Chapter 97 – Conflict
Chapter 97 - Conflict
...
Isla's eyes kept staring at both Celesta's and my figure sitting together for a bit, before she gave out a very gentle smile and spoke,
"I am glad that everyone is here already. Now, this is something I have been thinking about for a long time, but since I have finally succeeded in doing away with the hurdles, I have decided to announce it now."
"Celesta, haven't I told you once before, about how I wish to relax with all of you on a trip somewhere outside? Well, after my improving performance was recognised at work, I have been granted a whole week off, for my family vacation! Although it won't be all paid for, but the hotel, lodging charges and the travel cost would be paid for by the company."
"I wanted to ask you all, what time of the month or this year would be best for you all to go on such a trip without affecting your prior plans or studies. Please answer me considering any and all prior commitments that you might have. I don't want anyone of us to suffer just because of my owns sudden arrangements."
After hearing Isla announce Celesta's predicted words, Jorah stared at her mother in shock, as she hugged her arms tighter and asked,
"Mom... really? You are really taking us on a trip?! Is it going to be soon? And, do we have to do some shopping before going? Also, would it be somewhere outside the nation or inside it."
Isla laughed merrily and rubbed Jorah's hair lovingly as she replied,
"Hahahaha. Worry not, Jorah. We would be choosing our destination as well. Although l I have had a few places of my own to recommend, I would like to hear about where all of you would find fun to visit and fun to do."
Jorah jumped in delight, as she ran over to Celesta's side and held Celesta's hands within hers as she cheerfully asked,
"Great!! Big Sisters Celesta, Lara and Lanita would definitely have some free time after their Semester-end exams and mid-term exams. And, as for me, um..."
Isla shook her head at Jorah's poorly hidden intent, as she spoke,
"Hey hey. Don't act so coyly, alright? I will apply for your leave of absence myself, okay?"
"Yay~! I knew it. You are the best Mom ever! Big Sister Celesta, how about you?"
Jorah planted a few long kisses on Isla's face before she began her own little planning session.
At that moment, Celesta raised her hand and asked curiously,
"Um, I don't mind a break together with my family. And I am asking this just in case. But, would Carene be going along with us..?"
Isla smiled at me weirdly once, before she turned back to address Celesta,
"Of course. She is now a part of our family too after all. And, our grown up lady Celesta certainly won't let her own little girlfriend sulk around the house in her absence, would she?"
Celesta's face turned a deep shade of red as she exclaimed,
"M-Mom! If Carene is going too, then I am fine as well. As for the timing, I would adjust according to everyone's preferences."
Just as Celesta and I began to cheer up for the upcoming trip, Lanita stood up from her seat and spoke to Isla,
"About that, but... it is a family outing. Is it really that necessary to include her in our private family trip."
Seeing Lanita speaking about it, Lara jumped into the action as well as she loudly asked,
"Exactly! Just like Lanita said, I have no intentions of joining this dumb woman on a trip anywhere. Now, decide Mom. It's either her or us!"
Lanita turned to glare at Lara's side and muttered,
"Hey, why are you including me as well? I was just asking..."
Isla looked very troubled by their sudden objection, as she spoke with a strained smile,
"Lara, Lanita, I know that it isn't fair towards you two if we bring Carene along, since you two feel uncomfortable around her. However, remember that a trip like this is extremely rare for our family. It's not everyday that we get the chance to be together as a family somewhere outside. Do you two really want to miss out on it that much? Or, could it be that you would feel embarrassed to hang around with your own family?"
Lara flinched heavily upon hearing that, as she swiftly responded,
"N-No! Nothing like that, Mom. I-If you are going to say that much, then I would bare with it somehow..."
Lanita looked very ashamed as she stared at the floor and weakly replied,
"Me too, Mom. I have no such big issues, so I don't see a problem in going as well. Actually, I wanted to spend some time together with everyone as well. As for Carene, as long as she keeps her behaviour in check, we won't mind her all that much. Also, the timing Jorah mentioned is fine with us too."
