Summer Hearts

Chapter 6

                Kayla pulled into the driveway next to her father’s navy blue Corolla and spared a look at the clock in the dashboard.  6:43.  Thirteen minutes late.  This would be an interesting night.

                She took a deep breath, turned off the car, and walked in the front door. 

                Her father stood just inside the door.  He was a tall man with a muscular build.  His blonde hair stood straight in a short buzz cut.  His chocolate brown eyes were shadowed by his bushy eye brows.  He stared down at his daughter with a disapproving gaze.  “You’re late,” he said, his tone more or less emotionless.

                “Sir, I can explain,” Kayla pleaded.  She dropped the keys on the small table next to the door.

                “After dinner.”  She nodded and walked behind him into the kitchen.  The table was set with four places, two of them occupied by her mom and Tylor.  There was a chicken in the middle of the table.  Bowls filled the other parts of the table.  Kayla sat in her usual spot across from Tylor and her father took his seat.

                “Finally,” Tylor mumbled as he grabbed a bowl of rice.

                The meal was fairly quite once Kayla’s mother realized nobody wanted to carry on a conversation.  Tylor was too busy stuffing his face.  Kayla was thinking about what she was going to say to her father.  Her father was thinking about how disrespectful his children were.

                Once the meal was over, Tylor retreated to the basement.  Kayla followed her father into his office.  He seated himself in his chair and faced his daughter.  “Explain,” he ordered.

                “I was at the community pool having a conversation with Jace Paro.”

                “Paro?”  Kayla nodded.  “I work with a Paro.”

                “That’s his father.”

                Her father nodded thoughtfully.  “From what his father has told me, he’s rather,” he searched for the right word, “independent.”  Kayla rolled her eyes.

                “You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she murmured.

                “In his case, it is.  He doesn’t show respect for his father.  Now, since we are on the topic of disrespect…” her father began.

                “Dad, I know.  I’ve heard it all before,” she interrupted.  He raised an eyebrow.  “Sir.”

                He stared at her for a few moments.  “I’ll let you off this time because it is your first day here.  Your mother was nice enough to call a window company.  Unfortunately, they won’t be able to come until tomorrow.  Now, go unpack your things.”

                Kayla groaned inwardly.  “Thank you, sir.”  She turned and walked out of the room.  She turned and ran up the stairs, to the sanctuary of her new room. 

                Her sketch book was still on the bed where she left it, but her mom had swept up the broken glass from the window.  Please don’t let it rain tonight.  The curtains flipped up in the wind, revealing a sliver of red and orange sky.  She stepped over to the window and pulled the curtains aside.  The golden light blanketed everything in a soft glow.  She grinned.  Sunsets were one thing that stayed the same no matter where she went.  They always stunned her with their beauty.  They lit everything up and make everything seem better than they ever would be.  She sat on the window seat and just stared out the window for a few minutes.