CHAPTER 8:

It was six in the morning when Karina arrived after her part-time job. She was shocked when she saw Drayven standing at the gate, but she already knows why… probably, Tristan told him what happened yesterday between them. Karina is not afraid even though Drayven is ready to scold her, because she knows she only did what she thinks is the best for that kind of situation.

“Good morning, Drayven,” she greeted.

Drayven stays serious while leaning on the gate, so there is no chance that Karina can avoid him. He sighs and says, “Good morning, are you done with your part-time job?”

She smiles and answered. “Yes, I’m done. Thank you.”

He nodded. “Okay, you can sleep for now because I already cooked breakfast for Tristan. Just make sure to make lunch for him and clean the house so he won’t shout at you again. You know, he might not see what you are doing, but he can smell.”

Karina thinks how lucky is Tristan to have Drayven to be his brother-in-law, she is now starting to wonder if he owes something to his sister to do all of these things just to make sure Tristan is fine. But on second thought, she is certain that Drayven only doing this because he was a nice person and he treated Tristan as a true brother. That’s all.

“You say… ‘again’…” Karina bowed her head and then continue what she is about to say, “So, he told you what happened yesterday, did he?”

“One thing you need to know about him is that… he is a hundred percent grumpy man that could think anything just to make himself mad for anything— even for a single reason. So, prepare yourself to be more patient when you’re talking to him.”

Karina raises her head with narrowed eyebrows and says, “You’re not going to scold me? I break your rule, I go upstairs… even I didn’t touch anything… I still—”

“Karina, you did nothing wrong. I know from the start that you are a nice person and I trusted you a lot. Do you think I’ll leave you alone here with my blind brother-in-law if I doubt you can’t do a simple task? Of course not,” Drayven smiled at her and speak once again, “I know TJ for so long… so, I am aware that even if I only heard one side of what happened, you only did your job. And that’s great… you’re doing great.”

Karina has no words to say… instead, she just smiles at him and adores how he handles everything. And honestly, it gives her more encouragement to continue what she started. She thought that Drayven will remind her again that obeying rules is a must, but he didn’t. He surely understands everything… and Karina was just thankful for that.

“By the way, Karina,” Drayven says, “I also prepare breakfast for you. You can use the microwave to heat it if you want.”

“Why you acted like this?” Karina was about to cry. “I am your maid; you do not suppose to cook breakfast for your maid. It is my job! And… I only started working here yesterday. Why do you act so nice to me?”

He was nice and Karina can’t take it anymore. She sees her future here; she just chooses to stay because she needs money… because Drayven offers a big salary. But this job will end at the end of the summer break; so, Karina knows that getting attached to this job may cause her hard to let it go. If she could only think of Tristan, it is easy to resign. But if Drayven continues to be nice to him—

 “Because I don’t want you to leave.”

Karina frowns. “What?”

“I don’t… I don’t want you to leave TJ. Because if you did, my life would be in hell.”

“I don’t understand… what are you trying to say? I know Tristan is grumpy and he is always mad, but it doesn’t apply to you. So, why?”

Drayven never mentions this to anyone, because no one would understand him. No one can feel the weight of the responsibility that he is carrying now. Tristan is his best friend and his brother-in-law, but it doesn’t mean he can handle everything. He only acts tough in front of everyone, but he was not tough like they think he is…

“I never told you what happened to TJ, aren’t I?” Drayven says. “Well, he was caught in a car accident with his wife—my older sister. Danica died in that accident, and every single member of my family hated him because of what happened. When he asks for his parent's help, they abandoned him. So, he had nothing aside from me. His brother-in-law and his only friend.”

He surely doesn’t want to tell this all to Karina, but now… he can’t stop himself to spill it. “I thought, I can take care of him… I thought I can do this because I love him as my older brother and I can’t leave him alone because he is important more than what mistakes he did. But every time I remember that he is the last person that my sister was with before she dies, I felt angry towards him… I realized that like my parents, I can’t forgive him.

“I know he didn’t intentionally kill my sister; he doesn’t want to lose her as well. But I have this thought that if he only drives safely that day, maybe they can avoid the accident. If only he thinks for their safety before anything, then maybe nothing from this would happen, right?”

Karina can never understand the pain that Drayven suffers from the start, but she can see how heavy it was from how he tells his story. She was right, Drayven is a nice person… because despite what happened, he still chooses to be Tristan’s only person he can lean on. He was the best brother, a best friend, and the best brother-in-law.

Drayven holds Karina’s shoulder. “Please, even though he shouts hundreds of times… don’t leave him. Be someone that I could entrust Tristan. I know this is a selfish request, but I am desperate, Karina. I can’t handle this alone… just please!”