Smiling Wrong Part II
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Original composition by Tatienne Richard exclusively for My Fiction. If you’re reading this elsewhere it has been stolen from the platform.
“Mom, can I please go on my tablet. I feel uncomfortable.”
“Absolutely. Go climb up on my bed and I’ll send Mitsos to you.”
“She feels uncomfortable?” Avner asked with a deep frown
between his brows.
“Perhaps because you’re being an ass,” January commented. “You haven’t ever met either of us. Your father,” she looked at Bette seriously, “took one look at Kaylee and was thrilled to be in her presence. Thisbe and Glenn made her feel like she was the missing piece to the family. You came in edgy and accusing and she might not be the smartest kid on paper but damned if she can’t read a room and understand human behavior better than most people. You dim her shine with your presence, and I’ve raised her to believe she doesn’t need to make herself small to fit
into someone else’s space.”
She looked at Gulliver with a tight smile, and he pulled her close and dropped a kiss to her temple and rubbed her shoulder softly.
“Are you going to let her talk to us this way, Gulliver?” Avner commented angrily.
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“Has she said anything which was incorrect?” Gulliver asked back. “You came in here with a bad attitude. If you wish to leave and come back in with a new attitude feel free but I’m quite sure the first impressions you’ve left are lacking.”
A knock on the door made them all look to it and Gulliver stepped away to let Thisbe and his grandfather in.
“Daddy!” Bette gave a smile and moved to get a hug from her father. “How are you? I’ve missed you.” She kissed both of his cheeks and cupped his face.
“You look tired, Bette. Did you not sleep last night before your flight?”
“You forget back home it’s nearing midnight. A good night’s sleep tonight and I’ll be right as rain.” She looked past him and smiled at Thisbe, “there’s my girl.”
“Hey Mom,” Thisbe hugged her mother tight and then moved to her father and accepted a hug, “Daddy.”
“Hello Thisbe. You look well.”
“Thank you.” She smiled and wiped her hands down her dress, “I bought this in a little boutique here in town.” Thisbe pushed her hair from her ears, “look. I picked up a pair of earrings from January’s boutique today. Aren’t they gorgeous?”
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“Stunning,” Bette said with a nod
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“Why don’t we sit,” Gulliver helped his grandfather through the room to the chair he’d been using each time he came in.
“Where’s my Kaylee girl?” Grandfather asked with narrowed
eyes.
“In her room on her tablet.”
“Oh, let me guess, she took one look at Avner and noped out of here.” Grandfather snorted as Avner bristled. Grandfather
elbowed January, “I did the same thing first time I met him. My wife was pissed at me for being rude, but monkey see, monkey do.” He called out, “Kaylee, come see your old grandfather.”
“Grandfather!” Kaylee rushed out of the bedroom and threw herself at him exuberantly accepting his hug. She stared into his face as he smiled at her, “you have a good smile.”
“Thank you.”
“Hey kiddo,” Thisbe called out.
“Hi Thisbe! It was fun driving in the car with you today to come back to the hotel. You listen to the best music.” Kaylee ran and gave her a hug. “Mom ordered all kinds of food. It’s going to be a feast!”
“I love a good feast.”
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“In case you missed it,” Gulliver looked at his parents, “that is the reaction of a child who isn’t uncomfortable.”
“Gully,” Thisbe frowned at him.
“Kaylee’s words not mine.”
Kaylee went to sit with her great–grandfather and was immediately chattering a mile a minute, telling him all about how one of the teachers kept trying to look at Kaylee’s bodyguard and walked with her bum swinging. Kaylee demonstrated it with panache earning chuckles from the room while Bette and Avner stared incredulously.
Another knock on the door and Ford, Glenn and Mitsos came in. January noted right away the way Mitsos shied away from his grandparents and moved closer to his father.
“Mitsos!” Kaylee screamed, “you’re here! Finally. I missed you so much. I wish you came to school with me and Darwin. I want you to be in my class. We would have so much fun. We could play at recess and have lunch. Glenn, can Mitsos come to my school? I really missed him.”
Glenn ruffled her hair, “I’ll think about it. Mitsos and I will need to talk about it.”
Mitsos looked at him wide–eyed. “Can I Dad? Can I go to school with Kaylee and Darwin? They are my friends, my bestest
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friends.”
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Glenn squatted down, “is that what you would really want?”
Mitsos nodded. “I don’t like my school in New York.”
“You have got to be kidding. All the money we have and you’re going to put him in public school?” Avner argued furiously. “Mitsos is a smart child. He deserves to go to the best schools.”
Kaylee made a face and walked to Avner and walked all around him and then looked at her father. “Where does he put it?”
“What?” Gulliver questioned as he shared a curious glance with
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