THE UNMARKED GEM; A Girl Nobody Desired

Chapter 12: The Invisible Daughter

At the Millers, everyone was in their rooms, the parents were just catching up as it was the norm, giving each other a summary of how their busy day had been. The kids. Grumpy mad king Lucas was enjoying the game alone...hardly enjoying since he kept losing with no one to talk to. His friends didn't come back begging to be friends with him as he thought earlier. No. Apparently, they moved on swiftly as though he was that handbrake holding them back on a cliff of prosperity. Terrible joke. I know but you get it right? It was no longer a secret that Lucas, like most of us (bitter pill to swallow but you might not know this unless you ask and be ready for the truth) and maybe our friends are toxic people, narcissistic guy who was so hands-on when protecting his comfort. He cared more about being right than doing the right thing. Makes sense? Maybe not.

Audrey. She was behind her computer typing her assignment with headphones, taking time to move her shoulders-that’s what she confused as dancing and a sip of water from her glass bottle once in a while.

The millers were not the perfect family. They didn't have to because the fact was they were a blended family who had just been together for seven years...as a family. Knock off the years of friendship between Rose and Audrey's mum. In those seven years they had tried their best to be a family. And it was fair to say they were better than the Klein's. David and Rose were like best friends going for dates, they met on the dinner table daily and went for family dates. A step in the right direction despite the few setbacks or personal altercations for instance between the kids. But none of that got to the parents.

"This is one hell of a well-prepared meal!" David said after taking a glassful of water, he dropped it on the shiny lacquered mahogany dining table with a thud.

"You'll break the damn glass David"

"I'm happy, I've just had a good meal. My family is healthy, are you?" He asked his eyes roving at all of them, "Oh you'll dumb now"

"I'm okay dad" Audrey chose to save his father from shame but sometimes people we love don't love us back. Just not to the extent we love them. David ignored her.

"Lucas, my boy. You're growing big"

"He is eating well and sleeping well, taking a shower..."

"A shower and growth mum? You really can't stand me getting a compliment"

"She hates you that much...we boys need to stick together. Anyway, I have tickets to the fort canon Wolves game this weekend"

"I'm in" Lucas said giving his mum a mockery look.

"Whatever" Rose said relaxing her back on the dining seat.

In her seat Audrey was feeling embarrassed for sticking her nose in the family talk. Keyword family, she almost forgot she wasn't part of the family. Did it make her sad? Of course. Did she care? To some extent she did but she was better off pretending it was okay even when it was not with hope that it was going to change while also preparing for more contemn from those she held dearly at heart. One day she was going to stop being invisible, shine bright like a diamond even though she had given up on looking like Rihanna.

"That's settled, anything else? I think I need a nap now. Woohoo what a time to be alive" David was all chatty, was it just the food or he was very happy and he had some good news.

"Are you going to tell us the real reason you're this happy? This food has been prepared like this for years"

"Nothing"

"Kids, you tell me the truth. Doesn't he look like he is hiding something?"

Having learned her lesson, this time Audrey knew better than to interrupt a family meeting by inviting herself to a banter she wasn't part of. So, she zipped it and let her attention loving brother answer that one.

"He is definitely hiding something"

"Dude I thought we're brothers in arms" complained David.

"Tell him mama has her ways, so what is it you're hiding babe?"

David was cornered. He sipped his water and burst his knuckles, sank back. Lucas and his mother had their eyes on him. Audrey was awkwardly playing with spaghetti on her fork, just trying to avoid making eye contact. You may ask why not just leave the table? That would have attracted attention, obviously they enjoyed her being there to be seen without contributing anything. Besides, she was waiting for the opportune time to ask for permission to go for that party Mason invited her to. Let's not forget she was not a fan of parties but after that talk that left her feeling special she chose to attend the party, meet him halfway as a friend he much needed. He was doing so much to her in terms of boosting her confidence and making her feel loved, the least she could do was be there for him too. At the expense of her own morals?

