By the time Donna and Victor made it home Claire had been gone for three hours. Since they couldn’t fuss over their daughter, Donna grabbed an apron and joined Wilder in the kitchen of their house.
"Mom, where did you get these crabs?" She asked, sniffing the air. "Are you making chili crab sauce?"
Wilder nodded. "Claire said she was craving it. I was afraid the cooking oil fumes would bother her, so I moved the cooking to your house."
Donna frowned. Claire had a baby growing inside her stomach, she needed to eat good, healthy food, especially the kind that was rich in protein. Donna really wished she could cook some octopus meat. That was the best dish she knew how to make, tenderized with herbs and cooked until soft. But she was too afraid to deny Claire what she wanted so she didn’t say anything.
"Claire fished these crabs from the sea." Wilder shared, with pride in her voice that could not be hidden. "She sold thirty-five of them at 500 dollars!"
Donna gasped. "Really, mother? There is no need to exaggerate. I know Claire is amazing, but she is new at fishing. How does an amateur fisherman get lucky twice?"
Wilder pointed a spatula at Donna. "Don’t question her abilities. That daughter of yours has a gift of the sea. The tide favors her--she will never come back empty."
A small, tender smile touched Donna’s face as she grabbed a lime. Fishing was a hard job. Other than the big companies, nobody in Briarshore actually became a millionaire off just fishing. If Claire could become successful in that field, they would all be happy for her.
When her daughter was successful again, they would slap that success in Alden and Heimi’s faces. She was softly humming a lullaby when Victor walked into the bright kitchen, a huge, heavy frown etched across his face.
Donna glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall, wiped her hands on a cloth, and asked, "Where is the octopus I sent you to buy?"
Victor didn’t answer right away. He just tossed his smartphone onto the wooden dining table with a loud clatter and let out a long, weary sigh. "My parents are coming over."
Donna blinked, her eyes darting around suspiciously. "Even Emelda?"
Victor nodded glumly.
Donna winced. Her mother-in-law, Emelda, was not their regular visitor. Ever since Stephen and Emelda left Briarshore, it was like Emelda had developed a sudden, severe allergy to the whole area. But honestly, it wasn’t just Briarshore she disliked_ it was them. Even after they had moved into the other house owned by Alden and Heimi in the same neighborhood, the old folks visited the main house all the time to see Alden’s branch of the family, but they had never once set foot in their house.
Donna smacked her lips, placing her hands firmly on her hips. "Well, I can’t wait to hear why they’re suddenly gracing us with their presence."
"Probably because I rejected Alden’s move to extend an olive branch," Victor said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. His brother had called in the morning, wanting to take Claire back into his family. Naturally, this was impossible.
How could it be a coincidence that his parents were showing up right after that?
Donna wrinkled her nose and gave him a simple smile. "Good. But next time, you tell him to take that olive branch and shove it up his ass."
Wilder turned her head, looked at her daughter, and then turned back to her cooking. She had the smile of a proud mother.
"Olive branch my ass!" Donna muttered. She was still furious about what her brother-in-law, Alden, and his wife, Heimi, had done to Claire.
Donna had lovingly raised Ritah while Alden and Heimi had not invested such love in her daughter. Alden and Heimi hadn’t acted like decent human beings. They used Claire like an overworked cash cow, squeezing every bit of labor and talent out of her, and then threw her away like a worn-out rag when they were done.
Donna huffed, wiped down the kitchen counter with aggressive strength, sat down across from her husband, and waited.
The doorbell rang.
Victor let out a long, heavy sigh and looked up at his wife. Donna just jutted her chin out at him, her silent look saying: Go open the door, they’re your parents!
Victor walked over to the front entryway and pulled open the door. His mother immediately pushed her metal walker past him without a word of greeting, complaining before she had even fully stepped inside.
"Ugh! This place smells like rotten fish! I can’t breathe in Briarshore!"
His father, Stephen, patted Victor on the back with a brief, stiff tap and gave Donna a nice, polite smile as he walked in behind his wife.
Both came to a stop when they saw Wilder walking out of the kitchen. Emelda even turned pale, as if she had seen a ghost.
"Hello Satan." Wilder tilted her head, smiling at Emelda coldly.
Emelda gulped.
"Other Satan," Wilder nodded at Stephen.
Stephen clenched his fists. "Hello Wilder," he greeted stiffly. "I know it doesn’t matter to you but I am a deacon in my church. Calling me Satan is not polite or funny."
Wilder strode by them casually, chuckling in relish. "Goodbye Satan and other Satan. I would say see you in hell, but I have a ticket to heaven. If you make my daughter cry, I will send you to hell faster than our good Lord planned. Try not to leave any demons on the way out."
Emelda and Stephen held their anger inside, waiting until the front door closed and it was safe again. Only then did they dare to sit in the living room.
Once his parents settled Victor didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest. "Why are you here?"
Stephen gasped, looking utterly shocked. "Victor! Is that how you welcome your own parents? Alden always welcomes us with warm tea, open arms, and respect!"
Donna walked in carrying a tray with fresh cups of tea. "I would have offered you those fancy macaroons you love so much, father-in-law, but we can’t afford them."
Emelda took one look at the simple teacups and sneered. "And that is exactly why you should have begged Alden to let you stay at his house, Victor. Look at you! You’re so poor that you moved to this awful neighborhood. Do you know how embarrassing this is for me and your father?"
Donna bit her bottom lip, her knuckles turning white, holding back the urge to scream something deeply rude at her in-laws.