Their Little Sunshine

[24] Memories

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Third Person POV

3 minutes 23 seconds.

That's how long it has been since everyone sat at the dining table. And that's exactly how long it had been since anyone of them spoke anything. Well, who knew that 203 seconds could be so long because it sure felt like a lifetime? To everyone except the seven men who had been with Kiara for over a week now.

The silence on the table spoke volumes but in their mind? There was not even a once of silence they felt when their mind was preoccupied with thoughts of their own. All seven of them knew it by now. Asher Blackford, their younger brother's best friend was the same boy Kiara used to talk about, her basketball friend. They just needed confirmation.

They wanted her to tell them about it, on her own. They didn't want to dig it out in any of their ways, she was not their employee, but their sweet little girl.

But before that, they were obliged to explain the situation to everyone, so they did. Alex and Stefan, both of them told everyone about what she has told them. All their cousin already knew about how she played basketball after so long, a day back. So, it was not much they had to tell.

But, each word coming out of their mouth, instilled a little fear and panic in both of their hearts. They couldn't help it. It was a feeling they felt after a very long time. Maybe it was just a little, but it was there. That hesitation in them, when they told what they felt was necessary to not let their family be kept in the dark.

They didn't show it to anyone, their inner turmoil was kept inside their cold heart only with a tiny hope in them.

They really wished they weren't invading her privacy.

---

"I'll go and call Kia," Stefan muttered as he stood up, not sparing a glance at anyone and left the breakfast table.

Knocking on her door, he waited for a few seconds before he knocked again.

Hearing no response from her side, he called out, "Kiara?"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, before he opened her gate slightly, his gaze lingering to every corner of her room. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, his eyes searching for her once again. His gaze stopped at the half-open bathroom door, he called out her name once again as he stepped inside the bathroom, still not finding her.

His pace quickened, his breathing starting to turn deep as he entered her walk-in closet, calling her name a few more times, but to no avail. He took a deep breath, his nerves calmed down at the thought that she couldn't go anywhere, she was inside the mansion only. Everyone would have been notified the second she left their home. But still, a part of him wanted her in front of him at that very moment.

Entering her room again, his gaze landed on the balcony door at the far corner of her room. Taking fast steps towards the balcony, he stepped out, his shoulders slumped in relief as he finally saw her. Kiara was sitting on the hanging chair with her knees touching her chest, her hands wrapped around her knees as she stared afar, not showing any movements. She looked so deep in thought that for a moment, Stefan didn't want to disturb her, but he had to call her for dinner.

Stefan gently kept a hand on her shoulder, "Kia?"

"Hmm?"

"Come, it's time for dinner." He said taking her hand in his and making her get up from the chair. This was the first time when her face was portraying no emotions, and her eyes looked distant as if even when physically being present with him, she was not there.