D I N N E R

Christopher left the apartment after his first weird encounter with his brother's woman, the last time she saw him was then too. Soon unpacking her stuffs, she finally decided to explore the big apartment of her brother-in-law where she will be living from now on. 

Serena changed her clothes into something comfortably decent as she walked down the stairs. Christopher, who rarely visited his parents's house since last few years, was still an unknown personality to Serena. 

Both Serena and Christopher strangely never met before, he didn't even attended her wedding neither ever he came home in her presence. 

Photos and portraits were where she ever saw him. 

He was her younger brother-in-law, but still 6 years older than her. 

She heard a lot about him while he was away, he moved out after completing his studies to approach his dreams which was music. 

He makes music and seemingly that thing didn't please his father who threatened to disown Christopher, that was even before she was married to his brother. 

Lack of family's support made Christopher indeed a loner, hence he ran away. That was all she knew about him until now. 

Serena's mother-in-law was one supportive woman who supported her might all these years. 

Besides left by her husband, who disappeared without any trace after wedding. Serena was still supported by her in-laws who treated her like their own daughter, obviously being guilty about their own son's deeds. 

Seemingly sending her to Christopher was a decision of her mother-in-law who had a little hope in heart to still find her eldest son or so at least Serena could move on in her life for good. 

But can she move on so easily? 

Christopher lived in a big city where Serena can do something for her own self, she could to be one independent woman and also look after him. 

Not having any fault in fate, she didn't deserve to be a loyal wife to her husband who left her without any single word. 

He was in greed of property, which he got after marrying her and he fled away. 

Serena was still young and tied with this dead marriage which was still mysteriously valid till this day. Until she meets her husband and gets her divorce or get him convinced to live with her again, she was still be a married woman till then. 

Either to get out of it or get him to get back with her. 

Lawfully wedded woman was she who cannot even proceed in her life. 

Seemingly her living with Christopher, who lived all alone these 2 long years without any family's care, his mother intended both to have each other's company for few months. 

As such Serena could do the things she likes and Christopher will have a good family beside him. 

Soon walking down to her destination, Serena's eyes fell on the kitchen counter which was already a mess. She then sighed, not only the kitchen but the whole house was a mess. 

Serena gutfully ignored the dirty kitchen where her brother and that woman were caught being intimate by her, sometime ago. 

While proceeding towards where the fridge was, opening it she was shocked to see nothing in it but only junk food, which was also rotting slowly. 

"What is this?" 
She frowned taking out all the leftovers from the inside with a disgusted look on her face. 

Immediately looking for the dust bin behind to throw the rotten stuffs away obviously, she was taken by another bigger shock. 

"Really? He doesn't even takes the bin out?" 
She was surprised. 

A man who lives in such a dirty environment, how is she going to live with him? Her mother-in-law's concern was worth it, no wonder why she sent her here all prepared beforehand.

He needed a family indeed. 

"Let's make the house liveable first!" 
Settling the rotten food on the already dirty counter, Serena held her urge to vomit up. Her shoulders then dropped down. 

Pulling her long dark wavy hair up into a bun she started cleaning the kitchen first.

After getting rid of all the garbage and cleaning the kitchen, it took her an hour or so when she was done arranging the whole kitchen finally before wanting to cook something for herself. 

But to her another weird surprise that was seemingly one big task too as there were no vegetables neither any ingredients in the house which made her wonder have Christopher ever cooked something in his house or not before?

Momentarily she checked the gas settings in his kitchen and she was right, the kitchen was never set up in his house to cook. 

"What type of house is this?" 
She mumbled with a deep frown.

Does he eat outside every time? It was actually amusing to think about it actually, how did he even survive till this day? He must be getting sick often.' Serena wondered as she exited the kitchen with a heavy mind. 

Travelling all the way here to LA, the airport's food wasn't that good either. 

Plus adding to the point, there was absolutely nothing for her to cook in her brother-in-law's apartment too. 

Such a great day she had... 

Seemingly figuring out, Serena knew she have to get some groceries in order to cook and also pay for the gas to set the kitchen up but for that she was still too foreign in this city to explore outside. 

She scratched her head as a thought stroke her mind, she doesn't even know when her brother-in-law will be back... 

Guessing she have no options left!
She sighed out before deciding to go out to buy the groceries all alone. 

Asking directions, it took nearly an hour for her to complete all the grocery chores, successfully.  
But returning back was seemingly quite a heavy task for Serena as she forgot the way to her brother-in-law's apartment. 

Soon she bumped into someone on the way which caused her more panic then. 

