Lunch was an awkward affair. At least it didn't last longer than it had to. Zach and his assistant drove to the closest headquarters to check on how things were going and quote unquote 'do some work'.
Alessandro thought it probably meant his dad was parading the next city with his newest toy, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He could not stand the level of insolence for his dad to bring the woman to their family home. He couldn't that his mom didn't so much as comment about it... He knew things were bad between her and their father, but he didn't know they were this tragic.
In the evening, the siblings sat with their mother in the reading room -a smaller living room that was not meant for guests- so they could catch up and spend some quality time together, with the exception of Amber, that hasn't come down from her room.
Ales was considering going up to call her when Helena told him to stay with his siblings. She needed to speak to her sooner or later, so she went up to her daughter's room and knocked and waited. Amber stood in front of her a moment later, clad in a short dress that barely left anything to the imagination, her hair and makeup boldly done. Helena paced inside her daughter's room and took a deep breath, sitting on a corner of the bed.
"Are you going somewhere?" She asked the twenty year old who was fixing her hair in the mirror.
"I'm going to town to meet up with friends." She replied.
"I'm sure your friends can wait a bit. They would understand that you'll be spending time with your family for the holidays." Wren answered with a little smile observing the young woman quietly.
Amber's eyes sparked with ill hidden irritation. "It's not a competition ,mom. I'll be here the entirety of winter break. I will have plenty of time to spend with my siblings." She made her way to her closet to grab her purse.
"You're right, but we would all appreciate it if you at least spend your first day here with us. We all missed you" Wren sighed knowing this conversation is heading nowhere.
"I'm sure I won't be that missed, with Alessandro filling for me." Amber faced her mother with a silent dare, "He's more than enough for the both of us. After all, no one really cares about the 'spoilt daddy's girl' ."
Wren frowned getting to her feet and approaching her, "Nobody ever said anything of the sort, Amber. What are you on about?"
"Just because nobody said it doesn't mean they're not thinking it. You think I don't notice how differently you treat me compared to Ales, or even my other siblings? I'm not a child anymore. I don't need to live in Ales's shadow or always side with you to get your attention. I'm over it. I'm sorry if I'm not as prone to believing your narrative like a gullible little girl and actually have a good relationship with my father. Maybe that's why I'm not a favourite isn't it, because I'm immune to your influence?" Amber raged.
Wren stood in horror, wide eyed and caught by suprise. She found herself staring at her daughter without a semblance of a response in her mind. Her bubbling anger turned her sour towards herself as she processed what Amber was saying. Where did she go wrong? Had she really made her feel so alienated from her family? She gulped down her rising panic and approached the girl carefully, her voice wavering, "What... I- Amber, you cannot possibly believe that baby. I could- would never think that way about you. I am glad of your relationship with your father. I can never spite you for it." Amber didn't seem to be having any of it. In fact, she seemed to have turned a decisively deaf ear to her mother's words. "You and Ales, and Len and Ophelia, you're all one and the same to me. Where did you get the notion that I get to choose favourites? What did I do that you might think I will hold it against you if you're on good terms with your dad?"
Amber huffed a bitter chuckle, "Whatever." She pulled her phone out and tapped furiously, sliding it in her pouch again. "I'm almost twenty years old. I think I get to choose who to spend my time with and when."
She stormed out of the room before Wren could even say a word in response. She knew she had left when she heard the sound of a car pulling away. She sank down on the bed and ran her fingers tightly through her hair feeling helpless.
Her sole concern, and only achievement in life was being a mother. That was all Wren remembered... Now she felt like that was also slipping right from between her fingers. She heard it in Amber's rage. She saw it in the darkness when she closed her eyes that night after trying to pretend to her other children that nothing was the matter.
She felt herself slipping away from reality. Her husband hadn't spoken a word to her other than polite exchanges here and there. He took a bedroom downstairs opposite his assistant's, Sharon told her with a hint of sad embarassement she chose to ignore. She dismissed the older woman's worries with a smile and carried herself to bed. As long as the children were having a good time together. As long as she could see their smiles and hear their laughter, that is all that mattered to her.
~~~
"Mommy, why is she here?" Ophelia pointed a finger to the assistant that's been glued to her father's side the entire week.
They were sat in the living room having afternoon tea before Zach and his assistant sauntered in, cutting short the familial conversation. Ales and Lennon were by the windowsill playing chess, and Ophelia was curled up in Wren's lap as she read her book, brushing her fingers through the little girl's hair.
Ophelia did not like the assistant one bit. She hadn't gotten past her father's cold greeting and the cold shoulder he'd been giving her the entire week, when she was looking forward to seeing him for months on end. No matter what Helena did, the little girl was no longer talking about her dad. She was now annoyed because of the woman stuck to his side, invading their home. She wanted her out and away.
