A LEGAL REVENGE: THE LAW DOESN'T KNOW LOVE

better freedom in

ified to passersby that royal family was attending a burial. In this case, the burial of princess Enya, Amanda's sister. A black SUV car followed behind the limousine. When the cars entered the premises of St Maril's church, ten muscular men in bl

ch methods of movement that made commoners believe princesses didn't walk but they levitated. Her natural curving figure showcased through her black gown, and cooperated with the black hat and transparent veil over her face. Her mom, Queen

man of average height, carryin

Amanda. You're mos

this, and for letting us use y

pastor." Am

r to serve the

nt wall. The piano — ting, ting, ting — floating in everyone's ears, inspired a churchy atmosphere. The compound was a clean combination of interloc

her for conversation, she gave single word answers. The conversations were predictable as they were shameless. Like a tune Amanda had heard before, she had seen it many times, but it still made her sigh in silence. Fake condolences followed fake complements

an elderly woman, whose white hair and eyebr

came." Amanda

g trip, you didn't have

stay long, but I had to come. Whe

a manner that dug up her inner annoyance into

nty Ose looked around the hall. "No decoration, no crowd, no nothing, almost like she wa

ed, as Aunty Ose held her han

ra—sorry, be st

their broken hearts were risked to the open, and her mom's neutral face was a mask to avoid the rumors. Anything relating to pri

through the middle, leading to the altar. The altar was a long table covered with white cloth, bearing a golden shiny cross on it

?" Queen Sh

da glanced

's hu

d backwards "

ous as his tie, hanging around his collar, like a spoilt dog leash, and his shirt had enough milky color to appear white. Disapproving eyes were on him from all directions. He embraced it and moved for

choir. A group of women wearing pulpit gowns. They held their hymn books and sang the melodies with pitch perfect voices. The songs were slow and whispered about death. The weight of th

aressing. They were so engulfed in forbidden pleasure, that Amanda wasn't noticed. On that day, Amanda felt like ice water had been poured on her. She could

visitors. And then it happened. The thing about rumors is that they spread so much, that everyone forgets the starting point, and no one ever knows the ending point. But Enya's story wasn't a rumor. It

d." One of the chiefs had uttered. His cultura

akness in her bones. The world turning upside down, as she watched her youngest sister's boxes, tumbling in the streets like thrash. The local villagers, pa

y, made her standstill. She couldn't do as much as her other sister, Preye, who helped Enya call a ta

ait of Enya, fitted in a glass frame, was carried into the church by two guards.

everyone repeated after him, when it ended, they all sat

rs is requesting to tak

if Pastor Frank's words had esca

wish m

t and Amanda tur

ou really o

s fi

ned, as Rogers stood in front of them. Both of

ths searching for Enya, and finally finding her sister in Rogers's house. His dressing had showed no sign of a man who cared much for his appearance. Enya

There was also sign of a slight zigzag cut on his forehead, which she attributed to his rough life as a police

our marriage..." Amanda noticed Rogers wasn't looking at anyone. His gaze was rather farway, above everyone. "The first night I shared with Enya, as husband

Her trouble was the kind of trouble, that can bring down any man. And one thing I

runk man, or an intentional offload of his emptiness,

on the cheek. Then she walked away. That's the moment that I just know, that this is my kin

hings, don't concern me." Rogers stared at the audience. "Because for me, Enya was a bird. The most beautiful bird. And her soul was pure. She did not pretend for anybody, and that was what made her extrao

as some murmuring as he strolled out. The man who loved a lesbian woman. Amanda couldn

tough to admit her mom was dead right, because they had succumbed to the pressure. Telling themselves ban

anyone else, who would like to say a few words, about

her mom. "Mom."

er low. Underneath the veil, Amanda no

to say." Amanda sa

ood, she realized the challenge of saying so little, of someone you knew so much. It was like trying t

her wings and fly. All she wanted was to be free and I think that was always the problem. That those of us around her, could never really understand the depth of her desire for freedom. Or maybe, we just didn't know the kind of freedom she wan

Queen Shark, as she

yes. Afterwards, the royal relatives returned to flocking around Queen Shark, cr

*

d staring at the sky. The security guards were shifting glances his way, though he seemed to be unaware of everyone. Amanda watched him and bounced her

her. Then he raised his head from the p

u said about Enya, was really nice. I was

said m

or would pass as quality humor for her teenage self. But th

u were, and how much you cared for her. She really

oved

Amanda take a deep b

officer at tracking a person's movement. I

ng the man that killed my wife, and making sure he

sted in what she could change. But Rogers had such a detached gaze, that killed every urge in her to speak further. She left w