Isla gingerly walked into the house, not wanting her mother to see her face.
She had intentionally come home late to avoid that.
She went to the bedroom to take off her jacket and saw her four younger sisters all curled up in bed.
She smiled inwardly as she stared at them.
Karen was fourteen and was still in high school while the triplets; Ruby, Emerald, and Pearl were ten years old.
Isla went to the refrigerator to take an ice pack. She walked to the kitchen table and began to massage her face with the icepack.
She shrieked in pain as she did it, but she knew she had to do it so her mom wouldn't find out.
"Isla," Karen called behind her.
Isla was startled and she dropped the icepack in panic.
Karen stared at the icepack on the floor and back to Isla who stared back wide-eyed. She knew Karen was definitely going to talk.
"What's going on? Why are you using an icepack on your face?" Karen questioned.
"It's nothing, Karen. Go back to bed." Isla said.
Karen walked to the switch and turned on the lights as the previous one was quite dim.
"Nothing huh?" Karen asked on seeing Isla's swollen face.
"You didn't see anything. Go back to bed."
"What happened to you? Madison?" Karen asked folding her arms.
"She's my boss. Don't call her by her name."
"Well, she's not here."
"Even if she is. Do not call her name." Isla said.
"Do not drift from the main subject sis. What happened to you? What did Madison do to you?" Karen asked.
Isla sighed.
"She hit me."
"You let her hit you again?"
"Well, I can't...."
"This is not the first time." Karen interrupted.
"But I have to...."
"Nor the second."
"Karen, you have to...."
"Nor the third, Isla," Karen said.
"Karen, I need to endure everything. That's our source of income." Isla said softly.
"Because it's our source of income doesn't mean you should be abused every freaking day. Do you know how hurt I am seeing this? Does mum know about this?"
Isla shook her head.
"No. That's why you shouldn't tell her. It would break her heart."
"But she should know about it," Karen argued.
"No. Remember the last time? Please don't."
Karen exhaled deeply.
"Fine then, I won't."
"Thanks, sis." Isla said.
"Let me help you with your face," Karen said and picked up the icepack.
She gently massaged Isla's face with it and also made her dinner and in no time, Isla was asleep on the couch.
***********
Ethan sat comfortably on the sofa, sipping coffee and watching the news. He thought about what Nicholas had said earlier about him having a woman. He couldn't imagine having those cunning creatures in his house with him. With time, he'd adopt a son to keep him company, because girls couldn't be trusted no matter the age. He wondered how Nicholas survived with his wife and how he was so in love with her.
"Aren't they all the same?" He muttered.
At that moment his phone rang, he checked the caller ID to see it was his mother.
"Speaking of the devil." He muttered.
"What do you want?" He asked as he picked up the call.
"Ethan, it's your mother." Her voice said over the phone.
"I didn't say otherwise, Mrs George." He said coldly.
"Ethan, Ethan dear. Don't talk to your mother like that. Why are you so cold? Did I do something wrong?"
"Mrs George, I ask again. What do you want?" Ethan asked, he was already getting pissed.
Mrs George stuttered for a while.
"Umm...do you remember Mrs Rowland?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Err...her daughter, Amber is in town and she needs a place to lay her head for the night."
Ethan sensed where the conversation was going.
"So, why are you telling me? If she was smart, she would have prepared a place to stay before coming down here."
"But it was an impromptu decision, she didn't...."
"Look look look, if you want me to go pick her up or to let her stay at my place, that is where you're wrong," Ethan said.
"But Ethan, she's stranded. She needs help." Mrs George said in a distressed voice.
"Well, help her."
"Ethan please."
"You have probably forgotten my principles. I don't let women into my house. So, you either go help her, or you let me be." Ethan said.
"But..."
"She can stay at a hotel." Ethan interrupted.
"She needs a comfortable place to stay."
"A hotel is comfortable. If she can't pay the bills, you can. Help her. I have no business with her." Ethan said.
"Listen to me, son. I can't drive, I can't go pick her, but you can. You're a man."
Ethan rolled his eyes.
"Mrs. George, I have your bank details, I'll foot the bill. Just go get her a place to stay and leave me out of this." Ethan said and hung up the call.
His mother had always wanted him with Amber Rowland for some reason he didn't know.
"Keep dreaming Mother." He muttered.
He picked up his phone and dialed Nicholas.
The phone rang twice before he picked up.
"Because you're a single and lonely man doesn't mean I am too. My wife needs me. What?" Nicholas asked with a sleepy voice.
"I'm still your boss man. I'd render you jobless if I want to." Ethan joked.
"But you won't because you love me," Nicholas said laughing.
"Who is it, baby?" His wife's voice said from the background.
"Oh, it's just Ethan," Nicholas responded.
"Can you both not be all loved up all the time?" Ethan asked.
"Then get married." Nicholas's wife replied and Nicholas laughed.
"Alright, baby. I'll meet you upstairs, just go wait for me." Nicholas said.
Ethan cleared his throat.
"So, what's up?" Nicholas asked.
"That woman called," Ethan said.
"Oh... why?" Nicholas asked, knowing who he was referring to.
"Apparently, Amber is in town and she wants me to go pick her up and also to let her spend the night at my place. How annoying!"
Nicholas laughed.
"I know you're not going. So why did you call?"
"I agreed to foot her hotel bills. So, send her some money."
"How much are we talking about here?" Nicholas asked.
"Ummm... let's say five hundred thousand dollars. That would sort everything out. I don't want anyone calling me." Ethan said.
"Alright, I'll do just that. My wife is waiting for me. Don't die a lonely man Ethan. Goodnight." Nicholas said.
"I'd rather die a lonely man than be with a woman. Goodnight Nick and go easy on your wife." Ethan said and hung up the call...