Starlight

Chapter 3: Announcement

Ok, I know I've not been uploading lately so I'm very sorry to those who are reading my story. I promise to try my best to upload as soon as I can. I promise!

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Chapter 3: Announcement

The next morning I got up and after I took a bath, I put on my Maxine Fashions uniform (I know! Everything is probably named after me. I hate it.). I saw mom actually making breakfast in the kitchen and it really surprised me to see her up and about at, I looked at my watch, seven in the morning.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Beats me. You're the one with the watch."

"It's seven in the morning."

"See? Why are you asking me if you already know it?" She said, chewing her straberry sandwich.

"Which means you shouldn't be awake so early in the morning."

"I couldn't sleep last night after I received the call from gr-I mean-from the company. And besides, can't I see you off to your summer job?" She inquired, toast in hand.

"Fine. Bye, mom." I walked towards her and kissed my mom goodbye.

"Bye, honey. Be sure to go straight home because we'll be having dinner outside." She said unsteadily. Is she upset or something? I looked back and I saw her smile. Guess not.

I grabbed my car keys and drove to the Maxine store outlet in Hollywood. I parked at the back and turned the engine off. Gosh, this will be the last month I'm gonna supervise this store and work at the register. Next month would be the start of my Senior year. Why does time have to fly by so fast?

As I enter the front double glass doors, I heard Ms. Susan Patterson attend to me immediately. Sun light shone through the glass doors. I love the warmth it really givesd off.

"Ms. Maxine, you would be in charge of the cash register today, am I correct?" She asked sternly while tapping her clipboard of deliveries with her pen.

"Yes, ma'am."

She walked away to atted to the opening of the shop. Ms. Patterson is the head manager of this outlet and also my mentor. She is in charge of everything that goes around here and what everybody does. Her morning greeting means that I should take my post and be ready.

I walked towards the register and heard my penny loafers make a tick tack sound on the wooden floor. I opened the register and looks like Ms. Patterson already did my job of arranging the bills. She may seem dark and uptight outside but way, way, way and I mean WAY inside her is a mother's caring heart, even if she is single and doesn't have a child.

I was practically bored the whole day.

As I was riding my car to go home, I heard Ms. Patterson call me.

"What's the matter, Ms. P?"

"Maxine, your mother called and said to go straight to the Aristocrat's Restaurant. She is already there and they are all waiting for you." Her green eyes began to look tired and wary. I think I can even sense pity in her voice.

"Is something wrong, Ms. P?"

"Nothing, dear. Just be careful and always follow what you want. Don't let others dictate your future."

She turned and walked away. Ok, melodramatic much? Is someone dictating what I'm doing right now?

"Ms. P! What do you-" I stopped because she was nowhere to be seen.

What does she mean by that? Follow my heart? Am I in some kind of drama that she would actually give me an advice as follow your heart? I shook my head as I thought about Ms. P's weird advice. Did mom actually tell her something?

I drove to the restaurant that mom has been telling me to go to. I noticed that there aren't any other car besides mine and 2 more. The red Ferrari is definitely dad's but I don't know who owns the other one. Weird, this is supposed to be one of the most famous restaurants around Hollywood, why would the parking lot be empty?

I turned the engine off and headed for the entrance. the maitre d greeted me and led the way to the only table that is occupied. I looked around and it is all empty. As in if I shout, it would probably echo.

As I got near the table, I saw who were occupying it.  

It is a circular table and dad was the one facing me as I approached. His face dropped when I appeared. Did he want me not to come at all?? Mom was sitting on dad's left.

Then, Grandpa was seating beside mom. Beside him is Granpa Jerry, Uncle Vincent, Aunt Rachel and their demonic son, Luke Frances.

My mouth gaped open and it probably reached the floor. All of them looked who dad was staring at, including that demonic friend of mine. He gave a smirk.

"What is going on?" I asked, confused. I mean, what's with the sudden reunion? They already left my family without communication long enough. How come they returned?

"Take a seat, honey." Mom pointed to the only seat that was empty, the one beside demon boy. I should probably start calling him Damien from the Omen. Maybe if I trimmed his hair, I could see 666 on his head. 

I sat down and the dishes came out from the kitchen. There were different cuisines and I leaned closer to dad and whispered, "Why did you rent the whole place out?"

"Your grandpa has an important announcement to make. Why don't you enjoy the food and we'll talk later, Max." He gave me a weak smile and returned to his food.

I don't know how long has passed but I continued eating my dinner in silence. Well, everyone was pretty silent at the table.

Until grandpa cleared his throat and said, "Why is everyone so quiet? Haven't you been close before?" He asked all of us.

Uncle Vincent, the General Manager for some big company, answered, "We were not really acquianted with each other except for dad and you, Uncle Tom, also Max and Luke."

Yeah, I remember it now. Our family wasn't really that close except for grandpa Jerry (Luke's Grandpa) because he came over before almost all of the time. And, as I hat to admit it, me and Luke because we were *cough* bestfriends*cough* before.

Fine, I can understand why they didn't contact us after they moved (because they were not that close) but at least Luke should have stayed in contact with me. Didn't he want me as a friend?  That actually stung a bit. Maybe while dad was directing his movie, he (dad) wasn't the one who was holding the grudge but I was. Well, sorry for feeling bad about my friend not talking to me after all these years!

Then, if our families really weren't as close as I thought they were, why are we having this dinner with them? We could've just had dinner with granpa Jerry if he really missed grandpa. Why did he still bring the WHOLE family over?

"Ok. I will now continue with the announcement. Your grandpa Jerry and I had decided something to benefit the whole family." Grandpa said. He looked at his old war buddy.

"And we decided to combine our families together." He coughed a bit and stared at all of us.

WHAT THE HECK?