Isla seemed very satisfied with the twin's response as she spoke with a happy look on her face,
"Hmm... I see. Glad to hear that, Lara Lanita. Then the timing for the trip is decided. Around 3 months from now, after the end of your semester-end and midterm exams, we would depart for our vacation together. Now that the talk about timing is out of the way, it's time for some fun talk. Everyone, now is the time to decide the destination of our vacation! Be it a National or an International location, feel free to speak out your minds. We would collectively decide on one."
...
As both twins received their answers from Isla, an atmosphere of excitement became evident from everyone in the living room. Now in addition to the positively glowing Isla, the overly curious Jorah and the kindly smiling Celesta, even the twins begun to happily discuss the things about regarding the trip.
So, a family outing, huh. As expected of Celesta, she had rightly guessed earlier. Isla really had plans for a vacation together with everyone, just that none of us expected it to be happening so soon.
Really, the coming three months time would surely pass us by so fast that we ourselves wouldn't know how and when the time to leave has arrived.
Jorah was the most energetic of the bunch as she kept on giving her suggestions,
"Let's go to the Artics! I want to see the Polar Bears!"
Lara glared towards Jorah as she spoke,
"Hey, haven't you had enough with the animals? And I have no plans of going somewhere so cold!"
Jorah became dejected upon hearing that as she muttered,
"But... I wanted to see them once too..."
Celesta looked between the two sisters, as she turned towards Jorah and spoke softly,
"Jorah, it would severely affect everyone's health if we go there. It's better to choose between a warmer place for the sake of our health and safety."
Jorah pouted as if she had been wronged and asked again,
"Okay... then, how about the beaches?"
Lara shot down Jorah's suggestion again as she gave her own idea instead,
"Nope. I have visited them all to often with my friends. In fact... how about a fashion tour!!"
Lanita looked shocked as she eyed her twin with a look of betrayal and spoke,
"Eh... but, I was thinking of going to an upcoming Gaming Convention."
Lara snorted heavily as she gave Lanita a side glance and spoke to her,
"Oh please, Lanita. We would go there sometime by ourselves, okay? Just think about my idea! Imagine how awesome it would be surrounded the beautiful clothes and handsome men all around us!"
Lanita seemed troubled on how to answer, as she just sighed heavily in the end and spoke in a defeated tone,
"I-I see... Fine, if you feel that way..."
Isla glared at the proud as a peacock Lara and spoke sternly,
"Lara, it's no good to demotivate your little siblings like this. Be more mindful of your actions as their elder sister, alright?"
Lara didn't seem to mind Isla's words though, as she cheerfully replied,
"Sure, sure Mom. So, how about it? What you think of my suggestion?"
...
As the talk regarding the trip progressed, a figure flash through my mind, making me super anxious. Although I knew that I was hardly qualified to sit here in the family meeting, making personal requests here would be challenging everyone's bottom line. And yet, I could stop myself from feeling sour for my newly made friend, who was busy dealing with her own set of problems, without anyone near to support her.
Thinking of stuff like that, I decided to carefully ask Isla about it,
"Um, I know that I shouldn't be disturbing everyone's conversation right now. But, would it be okay to bring a friend of mine along with us? Please don't worry about her part of the expenses though! I-I would bear all of hers and mine expenses by myself. And so, I was wondering if..."
An incomparable blanket of silence fell upon everyone, as they all stared at me for various reasons. Their gazes were filled with either curious or mocking looks, as all of them quietly stared at me, before Lara finally broke the silence with her voice filled with malice,
"Hey, aren't you taking us too lightly here? Just because we have decided to silently ignore your vile existence, do you have to go so out of your way to irritate us like this? Just you joining us is due to Mom's grace, and you wish to bring another one with us? Tell me, what part of 'family outing' do you not understand? Do you properly know the meaning of the word 'private'?"
Celesta looked furious as she stood up at once and angrily spoke to Lara,
"Lara, behave yourself. Carene is not only older than you in age, but also my... girlfriend. You have no right to be so rude with her. Mom is the one who would be deciding if she should accept Carene's request or not. It's not your turn yet to be the one deciding everything for us."
