The Kents

Eight

"From me?" I swallow a crucial lump.

Erick and Scott shoot their brother a displeased look and leave the room. He doesn't acknowledge their existence as he continues to fiddle with his car keys.

"Let's do this in the library shall we?" Stewart ushers me away from Luke's presence and into the Library.

"Emma, you should know, neither Erik nor Scott asked for this. Luke is stubborn. Let us prove it for him once and for all. After we do, I assure you you'll be immune from him forever." He says.

"It's okay-" I start to say-

"It should be okay. I mean... You're not afraid of the results are you?" Luke takes his seat and looks me into my eyes. His guts!...

I ignore him and walk to take my seat next to the stranger who started to fidget with his suitcase.

I roll up my sleeve for him and wait. My eyes started watering but I refuse to let my tears free.

And I thought everything was starting to get better....

On the pinch of the needle, my tears found their cue. I looked away as they fell down my cheeks. I longed to see the look on this greedy guts' face as he receives the results.

He places the little plaster and I roll down my sleeves in place.

"Great, Stewart. I'll see you in my office." Luke exits the room.

"I don't think it'll be easy for you to forget this. But if it isn't too much, please try." Stewart says. I wipe my tears away and sit across from him as he starts explaining a few things.

He asks to take me first thing in the morning for a tour around some companies and I agree.

"Ok, I guess I'll see you in the morning?" He says.

I smile politely and leave the room.

------------------------

I wake up the next morning to conceal my puffed eyes and tired skin. I dress in simple black pants and my favorite colorful blazer. I restrain my hair in a high bun. And with just the right amount of makeup I looked fairly formal, composed, and representative.

I hear Scott call from downstairs. I add a few last touches and leave.

When Travis's eyes lock with mine I nearly trip. He cougar-eyed me and Erik whistled. I'm blushing crazy.

"We've got ourselves one hot sister!" Scott elbows Travis.

"Your sister..." Travis adds and I contain my grin...

Mentally dancing with a hula-hoop around my waist.

"Stewart is outside." Erik winks. I smile at the three of them and leave.

What a dosage of confidence this was!...

Stewart and I have been to 3 companies so far. He introduced me to all three head managers. They were very respectable and kind. Unlike the companies' regular employees who clearly weren't on knowledge that I was a Kent. They exchanged glances and gossiped nonstop. My heels were killing me and I yearned for a chair and a bucket of ice for my feet.

"Anyone here?" I step inside the house. My voice echoes.

"Just me." I hear Scott speak from the game room.

"Travis and Erik?" I ask as I join him in the game room.

"Oh, they're coming to take me in a while. We'll come back tomorrow. Hiking..." He says.