Chapter 3 She's Staying
She's Staying
THE kitchen door slammed shut behind Raven and silence instantly followed her exit.
For a few seconds, Kai remained frozen in place. Diesel rested comfortably in his arms, panting happily as if nothing had happened.
He stared at the doorway, then cursed.
"Shit."
Diesel tilted his head and Kai looked down at him.
"You almost got yourself stabbed."
The dog merely wagged his tail.
Kai shook his head in disbelief.
"But what kind of girl pulls a knife on a dog though?"
Not a normal one, definitely not a normal one.
With another curse under his breath, he handed Diesel back to the floor, then stormed out of the kitchen.
"Mom!"
His voice echoed through the mansion as he breezed, several servants jumped out of his way.
"Mom!"
Luckily, he found her lounging in the family's sunlit lounge wing, comfortably seated with a book in her hands.
Evelyn looked up, immediately spotting her son's expression.
Uh-oh! That look never meant anything good.
"Kai?"
He marched toward her.
"Who is she?"
Evelyn blinked.
"Who is who?"
"Mom." Kai threw his hands into the air. "That girl."
"What girl?" She deliberately avoided his eyes.
"The girl that just walked into our house."
Understanding dawned on Evelyn's face, a smile followed.
"Oh! I see you have met Raven already"
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"I met nobody."
Evelyn laughed and turned to meet his gaze.
"Kai—"
"No," he pointed dramatically toward the hallway, "she is nobody. She means absolutely nothing to me."
Evelyn pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.
"Please." Kai folded his arms. "Tell me she is only staying for a few days."
Evelyn's smile widened, but she said nothing.
"A week might be acceptable," Kai continued.
"Kai," she called gently.
"Three days?"
"Kai!" She snapped.
"Fine," he sighed dramatically. "Two days."
Evelyn finally burst out laughing.
"Kai, unfortunately for you..." The smile on her face softened. "Raven isn't here for a visit."
His expression slowly changed.
"Oh no."
"She is your new sibling."
"Jeez! No!"
"Yes, she is," she laughed harder.
"Mom, absolutely not."
"Kai."
"I don't like her."
"You met her less than an hour ago."
"I don't care," he maintained.
"You don't know her."
"I know enough."
Evelyn set her book aside.
"Alright." She folded her arms. "What happened? Spill it."
Kai immediately launched into the story. The refrigerator, the attitude, the insults, the arguing, the dog, the knife… especially the knife.
By the end of it, Evelyn was laughing so hard she had tears gathering in her eyes.
"Mom." Kai looked offended. "This isn't funny."
"It absolutely is."
"It isn't."
"I maintain it really is."
Kai groaned.
Evelyn dabbed the corner of her eye with her handkerchief.
"Oh dear."
Then she reached down and scratched Diesel behind the ears. It had walked straight to the lounging wing.
The dog immediately rolled onto his back as it was touched, its tail wagging furiously.
"You scared her, didn't you?"
Diesel barked happily.
"Traitor."
Kai pointed at the dog.
"You almost got us both killed."
Evelyn laughed again.
"I like her."
Kai stared at her, as though he hadn't heard her clearly.
"You what?"
"I like the girl already."
"Why?"
"Because she isn't intimidated by you."
Kai looked horrified.
"Mom."
"And because she stands her ground."
"Mom."
"And because she is stubborn and strong."
Kai groaned.
"You have known her for five minutes."
Evelyn smiled knowingly.
"Still longer than you."
Kai shook his head.
"No," he pointed toward the hallway, "she is not staying."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And why is that, Mr?"
"Because I said so."
Evelyn laughed again.
"Last time I checked, I own this house."
Kai looked personally offended.
Evelyn smiled sweetly.
"So yes. She is staying."
‘Forever,’ but she needed not add that, time shall tell.
Kai stared at her, then huffed. He spun around and stormed away.
"She is still not staying!" He echoed.
Evelyn laughed all the way until he disappeared.
A few minutes later, another familiar figure entered the lounge. It was her husband, Nathaniel.
He glanced down the hallway, then at his wife.
"What happened?"
Evelyn looked up.
Nathaniel chuckled.
"I just passed Kai. He looked ready to declare war."
Evelyn burst out laughing again.
"Oh, he practically has."
Nathaniel sat beside her.
"Raven?" He asked knowingly.
"Raven."
Nathaniel smiled.
"That bad?"
"That good."
Now Nathaniel looked interested. Evelyn quickly summarized everything. The argument, the insults, the knife and the dog.
By the time she finished, Nathaniel was laughing too.
"Wow."
He shook his head.
"For a girl to rattle Kai that much..." his grin widened, "she must have made quite an impression."
"I think so too."
Nathaniel chuckled.
"I can't wait for dinner."
Evelyn rolled her eyes.
"Now you enjoy chaos too much, don't you?"
"True."
She stood.
"Where are you going?"
"To check on Raven."
Nathaniel smiled knowingly.
"Good luck."
Evelyn waved him off, then headed upstairs.
A few minutes later, she stopped outside a bedroom door. She knocked twice.
"Raven?"
A pause.
"Come in," a voice rang from within.
Evelyn opened the door and immediately smiled. Raven was kneeling beside her bed. Her suitcase lay open, clothes were scattered everywhere. Worn jeans, oversized hoodies, loose shirts, black tank tops. Everything looked well-used, well-loved and nowhere near expensive.
Raven herself wore a large towel around her shoulders, apparently preparing for a shower.
Evelyn couldn't help smiling.
"You have settled in already."
Raven looked up. For a second she almost said Mom, then corrected herself.
"Yes, Mrs. Ashford."
Evelyn immediately frowned.
"Evelyn is okay."
Raven awkwardly nodded.
"Evelyn," she corrected.
"Much better."
Her eyes drifted toward the clothes, then back to Raven.
"I also heard you met your brother."
Raven scoffed, a little too quickly and Evelyn tried not to laugh.
"Oh! Yeah, but… nothing much," Raven shook her head.
"No, tell me," Evelyn insisted.
Raven hesitated. Then muttered,
"He certainly talks a lot."
Evelyn burst out laughing.
"Oh dear."
Raven couldn't help smiling just a little. Then Evelyn properly looked at the clothes on the bed and frowned.
"Hmm."
Raven followed her gaze.
"What?"
"I think tomorrow we will go shopping."
Raven blinked.
"Shopping?"
"Of course," Evelyn gestured toward the wardrobe, "as an Ashford daughter, your closet needs serious attention."
Raven looked down at her clothes and back at Evelyn.
"Oh." She wasn't expecting that.
Evelyn smiled.
"Don't worry. We will fix it."
Then something seemed to occur to her.
"Oh. That reminds me."
Raven instantly became suspicious.
"What?"
Evelyn beamed.
"We have organized a welcome party for you."
Silence.
Raven stared.
"A what?"
"A welcome party. Something small."
"Is that really necessary?"
"Absolutely. It is like a ritual. We welcome every kid who comes in here."
"But why is that?"
Evelyn looked genuinely confused.
"Because you are an Ashford now."
Raven groaned internally. Wonderful!
A party. With strangers. Exactly what she didn't want.
Then another horrifying thought struck her and her eyes widened.
"Wait."
Evelyn smiled.
"Yes?"
"Is Kai going to be there?"
Evelyn laughed. The answer came immediately.
"Of course he will."
Raven sighed deeply. Very deeply. That thorn in the flesh?
Goodness! This family was already exhausting.
