"...you are as trying as your challenges..."

Dad is in a mood this morning. I'm guessing that NGS didn't go his way in Texas. My father is not the kind of man to throw a fit when he's mad. He will keep to himself and grumble out monotone responses.

"Are you all right daddy?"

His eyes are sharp today. I gave him a small smile hoping he will return it. "No honey I'm not."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Do you want to talk about who fixed the barn door? Because I know it's not you."

Oh snap! "Uh... Someone else fixed it."

"Thank you captain obvious. That is obviously noted. Who did? Nick?"

Is Nick handy? Does he use tools or is he the kind to pay someone to fix things? I have never seen him fixings anything but then again we haven't exactly been together like that.

"Not Nick. Don't throw a fit daddy but a stranger came over. His car had problems and he offered to fix the barn door in exchange for somewhere to sleep. I agreed."

He held his hands at his waist. "And I suppose he slept with the horses? You stacked up some hay he can use as a bed?"

"No daddy. I let him sleep in the guest room."

He nodded his head. "Do you... is your view of people that naive? Are you foolishly optimistic?" He never speaks like this. I frowned at him. I'm sorry honey. I'm sorry. I'm not saying... Keira, if I haven't said it enough, then I'll start saying it. You should not trust people at face value. I am concerned that this trust you have in people will get you hurt."

"Nick was here a little later on." I told him hoping it will calm him. He sighed in relief. If he knows Nick was out like a bulb, then he will throw a fit. Some things are better not said. "You're turn daddy. What is really bothering you?"

"He refused to sell." He sighed yet again. "I doubled his offer and he refused to sell."

After Nick helped us out,my father was able to get enough money to buy back out land in Texas. They went there to do that but it seems his efforts hit a brick wall. That land has been in his family for eight generations and selling it broke his heart. It was necessary because we couldn't keep all those acres and stay afloat.

I rested my hand on his back. I pressed a delicate kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry daddy. Things will look up. Let's just be patient. I love you."

"You should come to Amalfi with us."

They are excited about taking a vacation.

"No!" I laughed. "You guys need it more. You go ahead. We will take one together during the holidays."

"Don't say I didn't offer."

"I'm going to take some breakfast to mom."

"Good luck with that. When she's watching that gossip show... the one about.... what is it about again?"

"Mistresses Exposed." I cringed at the name.

"That one. She never does anything else."

"I made her banana chocolate chip pancakes. They are her favorite. She will eat." I carried the tray with the teapot, some orange juice and the pancakes. I can hear the sound of the TV. I saw her frown, not the face she wears when she's watching this show. She usually joins in the jeering but I guess when your own daughter is a mistress, things change. But am I really his mistress given how the last conversation played out?

She turned off the TV as soon as she saw me.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"W-why w-wouod something be wrong? Why?" She spoke quickly. She speaks fast when she's been caught doing something she shouldn't be doing or when she's freaking out.

I set the breakfast tray on the table. "You switched off the TV when you saw me. What are you watching?"

She shook her head. "My favorite pancakes!" She clapped her hands.

I picked up the remote but she grabbed it too. "Mom let go!"

"Don't be silly! We should spend quality time together! No electronics!"

"Mom, even I know quality time with you is watching reality tv. Let go of the remote!" I snatched it but she snatched it back and we got into a struggle until we both lost it to my father.

When he switched on the TV, I understood why she switched it off. Margaux, Nick's wife is on the show. It's muted but I can read the caption. "Homewrecker alert! Keira Burke is on the loose."

"Switch it off!" My mom demanded but my father unmuted.

"...I'm just devastated. I would expect a fellow woman to empathize and not to do this to me." Margaux is sobbing. The woman who is the host is a vicious character. "Nick and I are not doing well. We haven't been okay for a while. Every marriage loses it's luster and we were trying to work it out when Keira came into the picture. All of a sudden he filed for divorce and full custody of our daughter. He spends more time with her than our daughter. I am all right with being neglected but when it's affecting our daughter it's just not right. He has become angry at me for refusing to end our marriage. It's just so frustrating and painful..."

I felt my stomach churn as I watched her playing a victim.

"If you had something to say to Keira Burke, what would it be?"

