Guarded

Chapter 8

I tiptoed back into the house hoping no one had noticed that I had left but was unlucky.

"You stop right there Missy"

"Mother. I didn't see you there"

"Your father and I have been waiting. You are in a lot of trouble young lady" she said walking right past me and into my dad's study. I followed her not wanting to get myself in even more trouble though I didn't exactly have a choice.

My father was sat in his chair behind his gigantic mahogany desk with his usual hard face. I could see more agitation in his expression then usual but it was nothing compared to mother who looked infuriated standing to the side of the big table. I plopped my body in the seat opposite the desk feeling bored with it all already.

"Sit up straight" she managed through her clenched jaw. I considered flipping her off but decided just to stay exactly where I was and she huffed at my disobedience.

I looked her right her and said "What"

"One hundred, thousand? Do you know how much money that is? How did you come up with that?" she always asked the same questions.

"From the three thousand five hundred you give me everyday"

"We put that there for some reason" she rolled her eyes

"I'm one person! And there are people in this world that need it more than I do"

"We don't care about them"

"I do"

"Did you think we wouldn't notice all that money going missing?"

"It's not like it was your money. It was money from my account" I didn't understand how she could act like it was her that made the family's money and not dad who was sat quietly.

"That we put there for you!"

"That I don't need"

"I'm tired of paying for those children"

"It's not even your money!"

"No. But it's money that your father works hard to make for us. I don't like that we pay for those kids because at the end of the day it's not our fault that that's how those children live. Those children don't belong to us and yet were throwing money away for them? Why should I be inconvenienced by a stupid lying unwanted child?"

She continued her relentless rant till my father called her out of her trance "Debra!" she was nose to nose with me and had both hands on the arms of my chair literally trapping me in it "Debra. Come away right now and shut your goddamn mouth" but she didn't move instead she just kept staring into my eyes and breathing heavily like she was trying not to kill me. "So help me, Debra..." I watched as she finally slinked out of the room.

"Did you see how she spoke to me? That crazy bitch was gonna hit me or something"

"Watch your language" my father stood from his chair and walked around to stand in front of it.

"Oh ok so were just gonna act like she didn't call me unwanted"

"She was referring to the children you 'donated' money to"

I snorted "Sure"

"You are not without blame Miss Hayes! You snuck out. You didn't leave a note or have Barbosa take you. You gave away a large amount of money without our permission. For all you know that 'orphanage' could just be trying to swindle you out of money and you're falling for it, endangering your life in the process. Just go to your room, I'll give you your punishment later"

I huffed and made my way to my room making sure to stomp my feet on the stair steps.