Kara wrapped her hands around the mug of coffee her mother had made her. It was yet another sunny day yet the gloom of it all was that she had work that evening. Her father, Walter had already left for work himself and her brother Walter Jr had left this morning for school. The best part of the day was that she only had to go in for three hours to cover for Marie.
"So I was kind of hoping me and you could talk alone for once" her mother brought up as she appeared from the kitchen, taking a seat besides Kara on the dining table. It made her wonder really, what it was she wanted to talk to her so badly about, and alone. Kara nodded simply with a slight smile before placing both of her hands on the table before her, placing one into the other.
"Have you... happened to notice anything weird or different with your father? I needed to ask, I mean I've noticed myself but I wasn't too sure if it was just me or not. I need a second opinion" Skylar spoke in a calm and soft tone. Kara couldn't really help pulling her eyebrows together in thought. She didn't really understand what her mother was trying to ask her. Sure they found out about the cancer and all and that would be enough to change anybody but she couldn't think on what she had meant exactly.
"If this is about the cancer mum..." she trailed off, shaking her head ever so slightly. She didn't want all this to get brought up again, they all had only just gotten past the worst part of finding out and dealing with it. She couldn't cope with it being brought back up again.
"No, no, no I don't mean it like that. I mean have you noticed him... distancing himself away from us. Staying out till late on the night, going places every day without explanation" her mother questioned further. Now Kara understood. She too had noticed him going out day in and day out but she could never question him, he too was entitled to a private life just like everyone else. It did make her wonder though, to where he was going and who he was going places with.
Kara nodded slowly, her eyes drifting from her mother's to the dark, wooden table. "One minute he's here and the next he's gone. He practically runs out the door every morning and surely doesn't rush to get back. Who knows what he's doing mum, but who are we to judge. He's gone through a lot, we all have and maybe this is his way of finding himself" Kara spoke the truth, word for word on how she felt. She didn't want to upset her mother or her father but she surely didn't want to be stuck in the middle of their arguments.
Skylar nodded simply, bringing her cup to her mouth before taking a drink. Kara flickered her eyes over to the clock which hung on the wall. Great she had word in less than an hour, today was going to be a long one by the looks of things.
"We should talk, when I get home. I'll be back for tea time" Kara called as she walked into the hallway before slipping her black flat shoes on. She didn't bother waiting for her mother to speak back, instead she opened the door and went. The sun was up high and the weather was perfect, no dark cloud in sight. Perfect for a walk to work.
Kara thought about popping in to check up on her father. He worked in the science lab at the high school and she funnily enough had to pass there to get to the restaurant in which she worked, a quick pop in couldn't hurt after all. It was after hours anyway so she would be surprised if he was still in.
. . .
Kara noticed his classroom door to the left, the blinds were down and closed but she tried the handle anyway. To her surprise it was unlocked so she pushed it open. There sat at his desk was her father, he didn't look like he was doing much, not to her knowledge anyway but he did look quite surprised and almost shocked to see her there. He quickly stumbled up from him desk and stood straight in front of her, he looked worried, like he had something to hide but she couldn't think that, not of him anyway.
"What are you doing here, I told Skylar I would be home by tea time... did she send you to check up on me?" he questioned her frantically, she personally didn't really know what to say or how to react for that matter. Her eyes wondered over his and as she wondered she noticed it wasn't just them two. There was someone else there, someone before her, a man lent against one of the desks, watching both her and her father with curiosity to what was going on exactly.
Kara shook her head quickly, trying to think of something to say to his frantic questions. She knew the only thing she could do was say the truth, then maybe he would explain himself a little more to her and she could figure out who this random guy was.
"No, mum didn't send me. I was on my way to work and I thought I'd pop by, I thought you might have finished is all" she said casually with a small shrug before turning her attention to the man who sat there, fiddling with his fingers as he glanced away from them. Walter seemed to have noticed their eye contact as he nodded and let out a small 'attention' cough. He stepped away from Kara and lent against his desk, curving his fingers underneath the edges as he watched the man Kara was trying to figure out.
"This is Jesse, he's an old student of mine. He just come by to ask for a reference for a job... isn't that right Jesse?" Walter spoke clearly but firmly as he eyes this man before them, now of which Kara knew as Jesse. He on the other hand just nodded slightly before bouncing his sight back to the girl which he was now trying to figure out which of course made Walter huff slightly.
"This is Kara, my eldest daughter... not that she would concern you anyway Mr Pink man" Walter told him sternly, make Jesse's eyes flicker to his. The tension seemed to be growing in the room but Kara couldn't really tell why, after all, all he was after was a reference and she wasn't so sure why giving him her name made him so huffed. Kara seemed to shake the unknown tension between the two off and she decided to take a seat in the room. She still had a while before she had to leave for work and she still had to talk to her father.
Walter wondered round to the back of his desk and rummaged through the papers he had in his draw. Kara let her eyes fall down to her fingers and Jesse just sat, swinging his legs casually as he awaited for the next step. A cough was heard from the hallway and immediately Walter paced to the door before stepping outside, a few steps later and they was no words to be heard. Kara bit her lip in waiting, the room fell quiet and it was rather awkward considering they didn't know each other.
"Yo, names Jesse. Didn't know Mr White had an older daughter" Jesse spoke up, echoing the room slightly as the silence disappeared. Kara raised her attention from her hands and turned to him with a small smile.
"He doesn't speak about his personal life with people much" she said simply with a small shrug as she too, began swinging her legs slightly as she sat on one the desks. She tried to think if she could remember him at all, even a name mention but she couldn't. Surely if he was an ex-student she would have noticed him around or even her father would have mentioned something.
"So where is it you work then, I overheard you saying something about it with Mr White... well... um your dad" he said, stuttering slightly at what words he should use with her concerning her father. She couldn't help but giggle slightly as she watched his thoughtful face.
"Just Denny's its a few streets away from here, I shouldn't even be in today I'm just covering. Extra cash in my pocket I guess" she said in a chirpy tone. She had actually surprised herself at how easy she managed to speak to him, normally she would sit in silence or if she did speak it would be one word answers. Maybe she just found him easy to speak to, someone she could feel open to for once.
"Well that's cool, I'm heading up that way so maybe we could walk up together... that's if you want anyways. I'm just walking up to see my bros" Jesse mentioned, he had thought to hold off on the 'to go get high' part, she didn't really seem like the kind of girl who would be interested in that sort of stuff, never mind him. Kara just nodded slightly as she looked to him with a warming smile, gaining one back from him also. He seemed to just appeal to her, she didn't really know what it was, and maybe it was the light shaggy look hair and the blue eyes which stood out against his lightly tanned skin.
Kara jumped slightly as her father swung the door open making the blinds rattle furiously against the glass, his face looking as though it was about to burst right there and then.
"Jesse, you should go... I'll contact you later" he said sternly, his face straight with no emotion as he watched him through ever so slightly narrowed eyes. Kara watched Jesse as he slid from the desk, walking and slightly dragging his feet along at the same time.
"Yo, I'll wait out here for you" he said, his tone different from anything she had heard before.
"No, you will leave now and not come back until I say. I'm taking my daughter to work in my car. There is no need to wait" Walter spoke up, his voice more clear but loud at the same time, Kara couldn't help but pull a 'sorry' look towards Jesse as he held his hands up slightly in defence before walking out the door. Great now she can't even have male friends without her father interrupting.
