On The Road

Chapter 25

As Kaitlyn and Miranda arrived at Nikki and Isaac's house, after dropping Brett off with Taylor, they were surprised to see their older sister Britney there.

"Britney? What are you doing here?" Kaitlyn asked, her tone a mix of surprise and suspicion.

Miranda's expression mirrored her sister's reaction. "Yeah, what's going on?" she added, her voice tinged with concern.

Britney looked taken aback but tried to maintain composure. "Oh, uh... Isaac and Nikki invited me to stay with them when... when they found me at the park the other day," she explained hesitantly.

Kaitlyn's eyebrows furrowed. "Invited you? After everything?" she responded, her tone skeptical.

Miranda remained quiet, her expression a mixture of disbelief and disappointment.

The atmosphere was tense as the three sisters stood in the doorway, each processing the unexpected situation.

" I... I can't... why would you even let her in your house? She sleeps with just about everyone she sets her sights on!" Miranda exclaimed.

" Like your one to talk! Five years ago that was you!" Britney practically screamed.

Isaac and Nikki exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the escalating tension between the sisters.

"Okay, let's all take a step back," Isaac interjected, attempting to diffuse the situation. "We invited Britney here because she needed help, and we couldn't leave her on the streets."

Kaitlyn scoffed, her voice edged with bitterness. "Well, couldn't she get help somewhere else? Why bring her here, of all places?"

Isaac's expression tightened, but he maintained his composure. "We wanted to help her, Kaitlyn. She is your family."

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "Family? More like a burden."

Miranda shot her sister a disapproving look, but Kaitlyn's resentment lingered palpably in the air. The tension threatened to boil over as they all made their way inside for dinner.

As they settled around the dining table, the aroma of a savory chicken dish filled the air. Isaac served generous portions while attempting to steer the conversation away from the earlier tension.

"So, Miranda, how's everything going with your music?" Isaac asked, trying to break the ice.

Miranda glanced at Kaitlyn before responding. "Oh, you know, busy as usual. I've been focusing on my music, and Kaitlyn's been caught up with work."

Kaitlyn nodded, her expression guarded. "Yeah, just the usual routine."

Isaac shifted the topic. "And how's Brett doing? Growing up fast, I'm sure."

Miranda's face softened. "He's doing great. Such a handful sometimes, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Britney, who had been quiet during the exchange, spoke up tentatively. "I'm sorry for causing trouble earlier."

Isaac offered a small smile. "It's alright, Britney. Let's just enjoy dinner together."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics as they dug into the meal, though the underlying tension remained palpable. Each bite seemed to carry unspoken words, and despite Isaac's efforts, the atmosphere remained strained.

As they were halfway through the meal, Britney unexpectedly brought up Miranda's past, triggering a surge of frustration in her younger sister.

"Miranda, you act like you've never done anything wrong!" Britney remarked with a smirk.