Lara had a mocking smile on her face, as she crosses her legs and defiantly stared at Celesta as she spoke,
"Oh ho... is that so? I didn't expect this from you, Celesta. Well, if want it this way, then so be it. If she is allowed to do that, then if I were to bring a few of my boyfriends along, would it be fine with everyone? Huh? What's wrong, everyone? Believe me, being held within a man's strong and manly arms would feel a thousand times better than the week embrace of a pathetic woman. And, especially if you are being held by several men at once... oh, how exciting~!"
Celesta gritted her teeth in rage as she furiously scolded,
"Lara! Do you have to speak such vulgar words right now? Jorah is still here with us! Keep a lid on your mouth!"
Lara snorted in disgust as she gave Celesta a fake smile and mocked,
"Aiya... if you ever need a man's taste anytime, just tell me once and I would lend you a few, okay? 'Big Sister', I would help you out anytime you want~!"
Celesta stomped her feet in fury as she growled,
"You..!"
Hearing the twins and Celesta arguing with each other, Isla quickly stopped their quarrel and stared at me questioningly, as she asked,
"Quiet! Both of you! I am still here, alive and well! Don't you twp dare question my authority again, alright? And Lara, I haven't agreed to Carene's request just yet. Do not speak in such a way again, either infront of me or in front of Jorah. You have your own life, and I respect your life choices. But remember to be considerate of others as well, especially your family! Apologize to Celesta right now."
Lara looked deeply shocked at Isla's reaction as she asked,
"B-But... Mom..?"
Isla didn't continue to entertain her though, as she strongly declared,
"APOLOGIZE. NOW."
A tear rolled down Lara's eyes, who swiftly wiped it away and turned to look down as she spoke in monotone,
"Uh... fine. Sorry. I want speak like that again."
Isla stared at Lara in disappointment and shook her head in defeat as she spoke,
"Hmm... I will let it be for now. And Carene... about your request. Hmm... the friend that you mentioned just earlier, is it a boy or a girl..?"
A boy?? Like hell I would involve a boy in the midst of these beautiful ladies!
"I-It's a girl. She has been suffering a lot lately and has no other friends beside me. So, I thought that..."
A strange glint appeared in Isla's eyes as she smiled mysteriously while staring at me and replied in an ambiguous tone,
"Hmm? I see~~."
Unlike what I had expected, a very mischievous look appeared next on Isla's, face when I said that, as she giggled to herself and proudly announced,
"Alright. So long as it's a cute girl and you are ready to pay for her expenses by yourself, I see no problem in her being with us. Happy now, Carene?"
What else could I say? It would be awesome if Nihara joined us too!
"Ah! Thank you, Aunt Isla. I will take full responsibility for her. I promise you that she won't be troubling anyone's vacation spirit or enjoyment."
Isla nodded in delight as she happily replied,
"Hmm. I will take your word on that then."
"I am glad for your acceptance. S-She's a nice girl, I swear."
Isla giggled at my response and spoke to me,
"Huhuhuhu, I can tell from the look in your eyes... She is a special person to you, right~?"
"W-What..?"
Special?? Well, she's special alright. I dare anyone to bring another pure soul like her.
...
And like I thought, the uproar resumed with Isla's decision, but she hardly seemed affected by it. Knowing Isla so far, I knew that she just did what she felt like doing, without giving any one a chance to object to her statements. Even if the Lara screamed, threw tantrums and even threatened to boycott the trip itself, Isla remained calm and collected throughout, expertly dealing with the twins' each acquisition wittily, as even Lara gave up in the end, settling to just glaring at me angrily.
A little surprisingly, her facial look was being mirrored by the Tenant, who seemed to have been listening to our talks since a while ago from the staircase, from where she gave me a death stare as if she was extremely unwilling to let it all happen.
Oh well, I give up with this girl. If you all got a problem with the arrangements, try talking to Isla about it then. She is the true boss around this place.
And now, I am very sure that with Isla's support and backing, none of them would even dare to create trouble for me anymore, at least regarding this matter.
...
A/N: Sorry for being late everyone. Hoping to release more frequently.