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(LII.) - Part One

School has begun. "Yay!" Note the sarcasm.

By the way, the reason for the delay in updates is terrible internet connection. But it's fixed now... I think. Anyway, updates might come in at a slower pace than before. For today, I have two chapters ready. Make way for their grand entrance—which is not so grand, anyway.
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"We need to talk."

It was strange how these four simple words in English vocabulary could cause one's heart to race, one's brain cells to go into overdrive, one's imaginations to stretch far and wide. It was puzzling how it could cause a change in breathing rate and pattern, how it made a gasp to escape one's lips. How it made one ask oneself a particular question: what did I do?

Jessica Snowden was in such a situation right now. She was conflicted between running upstairs, and meeting her mother in the lounge. She'd rather pick the former, but Zoe Snowden didn't appreciate being kept waiting.

So, she took two deep breaths, held her handbag tighter and closer to herself, and marched to the lounge. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Guy and Phyllis sitting there as well.

"I told you, you're fired." She glared at the hunk.

He held her angry gaze. "Yes, but you didn't employ me."

"Oh really now." She looked between him and her mother seated across. "Why am I here?"

"Sit." Zoe motioned to a big armchair made of ivory and brocade cushions. "We need to discuss something important."

Her eyes still on her ex-driver, Jess walked slowly to the chair and sat down. "What about?"

"You were kidnapped. So was Cody." She placed her clasped hands on her right knee which was crossed over her left leg. "As a mother, I want to make sure my children are safe and unafraid of moving around in their own home. So," she paused and threw a glance at her older daughter, "Phyllis thought it's a good idea that I hire bodyguards. Since Guy is no longer your driver, at least, he will make sure no harm comes to—"

"No!"

Zoe closed her eyes and inhaled deep and slow. She reopened darker eyes. "Jessica? You know very well that I hate it when you do that."

"Right now, I don't care what you hate and what you don't." Jess pressed her lips together, and faced Phyllis. "How nice of you to care about my safety."

"You think I'm that selfish?" Her sister gave her a raised eyebrow with an incredulous expression. "I don't want cops swarming here, trying to solve the murder cases of my sister and stepbrother."

"Well," she said to her mother, "I don't need a bodyguard, especially if that man is Guy." She rose to her feet.

"Don't think you have a choice, Jessica," Zoe told her in a no-nonsense tone. "From tomorrow, he'll be following you to school and making sure you're not alone at home."

Jess whirled on her heels. "I'm fine, Mother. If you don't think so, I don't care. When I mentioned the agency, I was talking about us getting cleaners, cooks, housekeepers, gardeners. Have you seen the backyard? Don't you think someone should give Carrick a helping hand in mowing the lawns and trimming the hedges? Well, I'm the only who has noticed the insufficient and inefficient staff we have here. Bam! I said it. Okay? Now, try to fix your house first, before you think of hiring whoever you want to sit in this mess and watch over your kids."

Without a moment's pause, she stormed out of the place.

Zoe stared after her daughter's raging form in anger and bewilderment. She was momentarily at loss for words. She could now see the repercussions of what her own mother had warned her about.