How Can My Presence Be Humiliating?
Sarah's POV:
We all sat on the dining table; the maids had already served dinner, and the tension was so sharp, like an ancient warrior's sword.
Anthony kept staring at Kim, and that made her feel uncomfortable, but gratefully, the little Josh ate his meal peacefully.
"Uhm, I followed your idea about the jersey, and I drew one," I said and Josh's eyes lightened up.
"Was it good?" he asked, and I nodded before placing chicken wings on his plate.
"Here is your reward," I said and he pouted.
"You could reward me by coming to my friend's birthday party with me on Sunday," Josh said and I nodded.
"Don't waste your breath; she is too busy for such stuff." Kim butted in, and Anthony hit the table angrily.
"Josh, go to your room," he said, and Josh looked at me, and I nodded.
He stood up and hurried upstairs to his room. "What's your problem?" Anthony asked, and Kim's gaze was stuck on her plate.
"Who is Kelvin? What did I say about having a boyfriend at sixteen?" he questioned while scolding.
"You both should talk calmly," I said, There was no need to shout while disciplining a kid.
"Kelvin is my boyfriend," Kim answered. She had a bold look like she was no longer nervous or scared.
"Break things off," Anthony said, and she chuckled.
"I can't, when you and
mother go through your normal banter phase and don't have time for me. He is always there; shouldn't I be breaking things off with you guys instead?" She asked, and my eyes widened in shock.
"Seriously?" Anthony chuckled before he stood up, and I stood up as well ready to hold him if he tried to hit her.
"You talk to your parents this way all because of some dick head?"
"Language, Anthony," I hissed and he clicked his tongue.
"You think dick is a new word to her? I could swear it already penetrated her," he said shamelessly, and I was shocked by his words. Even Kim looked surprised by his words.
"Let's sleep on this before we say things we will regret later." I urged Anthony to let it go. He nodded before turning to leave.
"If you decide to go against my orders, then I will have no choice but to send you to a boarding school," he warned and left.
I massaged my temples before sitting on the chair and sipping from my glass of juice.
"You have a fever today; you should go to bed," I said and Kim stood up before hurrying to her room. I could see countless tears rush down her cheeks.
So I immediately dialed Elma's number, and it got connected: "Why are you calling me this late?" Elma asked right away.
"Kim got a fever," I said and the line was silent.
"Are you there?" I questioned.
"Did you take her to the hospital?" Elma asked.
"No, but I made her some herbs, and she is better now," I explained.
"I don't make herbs; I will let this slide now. If Kim is fine, then why are you calling me?" She was just so impatient and irritating.
"She has a twenty-four-year-old boyfriend, and I discovered that she skipped school to go meet him. And now she talks back at her dad."
"She talked back at Anthony." That was the only sentence that caught her attention among the many things I said.
"Yes"
"I want to see the look on his face when his princess talked back at him all because of some overage boyfriend," she chuckled, and I rolled my eyes.
"Can't you say something reasonable?"
"If she is at that stage, then there is nothing that can be done. Just let her commit a mistake, and her senses will be back. I was once there". Elma explained, but I didn't agree with her. Kim was just a kid, and her mind could still be restructured.
"She is getting mad all because the guy isn't replying to her texts; either he decided to listen to me and stay away from her or because it's his birthday and he is busy organizing it." I picked a slice of orange and sucked it.
"I remember when Anthony chose to ignore me; he didn't even invite me to this 22nd birthday; I had to sneak out of the house and attend the party as an uninvited guest," she explained with an amused tone.
"You must have been so crazy about him."
"He was the cool bad boy every girl dreamt of," she added, and I smiled; he didn't look like he was a bad boy. I guess growth played a huge role for him.
Then my eyes widened in shock. "Omg, I will call you back." I hung up before touching my chest; it was like my heart was about to fall off.
Elma said she had escaped home to go attend Anthony's birthday; now I just think of Kim. She wouldn't do such a thing, right?
I hurried upstairs to her room and knocked. "Kim," I called but there was no reply.
"Kim, it's me." I kept knocking, but there was no response. I tried pushing the door, but it was locked from inside.
"Kim, open the door... Are you okay?" I kept hitting the door till my hand hurt.
"Elma," Anthony walked towards me with a frown. "Why are you shouting?" he asked.
"Kim isn't opening up," I said.
"She must be asleep or throwing a tantrum."
"No, the door is locked... I need to open it." I wasn't at ease; she wasn't my daughter, but my heart wasn't at rest. What if she went unconscious while sleeping?
"Geez, calm down and don't be paranoid. It doesn't suit you; I will get the keys," Anthony said before leaving, and I kept on knocking.
A minute later, he returned with a bunch of keys before trying them on the door; fortunately, he succeeded in opening the door, and we both walked in. There was no one in the room.
"Kim," I walked to the bathroom, but no one. I walked to her walk-in closet, and there was still no one.
"Paranoid, you say?" I scoffed, and Anthony had a shocked look.
"Did she run away after I scolded her?" he asked, and I was as confused as he was.
"Kelvin's birthday party; do you know where it is taking place?" I asked, and he shook his head in denial.
"I will kill that bastard if I find my daughter with him," he said, clenching his fist and turning to leave when I held his hand.
"If indeed she is at a birthday party, then you can't just barge in and humiliate her."
"I am her father; how can my presence be humiliating?" He questioned me, and I sighed. Shouldn't he know stuff like this since he was once there?