They Don't Know (BOOK TWO)

Chapter 4

"Is no one going to help me make these cookies!?" Sevyn shouts as she stands in the kitchen holding a carton of cookie dough. "Hel-lo!" She's stands there for a moment hearing nothing but silence. Feeling fustrated, she slams the carton of cookie dough on the counter and storms out the kitchen and heads upstairs.

 It's been a tradition ever since she was little to make cookies the evening before christmas, even though she stopped believing in Santa when she was six her family continued putting cookies near the fireplace anyway. They would put on christmas music and buzz around the kitchen making batches of cookies that will probably last a week and half depending on how much they make and how many they eat a day. Even Malcom and Ty found joy in making cookies even  though they would never let their friends catch them rolling up cookie dough and making cute christmas themed shapes.

 But now it seems like everyone has forgotten their tradition except Sevyn. The house is quiet as she walks down the hallway in search of anyone. She busts into her parents room, the door banging against the wall from her force. Her father jumps and looks up from the paper scattered across the bed. He quickly shuffles them into a sloppy pile and gives her a confused look.

 "Did no one here my plea? Why aren't we making cookies?" She asks him.

 "Uh sorry Sev, I've been busy." He says, stuffing the papers into a manilla folder that has his handwriting scribbled across it.

 Sevyn walks farther into the room with her eyebrows scrunched up, "Busy with what? Work has never kept you so occupied before." She says eyeing him closesly. "You're barely here anymore...and now where's mom?"

 Her father gets up and places the folder ina drawer. "I'm not sure, she was gone when I got back."

 "From where?" She asks. "What is going on?"

 "Do you want to make the cookies now?" Her father asks, avoiding her question completely.

 Sevyn shakes her head, "Without mom? No, it's not the same."

 "Well we could wait till she comes home."

 "And who knows how long that will be? Either she's out or you are, yall have been acting weird for the longest. Maybe you need a vacation." She tells him, crossing her arms.

 Her dad chuckles and rubs his weary face, "You have no idea Sev. I'm sorry if I haven't been around lately, alot is on my plate and I'm trying to handle it day by day. Ok?"

 Sevyn stares at him, taking in all his features. She now sees where Malcom and Ty get there perfectly round eyes from, her father is still handsome even in his late forties. He has some gray beginning to sprout in his hair but other than that he still looks pretty youthful, no wonder people are surprised when he tells them his age. He looks like he just hit the age of thirty instead of being a few years off from fifty.

 He sees the curiosity in her eyes and sighs, "You know I love you and your brothers, right Sev? And no matter what happens nothing will ever change that."

 "Yeah..." She says raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"No reason, I know there's some tension between your mom and I but no matter what happens I have unconditonal love for this family. We love all three of you and even if we're having problems we would never put yall between the cross fire."

 Sevyn blinks at him, too confused to say anything. "We love you too."

 Her father nods, "Good. We can make the cookies when your mom comes home."

 "Alright, I'm gonna go finish wrapping the presents." Sevyn tell hims. He gives her a small smile and she gives him one last look before leaving the room, closing the door behind her. She heads to Malcom's room and goes inside to hear Ty's voice trail off quickly. They both turn and look at her as she hovers in the doorway. She looks at the two of them staring at her like they just got caught red handed.