Episode 4 - Unhappily Married

Rami, charged towards James and his mom, his fists swinging with every intention of bloodying them up. “Brother, Stop!”, yelled Rachel stepping in between them, shielding them from the blows of Rami. “What are you doing sister? ”, Rami’s eyes grew wide as he stopped dead in his tracks, “Don’t you get it? Your husband hit you and this old hag let that happen in her watch. Shame on her, for being a woman and letting another woman suffer in front of her. You should’ve divorced her good for nothing son long ago”. “Brother, he might have insulted me but he is still my husband, you cannot harm him. Besides, I don’t want you to end up in jail again. We fought long and hard with the court to get you released. Don’t screw this up for our family please. Our dad will be really disappointed in you if he finds out that you ended up in jail once again.”, Rachel said, grabbing her brother by his shoulders.

Rami glared at James, “Look at your wife, who inspite of your terrible accusations is here to save you. To think that you almost choked her to death! Sister, divorce this scoundrel and come back home. You’ll get plenty of love and care from some other man. This one can’t even keep a job to himself.”, “Brother, that’s enough. This is my personal matter, I’ll solve it from here.”, Rachel said sharply. “But Rachel, he is not good enough for you, clearly! Divorce him, sell this house and move back with us!”, Rami protested once again. “Yet again, he is thinking about making money off of this house. How pathetic! Her whole family is like this”, James thought.

“Brother. Like I said, I got this. Please leave, and don’t interfere with my personal life any further.”, Rachel said. Seeing how his presence wasn’t really making much difference, Rami shrugged, “Alright sis, this is your call, I guess. But If this punk bothers you again then you know you can always call me and come home. The next time he hits you I’ll make sure that he doesn’t get out of this alive.”

Rami gave one last glare to James as he left. Passing by James’s mom he muttered, “Stupid old hag”, under his breath. He also stomped over the various deli meats that his mom had so lovingly brought for them to eat, “Disgusting food. Wonder why they feed it to my sister and son”, Rami said smirking. James heard it, and was about to throw another punch when his mother stopped him saying, “Not worth it son, he’s finally leaving, Don’t escalate it anymore”. So he swallowed his anger and watched his brother in law leave. James remembered the days when his brother in law would come to him begging for his help, when he got in trouble with the authorities. “Big bro I need some cash”, he would say sweetly and James would relent, giving him whatever money he needed. Ever since they had fallen into hard times, Rami had changed and shown his true colors.

“Oh dear what has he done to my food!”, James's mother cried as she knelt over the stomped meat. All the hams and sausages lay in a messy pile over the floor. “What will I feed you kids now! I had spent so much time getting them for you specially and now”, she said tearfully. James knelt down with his mother and sobbed, “Mom, it’s okay. We’ll get something else to eat, for now, get up please”, he held her up and helped her stand, “You shouldn't bend over like this. It is bad for you back, Mom.”, he said looking at her. “My son, I am really sorry for what happened just now.”, her voice trailed off. James felt even angrier at Rami and Rachel now. Had his mother not been present, God knows, he would’ve killed them both. Rachel quickly approached to clean the mess that her brother had made all over the floors. “I am sorry about my brother's behavior. He was merely acting out of defense”, she said looking down, not making eye contact with both of them. James stayed quiet, still absorbing the humiliation that his brother in law had caused him. He was still extremely angry at his wife for not answering to his accusations of infidelity. “Come, freshen up. I’ll make something for all of us”, she said, rising up from the floor after cleaning it. “Mom, why don’t you lie down in our room until I prepare dinner.”, Rachel said smiling to his mother, who nodded silently in response. “I’ll take you to our room mom”, James said, holding her hand.

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Back in the room, James helped his mother to the bed. “James, it wasn't right what you did. No matter what happens, it is never okay to raise a hand on a woman, and your own wife at that.”, she said, “I understand your concerns but, you must learn to act rationally in such tense times. Sure, Rachel’s brother is not a good man, but you do not have to stoop down to his level. You understand me?” James nodded at his mother. “Good. Freshen up now son.”, she said, closing her eyes, falling asleep soon after James stepped in the bathroom and took a warm shower. He thought about his whole life leading up to that moment. About the fact that he had paid his wife’s family a whopping three hundred thousand dollars when they got married, and how the same family was no longer supporting him because he had lost all his money. This proved the fact that they were only solely after his money. James realized that he had been so blind throughout his life and had chosen the wrong kind of people to be close to him, right down from his business partner who was also his college best friend, to his own wife, who was a greedy, money minded cheater.

After he had finished his shower, he slowly got out of the bathroom, with fresh clothes on, and moved towards the sleeping form of his mother. “I am so sorry mom, to let you down like this”, he whispered slightly, as a tear rolled down his cheek. His mother had made many sacrifices just to see him standing, starving herself to feed him, not buying anything for herself, just so he could have all the things that he desired. She was the most selfless woman he had ever met. But today, Rami had taken things too far when he insulted her so mercilessly. “I will get back at him, and their whole family. Making them pay back each cent of my money.”, he thought.

Dinner was quiet. Benny had gotten out of his room, but he looked just as terrified as before, his eyes darted from his father to his mom. “What is the matter darling? You’re hardly touching your food”, Rachel cooed. Benny stayed silent. “Here let me feed you son”, James said, picking up food from Benny’s plate in an attempt to to help him, “Thanks dad”, he murmured as he ate. Rachel grew hot from anger, but didn’t burst out on the table. After finishing, Benny and Rachel slept in the master bedroom while James’s mother laid down in Benny’s room. James took to the sofa. He kept a lookout on everyone as they slowly fell asleep then he slowly creeped up to the master bedroom.