31 Bruised Knees
The smile on Athena’s lips tinkered on oblivion when she walked into the office was waiting for her at Ciara’s desk.
Fiona.
ad saw whe
She was about to call for the security men when she saw the tears in Fiona’s eyes.
She stopped in her tracks. Had the mother died? Athena almost felt guilty.
But then her eyes wandered to the basket of flowers on the ground, to the variety of items in another basket beside Fiona, and she let out a chuckle.
She knew this part of the play. Fiona had come to beg.
Didn’t Ewan inform her of the truce?
“What are you doing here, Fiona?”
Fiona, who had been facing the calendar in false misery, who had pretended not noticing Athena’s presence, turned to Athena and started sobbing.
Ciara darted her eyes to Athena in confusion.
“Let her in, Ciara. Get us two cups of chocolate.”
Two can play the game. Athena thought as she strode into the office, without sparing Fiona a glance.
Fiona sniffed, and flexed her fists, wishing she could drag Athena by the hair and give her the beating of her life.
How dare she ignore her pitiful state? What was puffing her shoulders? The tag of ‘Doctor“?
She bit her lips in anger. Soon, Athena will regret treating her with disdain.
For now, however, she will let her nemesis gallivant.
After all, her recent role of submission was temporary. She believed she would have the last. laugh.
With that thought ingrained in her senses, she gingerly got up from the chair, and carried the gift items which her father had procured for her role.
When she got to the office, Athena was standing by the large the beautiful city.
glass window with an overview
of
“Have a scat, Fiona, and start talking. Is your mother dead?”
Fiona wished so, but for her father’s sanity.
“No, but she’s barely hanging in there. We need your help.”
*Reason for the gifts?” Athena turned as she spoke, crossing her arms on her chest,
31 Bruised Knees
Fiona nodded meekly.
She stood up gently, carried the two decorated baskets and dropped it by Athena’s feet..
Then, she knelt down before her nemesis, subtly pinching herself hard so that the pain and tears could come.
“I’m sorry Athena, please forgive me for all my wrong doings.
Fiona really looked so pitiful and remorseful that if Athena hadn’t known her from nine ago, she would have fallen for the trap.
Just then Ciara stepped into the office with a tray.
years
She kept it on the table briskly and walked away, unable to stop herself from sparing Fiona al gloatful glance.
Fiona, aware of this display, gritted her teeth in displeasure.
When her mother was finally well, the first person she would deal with would be the secretary.
“Have a cup of chocolate, Fiona? Do you still like chocolate?”
Athena smiled as she stared down at Fiona.
She knew Fiona hated chocolate drinks.
Fiona swallowed. Chocolate made her stomach upset.
However, for the success of the plan, she nodded meekly. “Yes, I do. I want some. Is there milk?”
Athena shook her head. “The milk has finished”
Fiona attempted to stand up and get the chocolate drink, but Athena snapped her fingers. indicating that she should remain kneeling.
“I didn’t tell you to get up, Fiona. If you want the chocolate drink, get it while kneeling. Or aren’t you strong for that?” Athena sneered, remembering the many times Fiona’s mother had left her
kneeling ride in the rain because of unnecessary matters.
The first time it happened, her marriage had only been a month old.
The woman had sent her to kneel outside at night, on hard marble, when there was a heavy downpour, just because she hadn’t cleaned the latter’s shoes.
And because she had known that Fiona and her family were important to Ewan, she had endured it; she had done everything to please them, yet it hadn’t been enough.
They had tortured her every time, even in Ewan’s presence.
Athena clenched her fist, and hid it in the folds of her gown.
Meanwhile Fiona blanched at Athena’s request, thinking of how bruised her soft knees would be.
However, she remembered her father’s plan.
The thought of Athena being out of this world finally, gave her the strength she needed to kneel
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31 Bruised Knees
and move to the table.
As she moved, the hatred in her heart increased, both toward Athena, and toward her mother who had given in to the sickness.
If the witch hadn’t been ill, she wouldn’t have been in this position. No. She would have gone straight to plotting Athena’s demise with her father.
She sighed harshly in relief when she finally got to the table.
Her knees were sore and quaking. Bruised even. But she dared not stand. Not until Athena agreed to treat her mother.
When she grabbed the cup and took a sip, she forced herself to swallow, feeling Athena’s gaze on her.
She downed the drink the second time, eager to get it over with.
When she was done, she turned to Athena. “Can I stand now?”
Athena shook her head. “I never asked you to kneel in the first place… But since you wanted to do that, you will continue kneeling, until we are done with the meeting. However, if you think otherwise…”
“No, it’s okay! I will kneel…” Fiona shouted, amusing Athena.
For the future. Fiona consoled herself.
Immediately Athena sat down, and took her cup of chocolate, Fiona launched into her mission here.
“I’m sorry Athena. These gifts are from my father and I. We are sorry, for everything”
“If he is, why isn’t he here? Too proud?”
Fiona shook her head erratically. “He has to take care of my mother, she is bedridden.”
“Too poor to hire a caregiver?”
“Too in love, rather…” Fiona answered, with a shy smile.
“Like you are in love with Ewan?”
The smile disappeared instantly.
Fiona fisted her hands again, remembering the event of last night..
Ewan had dropped an apology gift this morning, but she wasn’t satisfied with it.
And she won’t be until Athena stayed dead!
“Yes, just like that. She smiled sweetly, while her knee thrummed with pain, and her stomach started rumbling in discomfort.
When a call came in, Athena abandoned the discussion and answered it.
Fiona cussed out loud, at the implication of this.
