Among Stars by Nevi Bernard (free ebook reader for pc TXT) 📕

double suite had turned into a triple when dad said I could take powder room. The old powder room was as big as the other bedroom suites and since it was not being put to use he thought it would be great for me to use it. So it was renovated and merged with my other two suites the week that dad when on a business trip. Dre and my other siblings had spent that week and the following week after, so I’d had enough time to do all the necessary changes. A secret passage was also made from the house to the Gizmo.

The Gizmo was an old five bedroom suite house with a kitchen and dining room, library, den, a living room and a study. It was a comfortable place to just relax and forget about the outside world for a little while. I had done no serious renovations or redecorating trying my best to keep the theme of the setting. And I had never seen the need to change anything else. The reason for the name was because I’d made technological changes and so it functioned on ninety percent solar power and the other ten percent electricity.

I entered the den and plopped down into the comfortable couch and pressed the remote. A flat screen television appeared from the ceiling and came on. I flipped through the channels until I found something entertaining and soon fell asleep.

            I woke to the sound of my phone vibrating in its waterproof case on the couch beside me. I took it up, took a look at the number. It was dad. I didn’t answer it, but it stopped, and I saw that there were fifteen missed calls from him. I knew it was time to leave my safe haven. So I got up, walk back to the direction of the basement and turned left to the hallway the lead to the library. I entered and closed the door out of habit, the stepped on a soft pad at the side of one of the book cases and the wall opened into the secret passage.

I left the library and into the passage and pressed the loose stone in the brick wall and watched the door close. There in the passage stood a cart for quick traveling. I jumped on and started the engine. As I drove along I passed another passage that led outside for whenever the cart needed refueling. Soon enough I was at the other end. To the left was the secret opening to the cloakroom and in front was the private elevator that led to my suite. I took the elevator instead of the secret passage and soon I was inside. I went to the bathroom and took a quick shower and changed to a pair of tight jeans and a backless blouse. I put on some lips gloss and smiled at my reflection in the mirror then went down.

            I was almost at the bottom of the stairs when I sensed movements and turned towards it, and saw Lola. I tried not resent her but after all the things that she had made me do as a child, it was hard not to. She turned up her nose walked ahead of me down the hall to the dining room. I watched for sometime and sighed.

“Well if it isn’t the witch.” I grumbled under my breath before making my way down the same direction.

I entered the dining room in time to hear Lola making up some lie that I said I not planning to eat with there garbage and that I was very rude to her in the hall.

“Talk about entering the lion’s mouth.” I mumbled

“What was that?” dad was pretty furious but I was somewhat prepared for his response that I just smiled.

It was easier not to create a big fuss. He sighed before continuing, as if summoning all his strength.

“What is it that I heard that you said to Lola?” everyone turned to look at us and I was suddenly angry that he chose again to believe her over me but I remained calm.

“So I see you’ve chosen to believe the ice queen above me but that’s ok. It’s not different from all the other times. But if you would like to believe the truth, then don’t worry for I said nothing to her. Otherwise just believe whatever she tells you it doesn’t matter what I say.” I sighed and took my seat beside Nonno wishing that dad would choose to believe me for once.

He was about to say something when there was a chime from my phone signaling I had received a message.

 

MizPooh: Hey HRU? WRMU despite the fact that it seems we’re avoiding you.

Navajo Fox: I’m doing great. I miss you guys too. But I still can’t tell you what’s wrong. I’ll tell you one day when everything is sorted out. It’s not something you guys can help with I’m sorry.L

MizPooh: ok. L *sigh*

 

            “No phones around the table.” the harsh voice of my father exploded in the tense atmosphere. I looked up at him with unexpressive eyes and sighed softly. I started putting my phone away “Tuscany Peace” by Jesse Aleman, a Sicilian American artist, sang. I knew exactly who it was and was more than eager to retrieve it. Dad made an effort to get the phone away but he missed as I slipped out of his reach.

“Daddy!!!” I squealed into the phone with excitement.

There was an obvious gasp at my excitement of this other person I called “daddy”. There was a bit of mumble now as the atmosphere got more intense. I could see the shocked expression on Lola’s face too and it made me smile even more.

“Where are you? Are you back from Amalfi?” I started firing my twenty questions at him. Kevin laughed seeming to feel my excitement.

            Dennis came in then to ask if we knew Kevin McMaster. But my ecstatic scream was all the answer he need. I waited impatiently while nervously nibbling on my finger nail until Kevin burst through the door.

He dropped his bags and grabbed and lifted me by my knees and threw me over his shoulders before I realized that this was really him and not a dream.

“Where is DJ? I can’t find her.” He said playfully spinning around as if he really was searching for me.