She dabbed her eyes and looked at the camera. They even zoomed in.

"Keira, it's not your fault that you fell for Nick. He's a great catch. But what you're doing isn't right. Nick, Maddie and I are a family. We belong together and when you try to squeezed in, you're breaking our little family. You are hurting us... you're hurting my daughter and most importantly, you're sending my husband down a self destructive journey. He was fired because of you. He's becoming an alcoholic because of the strain you're putting on our marriage. Please, if you have any sense of honor and justice, you will stop pursuing my husband. You're a married woman and you should understand that what you're doing is wrong."

"Thank you Mrs Bale for coming here today and being brave enough to share your story. Now, a message for Mrs Keira Burke. Women like you are whores. That is what you are. Women like you deserve to burn in hell and that is what will happen to you if you don't stop sinking your claws into another woman's husband. We will not tolerate such in our community! I think that wives everywhere should stone you when they see you..."

My father switched it off to end it.

They both stared at me.

I ran off immediately, all the way to the toilet where I threw up violently. I gripped the bowl as I emptied every content of my stomach.

"Keira..." My mother addressed me. She held back my hair, wrapping it up at the top of my head. "...is this shock or something else?"

"What do you mean?" I pressed my hand on my stomach.

"Is she all right?" My father asked her.

"It's just shock."

"I'm leaving for some errands. Keira honey."

"Yes daddy?" I answered without looking at him. I feel so ashamed right now.

"You are as strong as the challenges that confront you."

We listened to his footsteps on the old wooden floors until they faded.

"You're pregnant." My mother noted.

This takes me back to the conversation we shared outside the prison before they left for Texas. I suspected it too but it seemed far fetched.

"I think so." I agreed.

"Nick's?"

"Who else?" I asked her with a frown.

"Don't look at me like that! You have been quite adventurous! Cole Michael... Bruce St Patrick-"

"Mother! It's only been Nick!"

"Then it's Nick's. Have you told him?"

"Of course not!"

"Why not? This is the push he needs to get rid of that woman!"

"Mother come on!" I got up to wash my mouth out with water. "I can't tell him! Not now!"

"Why not?"

"He's going through a lot!"

"And it's not your fault! It's not! This baby is proof that you two are together-"

"Exactly! This baby is proof that I am a homewrecker! It's proof that I cheated on Jason and ruined Nick's marriage!"

"That marriage was going to hell anyway! You did not wreck anything! There was no home to be wrecked! You did not pursue him, he pursued you!"

"And I encouraged him!"

She rolled her eyes. "Nickolas is a grown man. H made a decision to be with you. He has gotten you pregnant. He will take responsibility for this pregnancy." She told me in a flat serious tone. "You have gotten what you always wanted. You are pregnant after that man told you it's your fault. Now we know it was him all along who had a problem. Be happy about this baby and when I come back from Amalfi, we are calling Nickolas and telling him."

I massaged my temples. "I think I'm going to go to bed."

"It's 9am in the morning!" She called out after me.

I'm so tired. I think I'll just lie down a little.

*

My eyes shot wide open.

Did I just hear gunshots?

I sat up immediately. It's dark! How long have I been asleep?

I sprang out of bed to race to the door when I heard more gunshots. It's probably my father watching western cowboy movies. Maybe. But they sound real.

I found my mother in the hallway watching something outside the window.

"What is going on?"

"Oh! Sleeping beauty! How was your nap?"

"Why did you not wake me? What is going on?"

"I think your father shot Jason Burke." My heart stilled as my blood ran cold. "He came here looking for you, saying he wants to talk to you but your father brought his shotgun and started firing."

"He shot him? You saw this?"

"He definitely shot him. There's blood on the porch."

I raced off to see for myself and as soon as I opened the door, I saw the blood.

"Get the bleach!" He ordered me when he got back.

"Daddy what have you done?"

"Get the bleach. We need to clean this up."

"Our flight is an hour! We should be at the airport!" My mother reminded him.

"Lili, not now."

I can't believe she's disregarding the blood on our porch or that a man has bee shot!

I got the bleach and my father asked me to step back as he cleaned up. My eyes kept searching the dark night, wondering if Jason is lying somewhere dead or did my father bury him already? That fast?

I wouldn't put it past him.