as, just Damian Almeda!"

He doesn't even blink as he spits that to his father's face, and he begins to storm out without sparing his father another glance whose head has been bowed down by Damian's words, but his long strides are halted by my figure.

"Ellie!" He calls, and his parents snap their mortified faces at me.

I never knew that the issue between them was this serious. I never knew it was this intense. I am at a loss of words about their situation right.

And him, what is Damian planning to do? Go back to Mombasa again? He can't fucking do that! He certainly can't leave! What about me? I mean, we are pretending to be a couple, right? We made a pact to make everyone believe that we are working things out. He won't throw me under the bus, right now? And my father? He is not thinking about my father's condition? What happened to the promise he gave my father just two days ago? He has forgotten all about just because of what he going through with his parents? Am I that easy to lie to and toss aside whenever he freaking feel like it?

"Ellie!" Mrs Riccaford calls as the three figures stroll towards me.

I take a step toward the as I compose myself. I shound not show just how much I am scared of their situation. I forge a smile that clearly betrays me. How can I affor a smile with my father's condition and now this?

Their faces denote just how much embarrassed they are to have been caught in that situation. Well, I am surprised, for real, and I think they have every right to feel this way. I mean, their soon-to- be daughter daughter-in-law just walked in on the having such a serious fight. They must be really swimming in embarassment.