"She's our guest baby. She helps daddy with work." Wren kissed her daughter's forehead trying to speak in hushed voices to keep the conversation between them.
"I don't want her here mama. It's not her house." Ophelia protested, crossing her arms stubbornly.
Wren didn't miss the grimace on the assistant's face as she narrowed her eyes at Ophelia, trying to bite down her retort. Helena was truly confused as to why a full grown woman might be considering arguing with a four year old. She raised a challenging brow to the woman.
Zach looked up from his phone to his daughter, "Now, that is not very polite. That is no way to treat our guests, little one. How about an apology?"
Wren's brows shot up in surprise. Cara's lips twisted in a self satisfied smile, as she looked expectantly at Ophelia. "Oh, Zachary, It's alright. She's just a little girl."
Ophelia hid her face in her mother's chest like she always did when she was upset or looked for protection. Wren's fingers tried to soothe her, running up and down her arm as she observed her husband.
He met her gaze then lowered it to Philly, "No, she can apologize. My children are not so disrespectful."
Wren almost lurched from her seat at the murderous instincts that arose in her blood. She wanted to wipe the petty smirk off Cara's face and yell at Zach, maybe claw his eyes out for good measure. Just what was he thinking to bring this woman to their home, and frighten her little girl to impress her? Who even did this woman think herself to challenge her under her roof?
"You will find that my kids are most respectful to those who best deserve it. I can't find a case for the latter in front of me, unfortunately." Wren got to her feet glaring daggers at him, as she gathered Ophelia in her arms, daring her husband to utter a single other word about it. She fixed the assistant with one last distasteful look and stormed out to the kitchen, cooing the little girl. "You want a slice of mommy's chocolate cake?" She kissed her chubby cheeks and Ophelia nodded with a big smile.
"There's my sunshine smile." Wren chuckled at her adorable girl's toothy grin. They were soon followed by Lennon and Alessandro who moved their chess game to the island, unable to miss out on cake. They barely contained their face eating grins after their mother left the living room.
Sharon had left to her housekeeper quarters after dinner. Ophelia dragged Wren upstairs to her room where she turned on her galaxy lights and read her book with her mom. It was later that evening when Wren heard the door to Amber's room shut not so subtly. She hadn't been home since the day before and she wouldn't answer their phone calls. It almost drove her insane not to know where or how her daughter was. Wren worried her lips over whether to try and speak with her or let her cool off first.
Ophelia as though sensing her mama's dilemma offered to take the empty plates downstairs to the kitchen before coming back to get ready for bed. Helena Wren kissed the little girl's forehead and told her to be careful on the stairs before she turned to knock on Amber's door once, twice... there was no response. She kept her voice down and called, "Amber Rose, please open up. Let us talk, love."
"Not now mom." Amber's muffled voice answer from inside.
"Amber, come on-" Wren started again but was cut short with Amber's voice, "I'm sleeping."
Wren smiled despite her unsuccessful attempt. It brought back memories, standing on this threshhold after an argument with Amber. She would always lock herself in her room and would say she's sleeping to avoid confrontation.
She was about to retire when she heard a shattering noise from downstairs and immediately rushed to check on Ophelia. The scene she walked in on made her blood boil. A place with leftover cake was shattered on the ground and just inches away Cara stood clutching Ophelia's arm viciously, yelling at the crying girl cried for sullying her dress with chocolate. In a split second Wren was prying her hand off her daughter that she scooped in her arms, and pushed the insolent woman back, seeing only red.
The assistant gaped at her in disbelief stumbling to find her balance. Wren shouted at her, "Who the hell do you think you are!? How dare you lay a finger on my girl?"
"She- She's a spoilt brat! Look at what she did to my dress!" she pointed to the big chocolate stain on her red cocktail dress. "Do you have any idea how much this cost? She did it on purpose!"
"Don't. You. Ever. Talk about my girl like that!" Wren spat venomously as she stared down the woman still pointing to her dress.
Wren lost her patience as her girl shook with tears and sobs on her shoulder. She shouted at Cara, "Do you think I care about your dress? Get out! Get out of my house right this instant!"
The assistant gaped at her incredulously as she retorted weakly, "Y-you can't do that! I'm here with Zach. You can't kick me out of his house."
"I said, out! Get lost or so help me God, you won't like the consequences!" Wren pointed to the door in a rage.
"What is going on here? What is all this shouting?" Zach walked into the kitchen in sweats, Lennon and Ales following with wide eyes.
Ophelia hiccupped and sobbed, her arms wound tightly around her mother's neck. Wren ran her hand soothingly on the girl's back and cooed, "It's okay baby. I'm here. Nobody will hurt you again. Shhh I'm here."
"I asked what's going on!" Zach said as he stepped closer to his wife and his assistant staring from one of them to the other.