"Okay, I just closed a major deal and I was thinking we celebrate as a family" he said happily.

"Hmm. You didn't mention that upstairs"

"I wanted it to be a family reveal"

"Mum wanted you two to share first so that we can be the only ones surprised. Are we going back to that hotel? It was fun right? I should be the family event’s organizer"

"You're. But this trip is different. We're going out of the country in a few weeks"

"It's about damn time we used that jet again" Rose was the happiest.

"Which country?"

"That's on you to decide, we will discuss it further tomorrow. I now need that nap" he left his seat, Audrey tried to make eye contact but it went unnoticed, her tongue was heavy and she couldn't find the words. Rose and David left holding hands, Lucas fished out his phone on his way to the living room probably already looking up for the best holiday destination countries to visit. She was left all alone on the dining table. Frozen in her seat, her heart pounding with a faraway ringing sound in her ears. She knew what was next. The housekeeper and the butler cleared the table, but the butler while leaving noticed drops of water where she was seated with her elbows on the table her head tucked between the palms of her hand. He went to the kitchen and came back with a napkin.

"Can you move a little so I can wipe the water please"

No answer, so unusual for the quiet yet friendly one of the Millers. She was shaking, weak almost inaudible sobs could be heard from under the hood of her shadow cast by her head on the table. The butler took a good look at her and noticed she was crying. That hurt him. His eyes became itchy too but he held them back instead. He chose to weep from inside and be strong on the outside for her.

"Come on, you need a hug?"

She nodded getting on her feet and the old man held her in his arms like she was one of his. Lucas was leaving for upstairs when he noticed they were hugging but that's not what he saw, or maybe he did see it that way just why pass on an opportunity to create a volcanic mountain out of an anthill especially when it involved embarrassing, humiliating and verbally assaulting his step-sister?

"What's going on here? Wonders shall never cease, you're too ugly for boys your age now you're here humiliating yourself with men your grandfather's age leave alone a mere servant!"

"Don't insult him. Insult me all you want but hot him"

"Look at you defending your hidden w***e"

Audrey got so angry that she wanted to make a run for it. Tackle him to the ground, sit on top of him and punch sense into his block head, pluck out his eye balls and feed them to the dogs, rip out his foul tongue and intestines and use them to strangle him to death for that kind of disrespect he was showing to the butler. Ironically it was the butler who was holding her.

"That's exactly what he wants you to do. Stoop down to his level" he warned restraining Audrey. That was the most violent she had ever been and if Lucas was keen enough he would have realized it. She had taken far worse than that from him.

"Watch your tongue old man. You're not that invincible as you think"

"Sorry master" he said leading Audrey to the kitchen. They were escorted by a mockery laughter of Victory from their mean tormentor.

In the kitchen he served her a glass of water, looked on as she emptied the first glass then another one, the last one she belched. Audrey was a dragon and the fire she was supposed to breath out and turn Lucas into ashes was stuck in her throat therefore it needed quenching or else it was going to roast her insides. Water had helped, just a little.

"You almost lost your temper back there, that's so unlike you"

"Sorry. He shouldn't have said that about you"

"Sit!" The butler ordered pointing a stool. He remained standing his hands behind his back...the wisdom posture huh, "I miss her too you know. She was the best boss one could ask for and her death still pains me to this day. You're not the only bird that Lost a tree when she died, seven years down the line and the pain is fresh in all our hearts. But life has to go on, she'd want you to be strong and brave, to look after your father and yourself no matter how much he pushes you away..."

That one seemed to grab her attention and left her surprised. Was it that obvious that David was pushing her away?

"It's not that obvious. I know that's what you're thinking. Takes a kin eye to notice and I've worked for your father and this family at large, for years. I can attest that he has changed, he shut me out too and we can’t force our way back in. The best we can do is hope he will be okay"

She nodded. But how long? How long until he realized that her daughter was hurting, facing humiliation and mockery at school every day and loneliness at home? That nowhere was safe for her emotionally?