𝟒:𝟒𝟒 ↠ Roman Reigns

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

As Fahayra stood at the kitchen counter, chopping vegetables with a sharp knife, the sound of footsteps caught her attention.

Glancing up, she saw Joshua enter the room, his expression weighed down by the obvious effects of a night spent drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

Fahayra knew this was a difficult time for her cousin-in-law, his marriage to her sister Kandi crumbling around him, and she was determined to provide a haven where he could find solace and support.

"I hope you don't mind me being here," Joshua said tentatively, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Fahayra responded with a warm smile, reassuring him that he was always welcome in her home. "Of course not, you're family, Josh, and I know what you're going through with Kandi is difficult. You need space from each other, so I think you here is good for you," She explained, carefully transferring the freshly cut potatoes into a waiting bowl.

Joshua nodded, but there was a hint of bitterness in his scoff. "I'm family, but you didn't tell me about Kandi cheating on me, and you kept her getting her tubes tied a secret from me, knowing how much I wanted more kids," He accused, the pain and betrayal evident in his voice.

Fahayra sighed, understanding that his anger was not directed at her, but rather a release of the turmoil he was experiencing. She knew she would need to provide a safe space for him to work through these emotions if he was to find a way forward.

"I understand you're upset, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her tying her tubes, but she said she would tell you. And I didn't know that she had cheated on you. Kandi swore you were the perfect couple, I would have never thought she would do something like that," Fahayra explained, her regret and sorrow evident in her tone.

Joshua shook his head, his gaze shifting to Fahayra.

"And I thought you and Joe were perfect too. I never thought you would be able to cheat on a man that gives you the world, Fah," he said, his words cutting deep.

Fahayra felt the weight of her own mistakes, the betrayal of her husband's trust, and she knew she had to acknowledge it.

Placing the knife down, she wiped her hands and moved to the stove, intent on preparing a nourishing meal for Joshua.

"I know I was wrong and being selfish. I thought I was lacking something with Joe, so I tried to go find it elsewhere and look where it got me. I almost lost everything because I couldn't communicate with my husband," She admitted, her voice heavy with remorse.

Joshua listened intently, his pain and confusion evident in his expression. "At least you're remorseful," He said, a hint of bitterness still lingering. "Kandi is behaving like it was just something to get out of her system before committing to me," He continued.

Joshua was struggling to understand why Kandi's response was so different from Fahayra's, and he wondered what had made Joe choose to forgive his wife, a path he was desperately seeking for his relationship.

"What did you do to make Joe forgive you?" He asked, his gaze fixed on Fahayra as she brought him a plate of breakfast.

Fahayra paused her journey of reconciliation with Joe a winding and difficult one. "There were days he was so angry with me that I thought this is it, he's going to hit me or leave me, you know. I was prepared for either one, but instead, he just sat there, sometimes saying things, but he never left. Then there were days I would follow him, crying, telling him how sorry I was and how important he was to me. We slept in separate bedrooms until last week. It was difficult, Josh, I'm not even sure if I can say he completely forgives me, but I can say that since we both wanted to save our marriage, it made things a little easier to understand," She explained, her voice tinged with the weight of those experiences.

Joshua listened intently, his gaze shifting between Fahayra and the plate of food before him. "Thanks, and what do you think about therapy? Are y'all going to therapy or just handling it between you two?" He asked, taking a bite of the breakfast she had prepared.

Fahayra moved back to the kitchen, her hands expertly preparing a rich, aromatic Samoan coffee, the dark roast blend from a small family business in Upolu, Samoa.

"I've been seeing a therapist by myself online, but I try to involve Joe. He doesn't seem open to it, but he answers the questions when she asks him something. I think we should see a couple's therapist. I think we all need therapy," She told Joshua, her conviction clear.

As Joshua watched Fahayra, he couldn't help but notice the changes in her demeanor. She was no longer the carefree, impulsive woman he had known, but someone who had weathered the storm of her marital turmoil and emerged with a deeper understanding of the work required to rebuild trust and heal broken bonds.

"Do you know if Kandi wants a divorce? Does she even love me? She's not acting the way you're acting," He asked, his voice tinged with a glimmer of fear.

Fahayra paused, her heart aching for her sister and the pain she must be experiencing. "I haven't talked to her since that night, but I will say Kandi had our father's range of emotions. They don't show it. They could be wrong and want to fix things, but they won't show it. I'm sure right now, she's talking to Joe, making sure you're good over here. Watch, Joe will come back with the biggest bag packed with all the things she knows you need, then maybe place a letter inside for you to read. She loves you, Josh, I'm not sure why she cheated in the past, but I know she won't let you go without a fight. It just won't be in the way you think," Fahayra answered, hoping her words were a beacon of hope amid Joshua's turmoil.

Joshua nodded, taking a deep breath as he inhaled the rich aroma of the Samoan coffee Fahayra had prepared.

At that moment, he knew he had a haven, a place where he could find the support and guidance he needed to navigate the uncertain waters of his crumbling marriage.

With Fahayra's wisdom and the strength of their family bond, he held onto the belief that there was still a chance for him and Kandi to find their way back to each other.