Hi everyone so sorry for the weirdness. Real life has been kicking my butt. I hope you all enjoy the revised story.
Ch. 1
The moment that Kalliope opened the letter from her mother she knew that there would be trouble. Coming home to the sight of a giant yellow package from her mother's old lawyer after picking up her munchkins after work caused her stomach to fill with dread. She hadn't heard from him since her mother's funeral and will reading three months ago so this was a little strange. As she ushered her sleepy brood into their apartment a part of her wondered what was going on. "Joshua and Kaila Rae what do you both want for dinner?"
"Mummy can we have yummy bread?"
"Yea Mummy can we have that with the onion cream cheese spread?" Joshua answered.
"Sure babies. Go put down your backpacks and sit at your table and I'll bring it to you." Was her answer as she sat down my purse and mail on the hallway side table. Once that was completed she walked into the dining area and put Kiana Marie into her walker before going in the kitchen to get started with dinner. Kalliope hit the switch on her iPod and let the beat of the music and her child's babbling begin to take her away from the stress of the day.
"Thank God I made this last night," she mumbled while cutting slices from the zucchini loaf for each of them. Once she spread the cream cheese over them, she then put a slice on each plate along with some homemade chicken nuggets and sat them on the table. Before walking back into the kitchen and grabbing Kiana's bottle and some applesauce for her. Once they said their prayers the family dug into their late dinner. After word's Kalliope gave them each a bath before dressing and putting them each in bed. Once she finished giving them their night time kisses and stories she knew that she could no longer hold off on the letter.
Kalliope sat down at the table and opened the envelope. Inside there were two letters as well as set of keys. The letter from her mother's lawyer read as thus:
"Dear Ms. Taber I know that you were not expecting to hear from me, especially due to our previously sad meeting. However it was brought to my attention that this letter from your departed mother was meant to be sent to you on this date. I do so hope that it finds you in good spirits and that you are in current good health.
Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon.
Anton Princeton
Attorney at Law
Princeton and Associates
She shook my head in surprise at the letter before sitting it down and taking a deep breath. Once that was accomplished she pulled out mother's letter and sat back to read it.
Surprisingly the stationary still had the scent of mother's perfume inlaid after all these months.
"My gatto del Cheshire, if you are getting this letter then I am no longer with you. I hope that you have become successful in completing your dreams and getting your degrees no matter what your father says. If you have gotten this letter than the worst has happened to me and you are now in danger. I don't know who it is from exactly but I fear that your father might have something to do with it. Your father and I are now in the process of getting a divorce due to several actions on both our parts. It does seem that your father is no longer happy with our marriage and I'm not happy with pretending to not see his indiscretions. In March I happened to come across some of your father's paperwork saying that his company was bankrupt, and that he has been borrowing money from the Bratva here in San Francisco for the past year and a half. Sadly though he appears to be in default of his loans and the only money available at this time is mine and yours. Seeing that I've decided to cut him off from the dowry and inheritance that I received from my family as well as what my family had put aside for you. Within this envelope there will be a set of keys that open a security deposit box at the national bank. It has several Certificates of Deposit that I have been putting aside for you since your thirteenth birthday. Also within this envelope are some of the recorded conversations between your father and an unknown male. This was during the time that you were away at school. Please listen to them as some of them concern you. Everything you need is at Mr. Princeton's office along with the paperwork needed for you to be able to change your name to my true maiden name so that you can be safe and for you to gain access to your grandparents will. My lovely angel I beg of you to do these things so that you can be safe and please never trust any of your father's associates no matter what they say. I'm so proud of you and I love you with all my heart. Live life to eternity and back my gatto del Cheshire.
Love Mama
Tears began to roll down her face while reading the letter. 'Well I guess that this explains everything that's been happening lately with Marcus and his wife Danica. Especially that phone call that I heard last month while doing the bi monthly visit to their home in the hills.' Kalli thought to herself. 'Well this won't be happening. So what am I going to do to get us out of here and away from my father's mess?' She pulled out the recordings and began to listen to the one by one. The anger that was felt as she heard her father discuss both of Kalliope's grandparents and what he believed to be their money as well as herself with an unknown man. There were even tapes after her mother was killed for some reason that went up to a few weeks ago. In particular the series that started last month was Marcus, his new wife and a man named Aleksei. They dealt with Marcus being threatened for not paying the money that he owed to the group and her father begging and actually having the audacity to offer her up in exchange.
"Why should we take her in your place?" Came the deep accented voice.
"Well for one once you marry her you can then access the money that her blasted mother hid from me and put in that brat's name," Went Marcus.
"Yes the chit has millions of dollars to her name....not that we will tell her, and it can all be accessed once she marries," Danica simpered
"What about the children that we have seen her with. Nikolai will not marry a whore."
"There's no problem of that happening. She's still lily white. She found those leeches on the side of the road and adopted them a year ago. Hell you can do whatever you want with them in fact." Was Marcus's callous reply.
"Very well I will let Nikolai know and if all goes to plan the marriage will happen three months from now. Just know this we will be watching her and you and if there is any change we'll be coming after the both of you and it will not be pretty. "
"Very well Aleksei, it was a pleasure doing business with you." Marcus replied to him, with Danica laughing in the background.
Kalliope put her head down on the table as she tried not to hyperventilate. It was all too much for her to deal with at this moment in time. According to the date on the last tape she now have two months to get out of town before that time limit is up. 'It will only take me 6 weeks to get everything done.' Were Kalliope's thoughts as she wrote down an escape plan. So she put the tapes aside and grabbed a pad and paper to make a list of things to do in the morning.
Kalliope To Do list:
1.Call Lawyer
2. Go down to the bank and get the box opened and do any bank transfers.
3.Buy a (6) burner phones as well as a laptop.
4.Put in paperwork and get it expedited as well as passports.
5.Buy a car
6.Look for new home
7.Buy house and work spot.
8.Get furniture and house set up
9.New items for the journey
10.Get ready to put in notice with apartment and job
Alright that's enough for tonight it's time for bed" she muttered before putting down the pad and locking up her home. Once she had turned out her lights she happened to glance out the window and saw an unfamiliar black car parked below and across the street from her apartment with in window down and a glowing cigarette light seen within.
"Hmm that's a little strange," she muttered as she checked on her brood once more and then went to bed.
