Filling in the Cracks

Chapter 7: The Truth Hurts

As we arrived to Pabalinos, my favorite Italian restaurant we sat down at our table. I ordered Chipotle Pasta my favorite dish. As the waiter left I brought up the topic of the sleepover.

"So Macs been planning the annual sleepover" I said taking a huge gulp of water.

"Oh has she now" my mom said with what I like to call her 'amusing smirk'.

"Yes Mother." I said in sarcasm and before I could continue she had said something.

"Your father and I have to go to Boston for a couple months to work on the hotel blueprints, think you'll be okay with Linda?" She asked.

Yeah like I haven't been left alone with Linda before.

Cue eyeroll.

Linda's been my nanny since I was 7, my parents had been in and on business trips they decided I needed I nanny/maid. She was just all of the above.

I had totally forgotten that my parents were working on hotels in Boston but I didn't mind I'm use to them going to meetings and out of state stuff like that.

"Yeah, so about the sleepover." I asked once again.

"We think you shouldn't go but we know you'll persuade us in some way so, I suppose" Mom replied.

I smirked and thought to myself 'I knew that would be the answer.'

We finished up lunch and left to go home. I called Mac to start planning.

**

"Hey! Reservations ready?" I asked with a half eaten candy cane in my mouth, I have this weird obsession with candy canes by the way.

"Yes ma'am--"

I cut her off before she could finish her sentence I had a great idea in mind.

"We have to make this perfect for Nalani, lets invite James!" I chirped through the phone.

Nalani and James became bestfriends right when she had moved here and now they're going out and it wasn't a shocker when Mac and I had found out. They instantly clicked.

"That's perfect but reserve them a separate room?" Mac asked.

I hadn't thought about that, I didn't know if Nalani would've been comfortable with that, so we decided to invite him for breakfast.

Linda brought me hot chocolate and before I knew it I was out like a light.

I woke up to arguing, whisper arguing it seemed like something was up since my stairs couldn't be any more creakier, I decided to listen through the vent down the hall.

"Nick the employees are the least of my worries! What about when she finds out what really happened to Nalani?" My Mom whisper yelled to my Dad.

Wha-what. What did they mean by 'What really happened to Nalani'

Freaked out more than ever I decided to pretend I hadn't heard anything and go downstairs I grabbed the mug with my initials printed on it and went downstairs.

I pretend to yawn to make it believable that I had just woken up.

"Mom, Dad." I acknowledged them. "Where's Sierrah it's been days since I'd last seen her." I decided to pop up a question before things became awkward.

I had to admit it was weird seeing my parents home. They're usually on business trips.Then That arose questions into my mind.

Why were they home?

What's going on?

"Hun shes at Rileys, she'll be back after the recital tomorrow." My mom said giving me a reassurring smile.

Okay this is weird. My parents usually stick around for 2 nights tops. It had been almost a week and they've been caring. Like actual emotions.

Linda ran a bath for me and whenever I take a bath it gives me time to think, so I thought and thought and once again. Thought.

I heard bickering from the door and it was faint so I decided to get a better listen at it and stood up.

I wrapped a towel around me and went towards the door and heard it. It made my jaw ajar. I tasted something salty on my lip, it was a tear

.

People think the rich people have it all but we don't. We all have our issues and aren't different from any other.

Money is the least of our problems.

On the inside we're all the same.