Chapter 1 Episode 1

CHAPTER ONE

JACK'S POV

I look out the window and then the drive way. I sigh and look at Kitana. My little sister isn't as worried as I am. Maybe it is because she is hungry and has chosen food over worrying about our father's absence. She pushes back her thick, red hair from her face and looks up at me. She looks down at my plate and then my face. I knew what she was going to say.

"Why aren't you eating, Jack?" She asked in a low voice. "You haven't eaten since you had breakfast and we have to go to bed soon."

She is such a loving five-year-old even though she is so young. I am only seven, but I have to look over her and myself. Dad doesn't seem to have much time for us right now. I'm pretty sure he is with a new girl. There have always be long line of girls waiting for him.

"Don't worry about me, Kitana." I sigh. "Go ahead and eat; I am not hungry."

She looks at me with worry on her face before she drops her fork and supports her face with her small hands. I know that she is not going to eat anymore; irrespective of what I say to her. I stand up from the chair and walk to the refrigerator to pour her a glass of orange juice. She takes it when I hand it to her and she sips from the glass occasionally. For nearly ten minutes, she kept sipping from her cup while I glance outside every now and then, waiting for my father.

"You are waiting for Dad, aren't you?" She breaks the silence.

"No." I lie and fold my hands to hide the uneasiness in lying to my sister.

"He is not coming back today." She traces the rim of her glass and looks at me.

I know what she is saying is the truth, but I don't want to believe it. I don't want to believe that my father has chosen, yet again, to spend the night in Los Angeles with his numerous girlfriends instead of coming back home to his kids. I don't want these horrible thoughts that are running through my mind to run through my sister's, so I motioned for her to get on her feet; which she complied to without asking. We should be going off to bed now. It's better than letting her see just how true her words are.

Why do I even bother? If he comes, so be it. If he doesn't, then ... fine.

"Kids?"

I look up to see Mrs Moore-the housekeeper and Chef who looks after us whenever my father wasn't around. Can I say she is my father's henchman? She has been working for our family since my father was a little kid. But she is our helper, since dad decides to live his wayward life, she either forbids them 'my father's girlfriends' entrance or make an excuse. Her glasses looks fogged and her hair is a mess. Her dress seems creased and she adjusts it as her curious eyes dashes from Kitana to me. Her eyes shifted to the table and I see her brows dip into a frown. Her eyes rests on me, just like my Dad, she believes everything that goes wrong is my fault even before she gives me a chance to listen.

"Why didn't you touch your food, Jack?" She frowns at me.

"I wasn't hungry." I tell her in a lazy voice, I don't give a hoot what she thinks of me.

"If you don't feel like eating that, all you have to do is say it and I will prepare something else for you." She points at my untouched food.

"I said, I AM NOT HUNGRY. " I said, my voice cold and fierce. She looks at me with anger.

It doesn't matter what is going through her mind right now, for I know that's the best way to get her to shut the hell up and let me be.

"Alright then, suit yourself." She adjusts her glasses and shrugs.

She is so right. That's exactly what I am going to do; suit myself.

"I need to speak to you two about something." She announces.

The way she looks at us afterwards made me get chills. Those kind that you will get just before something bad happens. That unique taste at the back of your throat just before tragedy strikes you like a bolt of thunder.

"What is it about?" I ask.

"It's important."

"What is it?"

"You two will have to sit down before I say a word

Let's go to the sitting room." She puts her hands behind her back and walks away.

If not that I am so anxious to hear what she has to say, I would have ignored her and gone to bed already, but I don't know why I held Kitana in a protective manner as we trailed behind Mrs Moore towards the sitting room. She is seated on the beautiful circular sofa and arranges the arm rest like it was not perfect enough. She takes her sweet time which only adds to my anxiety. Ready to speak, she clasp her hands and turn to us.