"I still recall the day Daddy came home with a lady in red. He introduced her to me, saying she was my new mother and I should come with them. Mother stopped me by giving me convincing reasons why not to go with them. The next day at the law court, I chose Mom over Dad. The next two weeks, I started regretting it when I realized Dad left the country to America with his new family. He had always promised to take me there. I felt left out; Mother never had time for me, then I became a loner. Then, I started possessing two characters that I can't control. Quiet at home, so no one in the neighborhood knows I exist, and popular for being evil at school. It started when I felt Mommy deceived me so I wouldn't go to America with Dad and decided to ruin her image by acting that way at the school she built. I was a bad child; I wanted her to lose a lot, and I ended up with the character permanently." Kaylee sniffed.
"I told you not to cry! You will make me cry too," Anne hugged her.
"I am sorry, I was just picturing the past, and it hurts."
"I understand."
"Anne... Kaylee...! Get downstairs, please," their mother's voice echoed through the silent walls.
"Yes, Mommy," Anne said and dragged Kaylee with her.
"What is this? I thought you said you wanted to teach her a lesson?" Mother asked when she saw how close they were.
"This is how I teach lessons," Anne replied.
"Whatever. Uhmm... tomorrow is the burial. How is it going to be, Kaylee?" Allen's mother, Kaylee's grandmother, asked.
"I am ready as ever," Kaylee replied.
"Yeah. Let's hope you don't cry much," Allen sighed.
"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Let's make a deal," Kaylee insisted.
"Deal? What deal?"
"If I don't cry, you will hand over the property to me and leave."
"Hmm, and if you cry?"
"You can order me around however you want, and I will call you Dad."
"Seriously?"
"I know you want to be called Dad."
"You will never complain about anything."
"Sure. Deal?"
"Deal!"
"Child's play. Stop making deals you are not sure you will win," Jennifer, the little one, said.
"Sh*t up," Anne yelled.
"We are leaving. We need to prepare the food for the funeral," Mother said.
"You are going to cook the food?" Kaylee questioned.
"Who else will? Your mom is the only child, and her parents passed away years back. You are the last of your mom's generation."
"That's true," Kaylee's face flushed pale.
"See? You are always sad. You need someone your age to live with you," Anne said.
"You are not staying," Allen said.
"She should," Kaylee said.
"No."
"I own half of this place, remember?"
"That doesn't concern me."
"Jeez!" Anne exclaimed as she hurried upstairs to Kaylee's room. "Come and drag me if you can," she yelled.