Professional Disaster

Chapter 18

The whole family were getting ready to go out for dinner in their designated rooms, while Robert was making numerous phone calls. He had something very big planned for his little girl's birthday.

Kimberly on the other hand was struggling keeping her mask up. She had tried her hardest to keep Arabella as far away from Parker as possible, but understandably she tried to speak to him and Katie often since she had never actually met them both. Trying to explain why they had never visited when their family did was also difficult. It was times as such when she wished she had birthed two socially awkward hermits for children instead. Jenkin too was inquisitive, but he - thankfully - didn't ask any questions. He watched from afar with a confused look on his face. He was too much like his Father, watching and waiting.

Kimberly and Robert were two of the first to be ready and waiting. They both entered the living room, one after the other. Dale and Katherine were the only ones that beat them, already sitting on separate sofa's watching television. Rushed footsteps followed behind the two. Caiden came pattering down the staircase, a pearly white smile on his face."Well, don't I look dapper?" He grinned.

"Very handsome." Kim nodded with a smile.

"I know." Robert's older brother winked jokingly.

"Never as good as me." Robert smirked cheekily. "How's a drink or two sound before we leave?"

"Grand." Dale nodded.

"I'll help you." Kimberly followed.

Caiden made conversation with his mother while Dale sat silently watching a car show on the TV. Waiting for everyone to be ready was Kimberly's least favourite part of every night they went out. She had no patience, especially when it was the men that insisted they didn't need to get ready until twenty-minutes until they leave. She was glad Robert wasn't the type.

Their island home was rather open planned compared to their previous. Instead of plenty of long hallways, their newer home had one main hall on the main floor that let off into the living room and kitchen on one end, and then the dining room at the other. The house had two staircases, one in the living room that lead up to the left side of the second floor, and yet another in the main hall that lead closer to the right. Their Kitchen was in two sections, the main cooking area and small dining table at the left, connected to the living room. The right was more of a utilities room which lead to main dining room - which hardly got used much anymore. Connecting the two was a large pantry. It was a rather odd layout, Kim could admit, but the idea of being in the living room watching television and being able to hear the washing machine going would drive her nuts.

With the home being so open plan on the first floor, the couple could hear more people appearing downstairs even when in the kitchen preparing drinks. New voice after new voice joined the group while they both stood in the kitchen for admittedly much longer than they needed to, chatting over a bottle of wine they were yet to open. Kim stood flattening out Robert's tie, while he gushed over how pretty she looked, and that's exactly how the two were stood when they heard a crash, a bang, and the voice of Cole Ramsey fill their home. "Why have I just seen that Parker has been allowed off the dock this morning?!"

Kim's eyes widened, Robert's only squinted with laughter. The two rushed into the living room but for totally different reasons. Elijah came barging through the living room door, Cole wasn't to be seen. "Where is he?" Elijah demanded to know.

Cole's malicious laugh filled the house. "Why are you running?"

A pain-filled scream ripped from Parker's throat. He came running down the living room staircase, turning right to escape to the kitchen. Elijah caught the man by the arms, throwing him back into Cole's direction. Tripping in the process, Parker fell into Cole's hold, showcasing Cole's favourite green-handled knife sticking out of his right shoulder blade. "I'll use you as a dartboard if you run one more time."