Birthright

Chapter Five

“She’s Donovan’s daughter.”

“She’s what?” Kelly said in a faint voice. 

For a moment Kelly seemed incapable of speech and Jordan saw the devastated look on her face before she composed herself. Jordan took a step back as Kelly walked down the stairs so she and Jordan were face to face. When Kelly’s arms rose, Jordan tensed. She wasn’t prepared for Kelly to wrap her in a secure hug and rock her from side to side as if they’d known each other all their lives. The gesture was so far removed from Jordan’s world she didn’t know how to react. Kelly finally drew back and held Jordan at arm’s length. A frown marred her face as she took in Jordan’s guarded eyes. 

“Welcome home,” Kelly said.

She ushered Jordan into a foyer where Jordan stood beneath a glowing glass globe melded with color. Straight ahead was a sweeping staircase that divided the room in half. To the right was a sunken, airy living room. The décor was expensive looking but not unwelcoming. On the coffee table was a glass cowboy boot with red Gerber’s in it. The walls of this house were made of glass, which made it seem as if the trees and pastures were part of the house. The wraparound porch continued around the house and in the semi darkness Jordan saw Heath cross a bridge over the stream to a house in the middle of the pasture.

Kelly passed the staircase to the left side of the house and poked her head into an open doorway. Mr. Parker sat behind a huge desk, talking on a phone. Three walls of the room were covered floor to ceiling in books with long ladders attached to the walls. In the corner of the room was a seating area with an unlit fireplace and the fourth wall was made of glass that led onto the porch. Mr. Parker scowled as Kelly sailed in. Jordan stopped in the doorway and made no move to enter as Kelly rounded the desk and plopped down on his lap.

“I’ll call you back,” Mr. Parker said into the phone and tossed it on the desk.

“I’m glad you’re home,” Kelly said and kissed him. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing me a daughter.”

“It’s a long story,” Mr. Parker said with a quick look at Jordan.

Kelly patted his cheek affectionately and rose. “I expect a full accounting later.” 

Mr. Parker opened his mouth to say something but Kelly had already exited, taking Jordan with her. Beside Mr. Parker’s office was a straight tunnel made of glass lit by tiny globes hanging from the ceiling. Jordan squinted and saw that the tunnel ended at a pair of closed glass doors. 

Kelly waved an airy hand. “That leads to the pool room. I’ll show you tomorrow.”

They walked beneath the staircase and entered a fancy dining room with a chandelier hanging above a long, black dining room table with a scarlet running cloth and huge vase of white lilies. To the left of the dining table through an archway was another sunken living room. This one looked more lived in with a book face down on the coffee table and a huge bag of potato chips on the couch. Once more, there were no walls, just glass that looked out to the backyard and sides of the house. On the right was a beautiful kitchen made of gleaming wood. Kelly started towards the tinted glass refrigerator and peered through at the contents within. Jordan stopped beside a huge marble island and watched.

“Hungry?” Kelly called over her shoulder. 

Jordan shook her head but when she saw that Kelly was still rummaging in the fridge she cleared her throat. “Um, no. No thanks,” Jordan said.

“Are you sure? It’s no trouble.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Well, in that case, you must be tired. Let’s go to your room.”