"I’m right here silly.” I giggled breathlessly

“Where I don’t see you?”

“I’m behind you.” I laughed when he turned to look behind him.

“No silly over your shoulders.”

“Oh that explains why I felt so tired.” He said putting me down on to my feet again.

As soon as I was standing steadily and before he could make any further moves I threw myself into his arms locked my legs around his waist when he stood. I felt like five again as I hugged him tight. He must have sensed the weight of something I was holding in.

“What’s wrong kiddo? You know you can tell anything.” I could hear the concern in his voice and my arms tighten around him as I willed myself not to cry.

He arms tighten too as if saying he would never let go, and it was all it took for the dam to break. I cried uncontrollable tears until there was none left.

“Hey, you know Lions don’t cry.” He smiled soothingly

“Yeah they do inside but they ROAR on the outside.” I smiled remembering the last time we did that routine.

“Yeah, now would you like to tell me what’s up?”

“Nah some other time. Could we just hit some bags instead? I wasn’t really hungry.” I turned to look at dad for his approval but he was gone.

            In the excitement of everything he’d left the room, everyone else sat where they were, pretending not to listen.

“Selfish little twit.” I heard Davari saying under his breath but before I could respond dad came back.

“So it seems your mom forgot to tell me she had remarried.” Dad said gruffly

“You didn’t see a need tell her certain things after you had remarried or after you divorced.” I lashed back.

“Fox!” was all Kevin said but I knew what he meant when he spoke in that tone, so I didn’t comment any further, however dad was recovering from the statement.

“Mr. Vincenzo, I’m Kevin McMaster. I would like to talk with you but I think it would be best if DJ and I went have a little talk with the punching bag, therefore preventing anymore outburst from her, for now.” Kevin stepped in clear the way but was lashed too.

“Don’t tell how to raise….” Dad started to say but Kevin stopped him.

“Your ex-wife and I are not married, dating or courting. In fact I came to tell DJ some good news.” Kevin turned now to look at my puzzle face.

“DJ, I came to tell you that I finally met someone that is worth dying for and I plan to marry her. I know you’re gonna love, she’s just adorable.”

“I don’t want to meet her, if it’s that blood-sucking gold-digger that you met in Naples last January. You’ve been missing out on our daily activities lately….” I stopped mid-sentence when I saw Lyn walked in.

            I looked from her to Kevin puzzled until it dawned on me. I smiled first then with all the happiness I ran over to where she stood and hugged her tight. Then both of us were screaming in excitement.

“I really can’t believe that you guys are really gonna get married.” I smiled sweetly at them both as I held their hands. “Mom can plan you wedding.” I gasped

“We were thinking that you could design the dress, and help us plan the wedding.” Kevin smiled at Lyn adoringly.

“Aww! Thanks you guys.” I hugged them tight then let go. “For this reason, I’ll stay even though I hate it here.” I promised

“You and Boomer loved it here.” Lyn said quietly

Boomer was my pet Scarlet Macaw who was two months old when I got him. I lost him some months later, someone had let the cage open when I’d come to visit dad one summer. He never came back. It’s been six years since he went missing but it hurt to remember that I won’t be seeing him again.

*                                *                                *

            A weekend of being with family make you really want to be with friends. But unfortunately for me, I don’t have any now. I took up my video camera from the seat on my room’s balcony and from there and videoed my family talking, playing, reading the paper. Everyone was just having fun.

“I can’t live with them can’t live without them.” I said to the camera now turned towards my face.

I was making my way to the kitchen when I saw the last person I expected to see. Lucy.

“What are you doing here?” We chorused

I was the first to recover. “It’s none of your business.” I snapped

Dad had entered without either of us hearing, “Dami be nice. I see you’ve met Lola’s niece…..”

“What?! This just can’t be happening.” I groaned.

“We already know each other…..” Lucy started to say

“Right, you two attend the same school.” Dad nodded

            It was then that my phone rang. Talk about be saved by the bell situation, I thought.

“Hello, this is DJ.” I answered

“Hi DJ, it’s me Sunshine.”

Sunshine is Red’s daughter. She is as wonderful as her mom Halo. Her ivory skinned complexion and hair as black as Red’s was one of her beautiful traits. But she had dark brown eyes like her mom and a smile as warm sunshine. Red’s had said more than once that that was the reason they had given her that name.

“Hey Sunshine, is something wrong?” I asked worryingly

“Yeah everything thing is fine just a bit worried about you. You haven’t been here in a month and that’s not like you. And it’s not like you bot to call either. C’mon tell me what’s up?”

“Look I can’t, not now. On second thought I’m coming over. I really miss you guys. Who has been teaching