Chapter Two
1011 Words
SIX YEARS AGO
KIARA'S P.O.V.
"Mummmy," I squealed, flinging myself into her arms. My mum was Helena Jones, a rich and successful businesswoman. She patted my head and smiled.
"Hey baby," she said, poking my cheeks. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," I replied. I tilted my head, looking a her with the most thoughtful expression the eleven year old me could muster. I took in her appearance. She was wearing a black mini dress that has a gold band at the waistline. Her was let down, falling down her shoulders in curly waves. Her feet were adorned with black heels and her neck and ears were laced with jewelries.
The eleven year old me could not really explain this in words, so, I said the only words that I could comprehend. "Mum, you are so pretty."
She bent to my eye level. "Awwn, sweetie, thank you," she said, tugging my cheeks. "And you are beautiful, my darling."
I blushed. "I want to be like you when I grow up, mum," I said. "I want to be pretty like you."
"Awwn, darling, you are already prettier than me," she said as she gathered me into her arms and kissed my forehead."
"Hey honey," my daddy, Steve Jones, called my mum as he walked down the stairs.
"Sweetheart," my mum said in reply.
"Hey Daddy," I greeted chirply going to hug me.
He hugged me back. "How are you baby?"
I smiled as I held on to his arm. "I'm fine."
He turned to my mum. "Darling, you look beautiful," he complimented her as he kissed her lips softly. "Where is Joey?"
"Here," Joey replied, standing at the entrance to the kitchen. His long lean frame was resting on the door. Joey was my fifteen year old brother. He scowled at my parents. "And stop kissing."
"Kiki," my mum called fondly. "Your dad and I are going out and we need to drop Joey off at his music lessons. Nana will come and babysit you."
"You are leaving me," I said with a sad pout.
"No darling, we will be back before it's dark. Besides, we will stay with you till Nana arrives," my mum replied.
By the time my babysitter, Nana arrived ten minutes later, I was already in front of the television, engrossed in the cartoon I was watching.
"Kiki, we are already on our way; your Nana is here," my dad said.
Still focused on the television, I nodded and waved at them absent-mindedly as they left.
"Kiara, would you like to have some home baked cookies?" Nana asked but I wasn't even listening to her. So, she left me alone, contented to look over me while I was distracted by the television. I was a lesser pain in the ass when distracted.
I must have fallen asleep on the couch, because the next thing I knew was that I was opening my eyes and spranging up from the couch in fear as someone was knocking on the door loudly.
Nana opened the door and my aunt, Laura, came into view. Her hair was dishevelled and she was sweating heavily.
"They had been an accident," she said to Nana. "They are dead."
Nana stared at her, a shocked look on her face, then, she let out a loud wail. She slumped on the floor as tears rolled down her cheeks.
I stared at them, confused. Accident? Who had an accident? Who died? And why were they crying?
Aunt Laura turned to me. "Kiara dear," she said softly. "Come here."
I stood up and walked towards her. She bent to my eye level and started stroking my hair softly. "Kiara honey."
"What happened, Aunt Laura?" I asked innocently.
"Your parents and brother," she muttered.
I observed the sad look on her face and fear gripped my heart. I stared at Nana's wailing figure in the floor. I tracked my gaze back to Aunt Laura whose eyes were brimming with tears. "Aunt Laura, what's wrong?"
"They are dead," she mumbled.
I stared at her. Dead? Dead?? What in the world did that even mean? I could feel my legs turning to jelly and shaking uncontrollably. "Mom? Dad? Joey?" I whispered.
Aunt Laura looked into my eyes. "Dead," she stated.
"Dead?" The shaking and wobbling of my legs were becoming worse. I could feel tears brimming in my eyes. I was aware that my heartbeat was slowing down. I knew my eyes were slowly closing and I was losing consciousness.
The last thing I felt was my aunt grabbing me and carrying me while Nana gasped my name, "Kiara."
I closed my eyes and let the darkness overtake me.
When I finally regained consciousness, I found myself on the couch, surrounded by mourners including my Aunt Laura and some other family members. They were all in the living room, crying, wailing and mourning for my lost parents and brother.
I curled myself into a ball in the corner of the couch, watching all the mourners. The tears in my eyelids spilled out without restrain. My parents and brother were dead. Like, how? Why? How could they die at this time? How would I survive without my wonderful parents and brother?
Aunt Laura sat on a sofa, her elbows on her knees and her palm supporting her sweaty, red, wet and puffy cheeks. The tears rolled down her eyes as she quietly sobbed.
I looked around me. My gaze lingered on the door, hoping to see my brother and parents walk in.
Joey would say something like, "What the heck are so many people do in out house?"
Mum will be like, "They seriously think we are dead? Oh dear!"
And my dad will just scoff and say, "What a joke. They should all get back to their houses and stop wasting their time."
I blinked slowly as the vivid images slowly faded and the voices lingered in my head.
It was all in my illusion. My parents and brothers were dead. And there was nothing I could do about it.
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