I am watching my daughter's matt eyes turns into a bit brighter ones. Not too shiny ones, but there are some sparks in them. Definitely. This is one of the best moments of parenthood. But now it is one of the worst too. I am preparing my daughter to live alone. It would be a natural thing, little birds has to fly in time, but this time it is not a simple "let go of my hand" thing. Vanessa has to run for her life. It is the cruellest thing, but necessary. She has to tear out herself from her everyday life, to live somewhere in secret, and I have to send her off. Even I, her only support, won't contact her, she will be totally alone. I just hope I have given her everything she will need. Thousands of things are in my head, I want to give everything to her, just to prepare her for the worst of worst. I feel I have failed as a parent. I haven't done anything. I haven't done anything right, or else this cute, beautiful young girls wouldn't have to escape here.
Moreover our secret almost fallen. We are so immersed in discussing the options, that we almost don't hear the rattle of keys in the front door. I suddenly put the laptop into Vanessa's hands, and push her to my room. My son and daughter arrive home with the Moore sisters and one more person. A man. I don't really like the Moore sisters, since they invited my kids to the hills in the summer, and make them lie to me. Well, the girls are just halfway responsible. The ones, who lied to me were Ivo and Yvonne.
"Another knocked up girl?" My son asks with wide, sarcastic smile, when I close the door of my room, and don't let them take a peek.
I wish I could slap him! His manners are changed in the summer, and not in the right way. But now I just swallow, what I want to say. For the sake of Vanessa. She is the one, who needs help, so I stay silent. All of the others have a feeling, that something's not right, so they are silent too, and everybody stares into the air. After a certain amount of time the situation becomes uncomfortable.
��Let me introduce myself!" The man breaks the silence. "I am Tyler Moore, the girls' older brother."
We shake hands. He is somewhat likeable, at least the black circles under his eyes make him likeable. He probably didn't sleep well last night.
"Would you like a coffee before lunch?"
"Thank you very much!" He looks like so happy and grateful for the mere mention of the coffee, that I immediately like him.
"You two, set the table!" I order my two kids.
I make a strong coffee for Tyler Moore, and he gulps the hot liquid in big sips. He has really needed some hot caffeine. He helps me to bring out the dishes.
"I just want to thank you for the coffee. It was a lifesaver."
"Try to sleep well tonight, coffee is just a temporary solution. The lack of sleep could kill."
"Okay, I promise I will properly sleep tonight!" He smiles at me.
My kids, and his sisters are sitting around the set dining table, and are immersed in chattings. Ivo and Taylor are holding each other's hand, while quietly whispering, Yvonne and Savannah are talking about a contest. Tyler Moore and me sit down next to them, and we all start to eat. It is not a big feast, but nobody says a word of complaint about the taste or the quality. They just eat. All of them are doing martial arts, so they could eat even the fence around the house. In the end Tyler Moore is the first, who says thanks to me for the food, and the others follow him.
"This is the guidebook of the next contest of Ivo and Yvonne." Savannah Moore hand over a thin booklet to me. "I think you would want to read." She adds, when I don't take over the booklet.
"They are adults, so they could do anything without my permission." I smile at the coach. My kids, and Taylor's face are immediately lit up.
"The entrance fee is a bit high, but this contest is the base of their future carrier in martial arts." I am unshakable smiling. "I would give you this booklet, the bank account of the contest is on the last page."
"Give that to the kids." I say, and start to gather the dirty dishes.
"If you have some financial problems..." Savannah Moore starts to understand something.
"I don't really have, but..."
"Vanessa Carpenter can't come." She says in cold voice. " She is not in shape."
"Since you broke her arm, in the beginning of the summer holiday." I nod.
"Her parents don't want her to do training any more. Even her club fee isn't paid to the school. Understand this please!"
"I understand." I tell her, and bring some plates to the kitchen.
My kids are upset, and don't believe my words.
"Dad!" They are looking at me with their puppy-eyes, but this time I stay strong.
"I won't pay the entrance fee."
"But it is very important for them, and this contest could establish their future path!"
"If it is very important to them, they could pay the fee." I smile at them.
"But it costs two years of pocket money!" Ivo protests, and when I stay silent, he tries to bargain. "Could you give us our pocket money in advance?"
"Well, I could, but that wouldn't be enough." My kids are looking at me with uncomprehending faces. "Your pocket money is given until you graduate. That is seven months. I could give you that amount, if you want."
"… and how do we get the remaining sum of money?" Yvonne tries to persuade me with acting cute.
"It is not my problem." I smile back at her. "You worked in the summer, so your salary would be enough."
"You know, we didn't get a salary! Are you that angry at us because we went there?"
"No, I am not angry."
"Yeah, it looks like..." Ivo says sarcastically.
"I am not angry, why would I? You went to the hills despite my prohibition. You left your friend behind. Moreover Ivo cheated his girlfriend. All thanks to the Moore sisters, who..."
"Vanessa was not my girlfriend!" Ivo cries loud, making everyone shut up.
"So. I am not your money-bag." I answer, and bring another dishes out to the kitchen. "Work, if you want money for some contests."
"The time is really short..." Savannah Moore wants to save them, but I cut into her words.
"In this case, they could start now."
"We have a certain programme for today and tomorrow." Ivo squirms nervously.
"We are asked to help with Vanessa's birthday party." Yvonne smiles as she hopes I will give then the money, if they would do something I like. "We all sleep at the Carpenter's tonight."
"It is up to me. You are adults. Do as you please."
The kids are leaving the house in a hurry. Savannah Moore also wants to leave, and spare herself the explanation of the summer, and the contest, but her brother stops her. Tyler Moore's face is ominous, her sister becomes scared.
"Go, and do the washing up!" He says, and his sister immediately vanish in the kitchen.
Soon after I hear the sound of flowing water. I really like this man.
"Was it really Savannah, who broke that girl's arm?"
"Yes, unfortunately."
"Did the twins really come to the hills without your permission?"
"Yes, they went there against my will. Your sisters knew this, they were here, when I forbade the to go. But they are not twins."
"I know, but they look like twins to me. Was Ivo this girl's boyfriend?" His voice suddenly weakens a bit, as he waves to the pictures of Vanessa.
"Yes, he was. At least Vanessa thought like this."
"I am really sorry for this mess, made by my sisters. They were always trouble-maker after our parents' death. It is not an excuse I know, but somehow it could explain a few things. I am really sorry again."
"Thank you very much." I feel a bit reassured by his words.
"Moreover..." He goes back to the hall, and from his backpack pulls out a school-bag. "It is Vanessa Carpenter's bag, so could you give it back to her?" I really like this man! He is a life-saver. " Are her parents really against the martial arts?"
"I don't know. They don't belong to my circles. They are the local upper class, so they are not always understandable by the common people."
He turns back to the wall, which I full of pictures, trophies and medals.
"Vanessa never wanted to bring home any of her awards, so I made this cabinet for her and my kids."
"It seems all of them belongs to her." His gaze is wandering from one trophy to the other.
"There are a certain amount of Ivo's and Yvonne's medals. So they were not jealous. As a kid." I had to add the last words. It seems, they weren't jealous, but now, it seems they are.
Savannah Moore has finished the washing-up, so the siblings also say farewell to me.