KYRA
I slipped out of the covers on my bed, hissing. Mom whipped me again last night and I worked so much until my hands were sore. I heard a loud crash coming from my parents' room. I tiptoed to their room and creaked the door open.
"Why the hell are you doing this Dian?" "Doing what? You didn't do anything, you didn't say anything when that twat broke my mother's vase". "Is this still about the vase? It's been six months!" "So? Noah I lived without my mom for nine years! And when I finally got to be with her, she died three years after. That vase was the only thing I had to remember her by and that daughter of Jezebel broke it".
" Stop it! Dian, stop it! You're being so petty". " Petty?!", mom screamed and dad glanced at Dani, the new baby. " Noah you say I'm being petty. Of course, why won't you? After all, she can do no wrong."
" Dian stop it! What the fuck is your problem? I'm not your father! And I will never be. Stop comparing me to him!" Mom searched his face and then kissed her teeth, turning away from him. From where I stood, I could see that dad was sincere, but mom didn't believe him. I sighed and turned to leave.
" Where are you going to?", dad said harshly. I gulped and turned around, but he wasn't talking to me. It was mom. " A Milan sisters reunion". Dad's brow flew up. " Sisters? You've only got Jed". Mom sighed harshly. " My cousins are my sisters". " I thought you hate your dad". Dad was mocking her now. " You know, for someone who hates her father and everything related to him, you sure are happy to meet with your paternal cousins".
Mom glared at him. " My cousins aren't shitheads. Sides, they helped me find mom". " Really? I thought it was Jed?" " You know what? Screw you Noah. I'm going to Montana. I don't give two shits about what you say". " Montana? So your 'sisters' can't travel to Valleterra for the reunion,but you can go to Montana, with your six month old baby?" Mom laughed. "And who says I'm going with Dani?"
Dad's eyes popped out, with a stunned look on his face. "S…so…" " I don't have to worry about Dani, I mean, you're here and that your precious gnat is too", mom regarded him from top to bottom and laughed. "How long are you gonna be?" Mom stared up at the ceiling. "Three or four months?", she smirked. Dad's eyes darkened in anger. "You can't be serious".
Mom gave him an 'oh yeah?' look. " "You can't leave your six month old son and fly off to Montana!" Mom raised her brow and tilted her head. " I didn't ask you to pay for my flight". " Dian that's not the fucking point!" " Then what is? I haven't seen my sisters in four years! This is an opportunity I got to make memories with them and you wanna stop me?!" Dad held her arms, but she yanked them free and dad sighed and shook his head.
" Dian, I'm not stopping you. But you've got a baby". " And I've got a twerp". Dad's face darkened and his jaw ticked repeatedly. "You'd better stop treating that girl like that. Cause she might report to the state". Mom cackled and a cold shiver ran down my spine. " Oh she should. Let her report to the state. Ohhh, and I swear to God, I'll put her in a coffin".
I gulped and stepped back from the door in fear. Dad too was afraid. He stood speechless. " That's what I thought", mom said and carted her suitcase off toward me. I gulped again and ran frantically to my room.
****
I sat on my bed and sobbed. I have never been so afraid of anyone like I am of Staysie. "Kyra!", mom yelled my name and I froze. I quickly wiped my tears and ran to the mirror.
I stared my reflection. I smiled a bit, noting I didn't look like I was crying. "I swear to God, Kyra, if I meet you upstairs, I will break every single bone in your body". I rubbed my arms trying to soothe the goosebumps on my skin and raced outta my room and downstairs. "Yes mom?"
Twap.
Mom's hand blinded me with a slap. I whimpered and tears brimmed in my eyes. "Hush", she shushed me, "How many times have I told you that I am not your mother!" I cowered in fear. " I'm sorry mam". Staysie rolled her jaw around and glared down at me. "I'm traveling to Montana and I want you to take very good of Dani. I don't want anything to happen to him. You got that?"
I nodded. "Use your words dummy", she said and gripped my face roughly. I whimpered as tears sprung to my eyes. "Yes mam. Nothing will happen to him. I'll…" " Shut up!", she shoved me and I fell into the couch. I stared at the defeated look on dad's face. I held myself from bursting into tears.
"Dian, let her go. Come on, you don't wanna miss your flight". Staysie left her suitcase and walked outta the house. Noah sighed and took her suitcase and rolled it outside. "I'll be back in 45 minutes". I nodded, my lips trembling and tears filling my eyes.
Dad sighed again and left the house. I stood up and watched mom and dad from the window. Dad tried to kissed mom but she threw her face away with an uninterested look on her face. A hurt look formed on dad's face. "It's my fault they're this way", I whispered and coughed out a sob. I fell to the ground, clutching my chest and sobbed painfully.
****
"Hey bunny", dad said softly and patted my knee. I sat with my knees tucked into my chest and my arms around my knees. "Dani's asleep. Fed and washed". Dad sighed and shook his head. " Bunny,that's not the point". I stared at him with my eyes brimming with tears.
" What is?" "I'm sorry momma's this way". "She's not my mom", I said quietly.
Dad scowled at me. "Don't say that". "I can't say that, but she can? Why didn't you stop her? When she…" " Kyra that's enough! Don't you know my marriage is strained as it is? Don't you see?", he drawled, "Staysie thinks I'm like her father just because I stand up for you". My lips trembled but dad didn't notice, because of the only light on was the one in the dining room.
" Why does she hate me?", my voice quavered and I sniffled. " She doesn't hate you. It's just…" I cocked my head to the side and he sighed. "She's still mad about the vase". "But it's just a vase!" Dad cocked his brow at me. I think.
"It's not just a vase Kyra", he gritted out angrily and I shrunk back into the sofa. He scoffed and looked away. I felt horrible. I wanted to cry but I knew it would seem like emotional blackmail.
"That vase was the only thing she got from her mother. Her parents, in fact. And that vase means an awful lot to her". I licked my lips. " I understand". " No, I don't think you do", dad snapped and I flinched. He stayed silent for a long while and then he sighed harshly. " Her father was having an affair with some woman when she was 8. A few months after she turned 9, he brought her home.
She, Aimee, didn't like Staysie's mom. So she made her father chase her mother outta the house with her twin brother, Jed. I think Aimee felt her position was threatened by Jed's presence. She kept Staysie behind, with the bullshit reason that she needed someone to help her. Aimee was pregnant then. She cooked up several lies against Staysie and her dumb father believed every single one of 'em. It broke her, but not as much as Aimee's emotional and verbal abuse", dad sighed defeatedly.
" Her cousins came over and told her that they'd found her mom. Staysie, 18, at the time ran away from home and found her mom. She lived with her but it was very short. Her mom died 3 years later. On her death bed, she gave Staysie that vase. The same one you broke".
I recoiled. Dad's tone was very low and dark. My breath hitched in my throat and my heart beat furiously in my chest as dad stood up and paced the room.
Was he gonna hit me? Should I run? Hide? Stay quiet?
Dad groaned and punched the wall. I squealed and flinched in fear. "You are…", he gritted out and sighed. He walked out of the house, slamming the door. I let out a shaky breath and wailed.