Ch 53: You ran out of money?

"Mom—Dad?" She shot a concerned gaze to Abigail who subtly shook her head. "Darling!" Exclaimed Kylie as she kissed Alice rather coolly on each cheek without even touching her.

"Mother." She said casually. Abigail noticed that Jayden's eyes warmed somewhat to his daughter and hugged her, "Missed you much baby girl." "You too dad."

Alice added with a partial smile. So that was it. Kylie was a mother, and Jayden was dad. At least one parent had the decency to have affection for his child.

Poor Alice thought Abigail. No wonder Owen was raising her. Jayden released Alice quickly and Abigail realized that he'd hung on to her longer than his daughter. She ground her teeth knowing that he was using his status as Owen's father to constantly touch her.

Alice quickly mumbled an excuse about homework, grabbed her packsack, and ran up the stairs. Abigail tried her best to talk about how proud they were of her, but Kylie would rather talk about herself.

***

Alice shut the door to her room and breathed deeply. Jayden and Kylie alone with Abigail wasn't something she wanted to see. She quickly pulled out her mobile phone and called Owen's private number. "You're in Jail." Came the deep reply after he answered his phone.

"You are not funny." Said Alice. "You ran out of money?" he added with more humor in his tone. "Quit teasing me. This is serious.

Jayden and Kylie are here, and—" "Lord—where's Abigail." His voice changed from teasing to complete seriousness. "She's alone in the sitting room with them. She's as white as a ghost."

"I'm clearing my schedule as we speak—" Alice heard him mumble something to someone else before he came back on the phone. "Get down there and protect her Alice. I'm on my way home. I'll be there in half an hour. Hopefully, no damage is done. Lord! I didn't expect them to come here." He hung up.

Alice tossed her phone on the bed and stared at her closed door. Her parents were a preverbal nightmare. Her mother could have been an unfeeling robot for the amount of attention she gave her. And her father was too busy trying to sleep with everything from Alice's age to her mother's age.

Only she did know her father cared about her, but Owen loved her and so did Abigail. She didn't want to lose Abigail. She was the closest thing she ever had to have a mother figure, even if she was only a few years older. Be brave, she told herself as she got up and went back downstairs.

Poor Abigail was on the couch with her father sitting way to close to her and rubbing his fingers over one of her crossed thighs while telling her how lucky Owen was.

Her mother was pacing behind the sofa casually drinking a glass of wine. Probably her fourth thought Alice. She was impatient and Alice knew why. Owen would be coming home soon. Kylie had been chasing her half brother for years.