THE GAMBLER'S PRICE.

CHAPTER 2

   AN: I am so sorry for the delay but the second chapter is already out. Yay. So I decided to make it up to you guys by uploading two chapters. Pls don't forget to click the vote button on this chapter and the next.

  Mabel slammed the door as she got in the house. "Mabel,is that you?" "Yes Mom." Emilia came out from the kitchen."What held you up? You've never come home this late before." Mabel tried smiling but no matter how she tried, it ended up in a grimace. "Something urgent popped up." Emilia looked at her daughter and knew something had gone wrong somewhere. "What's wrong?" Mabel  saw her sister approaching and quickly changed her expression. "Why are you guys standing there ? Is something wrong." Mabel was the one who answered the question. "No. Nothing is wrong." Emilia looked at Mabel and knew that there was something that was bothering her. "Claudia,why don't you go keep preparing dinner. I'll come join you." Claudia hesitated before she left.
"Mom, can I talk to you?" "Yeah,I had a feeling that was what you wanted." Emilia took her to her room where they had enough privacy.

      "Did you know?" Mabel asked her mom as soon as the door was closed. Emilia looked at her daughter in confusion. "Honey, Did I know what? I'd never keep anything from you or your sister.you two are all I have. you know." Mabel scoffed "don't play that card with me mom. Did you know that he was a gambler?"

    Her mother's pressed lips told her that she knew already. Mabel bit her lips and looked the other way. "You knew and you decided not to tell us anything. Did you honestly think that we wouldn't find out? That I wouldn't find out?" "Honey, that's all in the past,am sure it is not really necessary." At that point, the tears that Mabel had been trying to prevent came out like a flowing river. "An information about my father is not really necessary to me? Is that what your saying." "I was going to tell you I just couldn't figure out how and when to do it." Mabel put a hand out to prevent her mother from talking more. "So,you knew and you kept it away from us. Your daughters. It was our right to know and you took that away from us. Is that how mean you can be?" Emilia tried explaining to her daughter but Mabel cut her off before she could talk. "My father was a gambler, God,what do you think Claudia would do when she finds out about this. Did you really think that type of information is something that we weren't going to find out. And you say I shouldn't tell Claudia. How long before she finds out." Emilia stiffened at that. " She won't find out because You will  not  tell her anything about this, please."

        Mabel faced the wall, she was already tired. All she wanted to do was sleep. She had been lacking in that department lately. The  knock on the door brought her back to reality. They both made themselves presentable before Claudia came in. "Sorry for the disturbance. I came to tell you dinner is ready." Her eyes made contact with both their faces and she knew something was very wrong.
      "What's wrong?" "nothing is wrong honey."  "Really? I am not stupid mom. I can tell you were crying before I came up?" She knew her daughter was very smart and right now that was to her disadvantage. So she came up with a lie that seemed very logical. "Mabel just told me about the death of one of her friends that happened recently and I couldn't help the tears." "Oh, am so sorry Mabel." She asked with her eyes on Mabel. She couldn't see her because she was facing the wall.Emilia held Claudia by her shoulders and led her towards the door. "Come on Claudia. Let's go, she needs some space."
       Mabel removed the ear plugs from her ears. She had checked the time on her phone, so she knew it was very late. She went to her room,plugged in her phone and lay down on the bed. So that's why she got shocked a little bit when Claudia called out her name. "Mabel?" Mabel sat up in surprise. "Oh my God,Claudia you're awake." "Yes I am. Is that actually what the two of you were discussing?" Mabel knew she had the opportunity now to say everything but she decided to go along with what mom said. "Would I ever lie to you?" "No,I know you wouldn't. but I had a feeling there was more to that story you know?"   
           
        Claudia was very smart enough to know when she was being lied to. So, Mabel knew she had to tread carefully so Claudia wouldn't find out. "No,there isn't. That's the whole truth. Look, am really exhausted okay? So can we please just postpone this discussion." Hopefully, she wouldn't remember. "Okay then. Goodnight."         Mabel lay down and closed her eyes thinking of tommorow. She had only tommorow. "Good night Claudia."