Hero?

12

"Jacob, tell me about Ana at school. How many friends does she have, what are they like?" Damon calls Jacob to his study after school that day.

"Ana doesn't have friends. Most of the kids know that you are her guardian and stay away from her. The ones that are jealous are the ones that want to cause her problems. The other kids have been warned by the jealous kids."

"How can they be jealous? They are nine and ten years old for heaven's sake." Damon is upset on Ana's behalf.

Jacob gives Damon a half smile, "The ones that are jealous have crushes on you. It's hilarious how they sigh over you. Ana doesn't laugh though, she shakes her head and stays away from them. Also, it's very apparent that you spoil Ana. The clothes you buy her are top name brand. Everything she has screams money. That is enough for some to be jealous of her right there."

"What about you, Jacob? Are you her friend?" Damon asks looking thoughtfully at the young boy in front of him through his steepled fingers. 

"No, sir. I am her body guard, you didn't require me to be her friend as well." Yet, even as he says it he admires Ana's strength.

"So that's all she is to you, an assignment?" Damon hides his feelings and Jacob has a feeling of impending doom.

Miserable he nods his head.

"I see." That's all Damon says dismissing the young man from his presence.

"Sir?" Jackson says coming in before Damon.

"I find myself in a situation that I don't know how to handle. Ana, doesn't have any friends, not even Jacob is her friend. She's lonely, your family is all that she has to alleviate this. So what can I do to make this better?" Damon asks sounding lost.

"I know sir, she's told me this before, but she's begged me to not say anything to you. Has something happened to her? She seems more withdrawn than she was before and she hardly ever comes over any more."

"The day she was bullied at school she found out that some of the maids were slaves. She hardly even speaks to me anymore, or even be near me." She finally allowed the doors to be opened between the rooms but she still refuses to go to him when she has nightmares. Her screams are what wakes him and he goes into her room to hold her while she sleeps.

"She didn't know sir?" Jackson asks amazed.

"No, it came as quite a shock to her." 

"I don't know sir. My door is always open, but since she's stopped coming there isn't much I can do. She talks about one of the maids as being nice to her. Perhaps you could have her assigned to Miss Ana as a personal maid?"

"Which maid, do you know?" Damon asks sitting up straight. Perhaps this will help Ana not be so distant from him and be more comfortable in his home.

"I believe she said the maid's name is Gemma? But I could be wrong." Jackson says apologetically as Damon slumps down. 

"Thank you Jackson. Perhaps you could invite Ana to go over to your house and play with your kids and give your wife a break?" Damon says in dismissal.

Jackson smiles as he thanks Damon and leaves.

Damon broods over what Jackson said. Gemma is a slave. He sighs and calls Calum and asks him to send Ana in if she didn't go to Jackson's or when she comes back. Calum said that she did go and that he would send her in when she gets back.

Damon gets back to work as he waits. About an hour later Ana comes in, "You wanted to see me, sir?" That's something else Damon dislikes, Ana putting distance between them by being so formal.