Book Two: Chapter Fifteen


    “So…What do you think of, you know, our father?”


    Theo gave a nomittal shrug at his brother’s query as hey at the foot of Alexis’s bed.


    The butler had shown them to their rooms without so much as a question concerning the origins of the


    four people his employer suddenly brought home. Originally the butler had given them each their own


    room. When the boys insisted on sharing the older man merely nodded and assured them that


    arrangements would be done by the end of the day. In the span of one dinner he had rearranged one of


    the rooms moving a secondrge bed into it.


    Other furnishings had been moved out to make space but it in no way looked like an afterthought. The


    beds were situated on either side of the room with a writing desk beside each. There was also a small


    breakfast nook for meals taken in their room. There was still ample space as well as shelves that had


    been cleared for books and their own amusements after Theo had mentioned Lego? models in


    passing. In addition to having their own walk-in closet their bath was shared with their sister allowing


    them easy ess for their ndestine meetings like this one.


    When Alexis first entered her room she had walked the perimeter using her cane to sweep the area in


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    front of her as she memorized steps between obstacles. The butler had quietly watched her navigate


    the room asking her how she wanted things arranged or anything changed. Alexis had made simple


    suggestions like changing the table of her breakfast nook from a square one to a round one as corners


    hurt when bumped into idently.


    Duncan had apparently taken the notes to heart. In addition to changing out the table he had also


    changed the bed to something with rounded edges as well as side tables. As in her brothers’ room the


    shelves had been cleared of needless decorations in preparation for new additions. The butler had


    asked about her preferences including books and the like.


    Alexis thought this amusing given she couldn’t see to read them but then he asked if she could read


    Braille. That she found interesting. He also asked about food preferences and allergies. It seemed the


    butler cared deeply about making themfortable and Alexis hoped this arrangement would work.


    Dinner with their father had been predictably awkward as the butler served them several courses


    starting with soup, a sd, a main course and dessert. It seemed he had already been informed or


    otherwise familiar with their mother’s preferences. Her sd noticeablycked the sliced tomatoes


    theirs included and she had been given extra croutons on top of the feta cheese she liked. Dinner was


    pasta which the boys noisily dug into with gusto. Theo was bold enough to ask for seconds.


    Though they were given parmesan cheese a quick taste of the liquid in their sses confirmed they


    had been given almond milk since Alexis informed the butler her brothers werectose intolerant.


    There was nothing life threatening in it and the boys still enjoyed ice cream when their mother allowed


    it but it was better to limit their intake of dairy whenever possible. It seemed the warning had definitely


    been taken to heart though Alexis wasn’t sure just when the butler had gone out to purchase almond


    milk for her brothers since she doubted he had it on hand.


    As she gleaned from their previous conversations their father wasn’t adept at keeping a conversation


    with ten-year-olds. In the end it turned into a game of twenty questions as they fired one question after


    another at him and he asked questions in return. The questions were simple enough: favorite colors,


    favorite foods, games they liked and so on. He was at least trying to get to know them. Even though


    Alexis couldn’t see him she could tell most of his attention was directed to their mother though he


    hesitated to speak to her.


    After dinner the kids bid their mother good night and gathered in Alexis’s room topare notes.


    Leaning against her padded headboard Alexis said, “I think he’s trying. I mean, he’s awkward but that’s


    to be expected. Mom’s had ten years of practice.”


    “I second that,” Sean agreed as he quietly typed away on her school tablet.


    From the beginning he sensed no malice in their father. In fact he seemed genuinely broken up


    because of what happened ten years ago. There was no deception in his story either, Alexis confirmed


    it. It seemed both their parents had been victims. What was more he watched Ss carefully throughout


    dinner noting the way he looked at their mother longing to be closer to her. Sean believed Ss really


    did have feelings for their mother but it remained to be decided whether they would support him.


    “Yeah, I guess so,” Theo finally said. “I really wanted to hate him…but he is nice and it’s obvious he has


    feelings for mom.”


    “The question is does she have feelings for him?” Sean asked. Figuring out their mother’s feelings was


    more difficult.


    At dinner she was abnormally quiet refusing to look anyone in the eye and only spoke when spoken to


    as if afraid of offending their host and being kicked out on the street. She didn’t even try to reprimand


    Sean and Theo when they got a little wild with their demands. They understood she was nervous and


    probably a little afraid of their father given how their parents parted ways but her aversion was much


    more deeply seeded. Alexis suspected her silence at the table was something their mother had learned


    dining with her family when she was a child. Their grandfather struck Alexis as a domineering man who


    expected obedience and silentpliance.