"What's going on, is that you'll get your little assistant out of my sight and house right this instant! I don't want to see her face again." Wren seethed at her husband, not sparing the other scum another glance. She wasn't so sure she'd keep her hands off her if she did.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Zach asked incredulously.
Wren cut him with the icy composed tone, he knew very well meant she was screaming blue murder underneath it. That's the only time Zach knew better than to argue with her. "I will not tolerate anybody insulting or laying a single finger on my children, do you understand? Get her out of here or I swear I'm calling the security to drag her out of this house and throw her on the streets."
"Helena, don't be ridiculous. Where do you think she could go at this time and hour? You can't just throw her out." Zach tried reasoning with her.
"Try me, husband." Wren challenged, standing tall. She didn't want to argue with him in front of their children so she slipped Ophelia to Alessandro and told the kids to go upstairs.
She raised a challenging brow to her husband. "I'm running out of patience."
"You cannot be serious. You will do no such thing as kicking her out at this time of day." Zach approached her, standing a few inches taller than her, "You're doing this truly because of me, aren't you?"
She didn't even blink at his proximity, "Don't flatter yourself. I am the mistress of this house Zach, and I want her gone. You have ten minutes to escort the trash out of my house." She wasn't backing off, not when it was about her children- never when it came to them.
Zach felt like he was counting the seconds in his staring contest with his wife before he spoke, still not breaking his gaze from hers, "Go pack your things and wait for me in the driveway, Cara."
"But Zach!" The insolent woman screeched. Zach's voice dropped to a low menacing tone, "Go pack up and wait."
She didn't protest this time around as she stormed out of the kitchen, leaving the two of them in eerie silence for a moment. Zach watched the shutter closing over his wife's blazing eyes and knew that she was at last pleased to have gotten her way around.
"This is my house too, Helena, or am I no longer welcome here? Can't I invite whomever I want? You cannot keep kicking them out." He questioned.
Her lips curled in a sarcastic fashion, "These doors have been open for years on end Zach, but the moment you up and left for God knows how long now, you've lost that privilege." She pointed an accusing finger to his chest, "You know... You know that is is our family home. Couldn't you have some respect for your children if not for me? You try to spite me but I just no longer care. Hell, I don't care if you change your flavors every month, but do it far far away from here. Yet to insult me in my own house? I thought even you were above that. What message do you think you're sending your kids? What do you think the conclusion they come to when they see you parading all these women left and right?"
She bit her lip and shook her head, feeling silly for even wasting her breath to admonish him, "I can kick out anybody who dares disrespect any of us in this house, including yourself dear husband. So get that in your head!"
"Are you threatening to kick me out of my own home?" He asked incredulously.
"Last time I checked on paper, this is my house, my home. It has been for the last twenty years of my life. I never asked or demanded any other thing in all these long years, so I will protect the one thing I have." She said unwavering.
"I cannot believe this. Is this what it's come to? Petty threats to kick me out of the house? What next? You're going to prevent me from seeing my children?" Zach chuckled darkly.
"It seels that it has come to that. I do feel sorry for you if you think I am cruel enough to think to take away your children from you, but let me remind you that you were the one who walked out all those the years ago. You're the one who left, and I stayed." Wren clenched her teeth. "Understand this, Zach. I'll protect my children with my life. If as much as their pride is hurt, I'll make whoever did that regret it tenfold. I do not care who the hell they may be."
Zachary stared down the woman a head shorter than him, as gorgeous as ever, as giving as ever- even he will admit that she is the best mother he could wish for his children, and yet... He didn't know when she became the other, the enemy, the threat. He did not wish to believe her so, but he knew something fundamentally wrong went with their relationship all those years ago. He was young and foolish. He did not know what it would mean to set his hopes in stone of a family and a woman to love. A woman he lost, and a family he felt slipping from him as days go by. Staring in her eyes now, he realized something that he had never cared to acknowledge before, but he no longer knew her- The Helena Wren he fell in love with was no more.
Cara stomped her way out of the hallway and out the front door slamming it shut, the sound breaking through the silence. Wren pulled herself together taming her anger. "You'll always be welcome under this roof... Alone."
She left Zach swearing under his breath as she stormed up to Ophelia's room. She sat with both her brothers sulking and quiet with puffy eyes, but at least she wasn't crying anymore. That changed when she saw her mother and instantly bolted to Wren hugging her tightly. Helena scooped her up in her arms and let her bury her face in her hair.
"She's not talking to us." Ales said looking apologetically at his mom.
"I told you she would talk only to mom." Lennon answered his big brother, getting to his feet.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Alessandro asked he walked to her.
"It's alright." She gave him a look to say 'not now' and showed them out, "You two should go to sleep. Ophelia will stay with me tonight."
Wren hugged the two of them before heading to her room, carefully sliding the little girl that had fallen asleep on her shoulder under the bed sheets. She was about to lay her head on the pillow when her phone screen lit up with a call on her bedside table.
Xavier.