"I am sorry I didn't see you walking!" 
The busy man spoke as he scouted down the level to help Serena pick her stuffs up while she nervously smiled at him. 

"It's fine." 
Mumbling back she got the hold of the stuffs again while the man decided to offer her some help, which she needed the most at that time. 

"Do you live around?" 
The unknown man asked in curiosity as Serena shook her head while looking little hesitant to speak. 

"I don't know, I just shifted here to my brother-in-law's apartment today and forgot my way back." 
She narrated her trouble as the man nodded his head in understanding. 

"Do you remember the name of his apartment at least?" 
While guiding her on the busy streets carefully, he had some package on his hand too. 

Judging by his appearance he seemed one average service man, polite was he. 
Serena being convinced, decided to answer him then. 

"Violet on virgil" 
She uttered as the man looked at her little surprised, gaining her attention. 

"That's where I live too, should I drop you?" 
He chuckled in amusement as Serena then smiled a little. 

"If that's not a trouble then, please." 
Serena let out a sigh of relief as the man guided her towards his car which was parked not to away from where they were. 

Sitting her on the passenger seat, he himself sat on the driver's seat while soon starting the vehicle. 

"I just pushed off, taking half day to surprise my wife!" 
He smiled as Serena reciprocated his actions in relief. 

"That's so sweet, she will be happy!" 
Serena complimented as the man laughed at her words. 

Soon reaching the destination, he then helped her till the door politely still chatting with her. 

"By the way, can you help me with the gas subscription? I don't know much about it!" 
Serena uttered remembering her main problem, when the man dimple smiled at her. 

"I got you, just tell me your flat number, I will order it for you!" 
He suggested. 

"275 it is!" 
She spoke as the man nodded while taking care of it in minutes, using his cellphone. 

"By the way, where do you live?" 
Serena asked smiling while the polite neighbour pointed the doorway next to her. 

"I guess I am your next door neighbour now. See you around, Miss, Kevin is the name!" 
He uttered but before Serena could have introduced herself back too, that unknown man's door opened revealing someone unexpected... 

"Honey, you are back?" 
The same woman whom Serena saw with her brother-in-law this morning showed up in a whole different mood, hugging the man she pecked his lips in front of her. 

Maybe that woman didn't notice Serena yet who stood all surprised there. 

"Oh this is my wife, Serah!"
Kevin introduced as then that woman saw Serena at the scene with her eyes wide opened in shock, gulping harshly she started sweating in nervousness that Serena might reveal her little affair to her husband maybe. 

"H-Honey, let's go!" 
Serah then shuttered before pulling her husband inside her house in hurry while Serena only watched them awkwardly. 

That man's gesture seemed gentle as he took his leave not wanting to be rude to Serena but she only felt bad for him. 

He helped her, which she needed the most. He seemed nice but how poor was he, getting cheated on by his wife. 

Zipping her mouth was the only thing Serena decided to do at that time, in no way she wanted to engage herself with her brother-in-law's affair. 

She will be a burdensome for him, sighing she entered inside Christopher's apartment. 

Settling the stuffs she bought, it only took an hour for the kitchen to be set up ready for her to cook the dinner as helped by the neighbour kind man’s immediate order. 

Serena then proceeded to cook the dinner for both Christopher and her. 

She planned to make him some homemade food this night to create good terms with him, after minutes the whole apartment started smelling like food. 

It seemed now a real home as she busied herself in preparing the dishes which was told by her mother-in-law was Christopher's favourite. 

Minutes after finishing it was already night, Serena lastly settled the dining before taking off her airwill as she roamed her eyes around the house a bit. 

It was huge, obviously cleaning the kitchen only took her half of the day. She cannot imagine arranging the whole house now, it will take her a whole night to clean so. 

She decided to do that tomorrow rather as she was about to sit on one of the chairs being tired, when suddenly the main door of the apartment slam opened revealing her brother-in-law. 

She immediately stood up in panic, the nervousness and awkwardness was still the same for her but for him, he rather looked quite unbothered around her. 

Walking inside with his steps dark, he was took off guard to see all the arrangements of his brother's woman, while she stood up as if she was waiting for him. 

Never being used to such heavy treatment before, Christopher frowned. 

"What is this?" 
He asked as gulping hardly at his tone Serena prepared for an answer which seemingly took him by one huge shock. 

"I made you dinner, brother-in-law!" 
Serena spelled politely having her eyes down at the table with his favourite dishes decorated nicely. 

Hoping to gain sone good response, a moment of silence sure confused her but what she wasn't expecting was him yelling at her for all the efforts she invested today. 

"WHO THE FUCK TOLD YOU TO DO THIS?"