Kidnapped: Hostage of Love (New Edition)

          The deep city lights twinkled as I made my way down the street. I gazed upon the buildings towering over me, but was quickly pulled out of my trance as a man stumbled into me. I watched my coffee spill to the ground-almost as if it was in slow motion- as I crashed into the person walking on my opposite side. I whipped around, fully prepared to pour my wits unto this man to find him walking away as though nothing happened. Taken off guard, I yelled the first thing that came to mind.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, pal!"  I stood there like an idiot as others on the street turned to me and stared. Had nobody just seen that? He plowed me over!

I sighed. That was Chicago for you. It's a big and wonderful city, but the citizens' rudeness was neverending. It always "added" to a bad day. Or in my case, a bad week. My memory led me to my previous morning with my dad.

*****

Sounds echoed throughout the house, waking me from my deep slumber. After registering the sound for a split second, I knew exactly what it was. My mother and father were going at it again. I slowly drug myself out of bed, not in the least bit anticipating what I was going down the stairs into.

Taking a moment to myself not only to gather my thoughts, but to relieve myself, I listened intently to what they where yelling about. I generally sided with my mother; even though they tell me it's not my business. My father and I rarely shared the same opinion, while my mother and I couldn't get along any better. She is a wonderful woman, with intentions always of the best. Not only is she my Mom, but also my best friend.

It sounded like they where arguing about the same as usual, my Dad's job. He's the senator of Illinois, with the infamous slogan of "Senator George Faye, showing you the way yesterday, tomorrow, and today." He has hopes of becoming the President one day, and I believe he has a good chance. He has done well with keeping his public image clean and clear, something he has always placed the utmost care and attention into.

My mother and I always get upset at him for how much he leaves home for his job, and that was the subject of their argument this morning. He had yet another business trip he had to take which would require the next four days of his time away from home. Sometimes he left on these trips for up to a week at a time. Those nights, I could hear my Mom's occassional soft sobs in her room. She hates when he has to leave her for a long time. She may be a good spirited woman, but is most certainly not independant.

I walked down the stairs after washing up a bit and took my seat in the kitchen, watching them go back and forth.

"Is this ever going to just stop? Or could you at least take a vacation with us? It's not fair to us- especially not Kayliana- when you just leave like that!" My mother said with exasperation.

They must not have noticed my presence yet- as me and my full, embarassingly long name- was brought into the conversation. I took this time to interevene.

"Where are you going this time?" I asked my father in a monotonous tone.

Both parents paused with a gasp, turning to me with wide eyes. My father cleared his throat.

"I have to go up north to Minnesota's capitol. There is some weird thing going on and they want all senators within a certain range to go and help out. I should be back in four day's time."

"Oh." Was all I replied with, showing my disinterest openly. My mother may be effected over this everytime, but I've grown more used to it. Although it still gets to me at times, I do my best to ignore it.

"Yes." My father said with a huff. "But, I must leave a little early and head over to Lyla's now. Gotta be in tip-top condition!" He said with excitement as I simotaneously heard my mother give a deep sigh.

Lyla was my Dad's stylst. I'm talking hair, makeup touchups, tans, clothes, everything it took to be perfection. He went to her every day before meetings, news interviews- you name it- and he was there. Perfection was his touch. He did his best to look perfect, along with have a perfect life. The few times he has brought us with him in public, we always recieved a lecture beforehand about how to act. Rather than just being myself, I felt like a robot under his commands. I'm sure my mother felt the same way, too.

A phrase ran through my head which I head from my father more times that I could count. He always says: "Looks, my dear Kaylin, it's all about the looks. Image is of a politician's utmost advantage. Image is what really counts." And it really was true to him, image was all he cared about. At least that's how it seemed. At times, I would even wonder if his political career meant more to him than my mother and I, but quickly pushed those thoughts away.

I heard the door close, meaning my father had left. I looked up to see my mother in the doorway of the kitchen, shaking her head. I watched her swallow the lump in her throat as she slowly made her way to her bedroom. I knew it would be a rough day for her.

*******

I continued walking down the streets of the city, pulling myself back from the memory. I felt too exhausted after a long day of school and work to be thinking about such a heavy topic. Sleep was what I needed.

I rounded the corner, just two blocks away from my house. So close. I thought. It wouldn't be long and I would be hearing my dog's loud bark at the sight of me. The idea, for once, thrilled me because it meant I was home. I wanted to hug that little schnauzer to no end. Kaiser is his name, and although it takes him time to warm up to visitors, he really is a man's best friend once you get to know him.

My thoughts of the dog switched routes when I saw a familiar car parked along the side of the road. That looked a lot like my fathers car.

No. It couldn't be. He is in Minnesota. He couldn't be here.

But why does it even have his bumper sticker? And is parked just two blocks from my house?

Unable to control my curiosity, I walked over to the car and peered in at the chance of seeing any of my dad's things in the car, proving it was his. But how couId it be here?

I cupped my hands around my eyes and squinted in. What I saw inside twisted my stomach in knots, and I wanted to hurl. Unsure what to do, or how to react, I turned and began walking away as I heard the car door open, and my father's voice.

"Shit!" He yelled. "Kayliana get back here! It's not what it looks like!"

A woman from the car made a sound. My stomach churned at the sound of her voice. I was feeling dizzy, and groggy. I just needed sleep. Yes, my bed.

I started running at the thought of it. I wasn't going to fast, as I felt as though I was about to pass out.

"Kayliana! I said stop!" I didn't. I couldn't.    "Just let me explain!"

No. Just. get. home.

"Damn it!" I hard on far opposite end of the road. I was finally staggering up the stairs to my house. I rushed to my room, avoiding my mother, and passed out on my sheets, with one last thought in my mind.

All this time, my father has been having an affair with Lyla.