17 Choosing To Disappear

Tyra was with her novel as usual when the door slowly creek opened; drawing her attention to it as she watched her sister trod in.

"Oh Tiara, what kept you so long in town?" she tried to interact with her sister but Tiara walked on in silence not paying attention to her as she usually does when she gets back from town.

Tyra found it awkward but still wanted to know where her sister had been since they'd all been worried about her.

"Mum had..." she began but stopped with baited lips when Tiara just glided onto her bed and pulled the blanket over herself.

"I just want to rest Tyra, let's talk tomorrow."

"O.. okay," Tyra mumbled skeptically, staring at her sister as her gaze slowly drifted to her book. At that moment, the door slammed open, leaving Tyra alarmed.

"Gosh mum..., you startled me."

"Sorry dear," Eugenia murmured hastily, sauntering to Tiara's bed. "Tiara dear?" she sat on the bed, slightly shoving her.

But she just laid on the bed like a log; not even bothering to get the blanket off.

"I think you should let her be mum. She seems not in the mood to talk now. It will be better if you two talk tomorrow."

Eugenia stared thoughtfully at Tiara who had herself all covered up in the blanket. "Alright dear, let's talk tomorrow." she stroked her hair, though covered in the blanket.

Feeling a bit of hesitation, she finally stood up with a sigh. She did both of her daughter's goodnight before shuffling out of the room.

When Eugenia had left, Tyra stayed with her book for a while and noticing the time; placed it on the desk beside her bed then tugged herself under her blanket. No sooner has she done this than she fell off to sleep.

All along, Tiara was also still awake under her blanket. She stayed up for a long while and didn't even know when she fell asleep.

*******

It was around 6:30 am when the alarm went off. Tiara groaned with a wince as she reached for the clock; half asleep and turned it off. She rolled onto the other side of the bed trying to catch more sleep when she felt someone jump on her like an angry lion.

She instinctively opened her eyes, all the sleep disappearing from her eyes only to see Andrew with a mischievous smile on.

"Oh mine Andrew, get off you naughty boy," she exclaimed as she struggled with her brother to get him off but to no avail. "Will you....." she shouted, trying to push him off but rather fell with a loud thud. "Ouch," she groaned in pain.

At this rate, Andrew raced out of the room giggling.

"I'm so going to get you for this Andrew," she called out after him. With a wince on her face, she turned to Tyra's bed and saw it empty. "Get to understand now why I was his prey." she shrugged, getting up from the floor.

Andy has a thing for picking on his sisters every time he has the chance. He usually likes to bully Tyra since she is the easily annoyed type but will do it either way if Tyra is available.

He found it amusing but not to her sisters. Just as Tiara got to her feet, there came a binge from her phone. It was a message from Fabulous.

NO EXCUSE OR LATENESS TODAY. I HAD A TOUGH TIME WITH AUNTIE LORA YESTERDAY.

She sighed after reading the message; Not even bothering to reply since she deemed it not necessary. She was about to return the phone from where she took it when the number of missed calls on it caught her eye.

She clicked on the caller ID and it displayed Andy's number. She stared blankly at it in a total dilemma about whether back or not.

Tiara slowly sent her hand on the dial icon but suddenly stopped, the night's event hitting her mind's eye. "No, this is not a good idea. We should see each other again."

She returned the phone from where she picked it up and shuffled to the washroom. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a while and sighed; picking up her toothbrush.

When she was done brushing her teeth, she got out of her clothes and walked into the shower. She stayed underneath for a while as she let the water run down her skin; sending cold chills through her spine but she felt unbothered by it.

After about five to 10 minutes, she steps out of the shower; drying herself up. When she was done drying, she tied the towel across herself and strolled back into the room. She sat in front of the mirror, took out the dryer from the drawer, and started drying her hair.

At that moment, the door flew open revealing Tyra at the look.

"Mum said you should hurry," she announced.

"Alright, tell her I will be there soon. Anyway, why didn't you wake me up?"

"I did but you brushed me off. By the way, Andrew and I will be leaving for the ranch to assist Papa. Care....."

"You and Andrew?" she chuckled, slightly shaking her head as she turned her gaze back to the mirror. "That's crazily funny. What was Mum even thinking about having you two walk alone to the ranch? You are certainly going to tear each other apart before you get there."

Tyra faked a giggle, "Funny. Anyway, care to come along?" she queried, ignoring her sarcasm.

"Well.." Tiara mumbled thoughtfully as she slowly pushed the chair back; standing up from her seat to the wardrobe. "I think I have nothing to do this morning so well, why not."

"Hurry up then," she replied and sauntered off, not even waiting for a second.

"Alright Godmother. " Tiara shouted teasingly after her.

Within a few minutes, she was done. She looked herself up in the mirror for the last time before shuffling out of the room.

Descending the stairs, she met Andrew and Tiara for the first time in her life sitting together without causing rumpus. She gasped in shock, rushing to Tyra's side.

"What the hell did you do to him?" she whispered, slowly pulling the chair as she settled on it.

"Nothing," she shrugged, returning to what she was doing.

"Hmm," she mumbled skeptically, scanning the room. "Where is mum?"

"In the backyard. Your food is in the microwave. You should hurry as we need to get this food to Papa." Tyra said, gesturing to the food flask sitting beside her on the table.

Just then, Mrs. Gardener walked in to see her kids gathered around the dining table with Andrew buried in his video game.

"You guys are still here?"

"Yes mum, we're waiting for Tiara."

"Okay. How are you feeling now Tiara. " she queried, gliding to the kitchen. "You returned home in a bad shape yesterday."

"I'm much better now."

"Mm, do you want to talk about it?" she queried, settling beside her.

"It's nothing to worry about Mum. Just had a bad day. That was all."

Eugenia stared skeptically at her daughter for a while and sighed. "Alright, if you say so."

Tiara having done with her meals, cleared the table and returned the plates to the kitchen. Sauntering back into the hall, she announced.

"I'm all done guys, let's get going."

"Alright," she mumbled, slowly her chair back as she stood up, pecking her mother on the cheeks. "See you later mum.

"Okay dear." she slightly curbed her right cheek with her hand. Andrew also back-hugged her, draping his hands around her mother's neck.

"No causing trouble for your sisters okay?"

"Alright mum, promise," he said, raising two fingers in the air to make a promise sign. When they were done with their fair wells, they all staggered to the door with their mother seeing them off.

***

Andy sat behind his desk staring blankly at the screen of his phone. He has been trying Tiara's line pointless for a while now but to no avail. Everything was clear to him now that Tiara was ignoring him. He ruffled his hair, thumping his fist into the table. Just then, his office door slowly flew open.

"Somebody is here to see you, sir."

"Alright Chelsey, let her in," he mumbled, placing the phone on the table. Chelsey obliged, slowly closing the door as she went back to get the visitor.

A few minutes on, there came another knock on the door then it flew open. He deftly raised his eyes and not expecting the face that met his eyes; his face instinctively dropped with the expression of disappointment written all over his face.

"Hi honey, did you miss me?" she queried, a mischievous smile dancing on her lips.