The Lives We Live

Chapter 13

After departing their ways, Toni drove back home to find John, Diane, and Noah sitting in the backyard.

"Good evening everybody." The brunette said sitting on one of the chairs, "Where's your sis Noah?"

"In her room Momma," The boy replied.

"Go call her,"

"Is something wrong?" Noah asked his mother.

Toni shook her head. "Nope, we are having dinner together since I'm traveling tomorrow."

John smirked. "I heard you traveling to London?" He said as Noah made his way to call his sister.

"Yeah, do you need anything from there?"

"Why?" John asked.

The brunette looked at him with confusion. "Why what?"

"Why are you traveling? The marketing in London isn't doing so well."

"I have a couple of meetings to discuss the marketing strategy."

John hummed. "Are Veronica and your new employee are going with you?" He said, making sure to put more pronunciation on the word your.

Toni looked at him with a glare. "My new employee? She's a new employee for the company."

John shrugged. "Honestly, I didn't like her,"

"Well, apparently you are working very hard these days aren't you John?" She asked remembering what Cheryl told her.

"Yeah, I'm really working hard these days, but you usually travel alone, so why are you taking Veronica and your new employee."

"And why are you so interested in my job?" Toni asked starting to get angry.

Diane looked at the both of them and sighed. "John, will you have dinner with us tonight?" She said changing the subject.

"No, I'm going out." He said as he glared at Toni and the brunette glared back. "Excuse me, I have to go."

"I'll walk you out," Diane said standing up and walking towards the door.

John pulled his sister to the side, "You have to fire her,"

"Why are you always trying to create problems, John?"

"Look, if you don't fire her, you are going to lose Toni and the company, think about it." He said as he left the house, Diane stared at the door for a couple of minutes allowing her brother's words to sink in.

Noah made his way back to the backyard to find Toni sitting eating nuts, "She doesn't want to come, where's uncle John?"

"He left."

"Then she'll be right down when I told her that he was here she refused to come down," Noah replied.

The newspaper owner looked at her soon as she allowed the words to sink in, why does every time John is in the house, Norah insists to stay in her room? Toni thought as she made her way into the house. She knocked softly on her daughter's bedroom, she heard the brunette's voice allowing her to come in.

"Hey momma," She said softly. "Don't tell me to go and sit with you guys to have dinner."

"But I'm traveling tomorrow."

"I'm really not in the mood to eat, I promise we will cuddle in the backyard once we are alone."

Toni gave her daughter a sad face. "Are you really not going to have dinner with us?"

Norah sighed. "I'm really not in the mood. And I am too tired to change my clothes, and we have guests."

"We don't have any guests, and John left."