    “She does,” Alexis said leaving no room for debate. “She’s just buried her feelings for so long she’s


    afraid to acknowledge them anymore.”


    “So…what do we do? Do we…help him?”


    “No,” Alexis said after a long moment. “He needs to earn mom’s love himself but we also don’t have to


    work against him.”


    Sean and Theo considered this before agreeing. This made the most sense to them. If their father was


    serious he would do whatever was necessary to earn their mother’s love. Secretly Alexis hoped he


    would. She had a feeling it was the best and only way to get their mother to y music again and that


    was something she desperately missed.


    “Moving on…what about our grandfather?” Alexis asked.


    “Well, we’re in the news,” Sean announced. “Carlisle Enterprises Victim of Major Cyber Attack FBI


    Says.”


    “Cool.” Theo smirked.


    “Have they connected it to us?” Alexis asked concerned.


    “Doesn’t look like it,” Sean said, “though the article doesn’t really give much details. I mean, it is an


    ongoing investigation. I can deep dive the FBI I suppose but that would be risky.”


    “No. Leave them be. They aren’t our target. What about getting back into thepany?”


    “No problems there. There’s no way for them to plug all the holes. It’s practically a sieve. I’m sure the


    FBI is having a field day analyzing theirwork trying to track all the breeches.”


    “Okay. We’ll have toy low for awhile,” Alexis dered. “At least until the FBI is done with their


    investigation. We’ll have to keep an eye on our grandfather though. He’ll be moving on us soon.”


    “What do you think he’ll do?”


    “He wants custody of us, or at least me. When he can’t find us he’ll try to draw mom out by suing her


    for custody rights,” Alexis said after some thought.


    “Seriously?” Theo scoffed.


    “Should we be worried?” Sean asked.


    “Courts generally favor the mother when ites to custody hearings,” Alexis said, “so his only hope of


    winning will be to prove mom is unfit.”


    “Good luck with that,” Theo snorted.


    “Evidence is on mom’s side,” Sean agreed. “The apartment is clean, we have all our boosters and we


    all have straight A’s in school.”


    “True. If he can’t find evidence to support his im he will probably try to make it up,” Alexis said. Their


    grandfather struck her as a man who would do anything to get his way, legal or not.


    “What do you mean?”


    Alexis chewed her lip before saying, “It’s time to consult Aunt Tracy. Drop her a chat. She’s the expert


    when ites to legal stuff.”


    “She should still be in the office,” Sean agreed opening a new window. “Let’s see if she’s paying


    attention.”


    * * *


    Ava snuggled deep into the heavyforter. As much as she tried to find fault with their treatment she


    couldn’t. Ss was a charming and attentive host. Though he kept minimal staff, the butler was kind


    and considerate even asking about any allergies she and the children might have.


    Dinner itself was simple though served in several courses. The elegance was lost on the kids who did


    not try to curb their usual animated nature. It was bad enough when they kept asking for seconds but


    they actually got a little too rowdy and though Ava wanted to reprimand them she didn’t dare.


    Growing up her father insisted on silence during meals. One was only allowed to speak when spoken


    to. While he often asked Marilynn how her day was and she regaled him with extravagant


    embellishments he never asked Ava about her day less it was an update about her piano lessons. The


    kids had the advantage of being rted to Ss by blood so she hoped that would ensure fair


    treatment but she was nothing to him and couldn’t risk offending him by being harsh with the children.


    Yet he had also tried to talk to her while learning about the kids’ likes and dislikes.


    Her brow furrowed. Come to think of it…the butler had asked about allergies but she didn’t remember


    telling him about her preferences. Yet during dinner her sd was the only one without tomatoes and


    the only one with crumbled feta cheese included alongside the croutons. How did he know she didn’t


    like tomatoes? It didn’t make any sense. Not even her own family knew that about her.


    She sighed turning over to look up at the canopy above her. There were too many questions. Why was


    he treating them so well? Why was his gaze always soft and loving when she dared meet it? Was it


    guilt? Wasn’t he angry with her? Did he want something from her? Was he nning to take the kids


    away from her?


    Ava had a lot of questions but no answers. Her mind buzzed with them and shey awake a long time


    without getting anywhere trying to answer them. The only one who knew the answers was Ss but did


    she have the courage to confront him?