Chapter 2: Getting Used To The Guest

A/N: Once again, none of these characters belong to me. Reviews are welcome, as long as they are at least tolerable. Nasty responses will be ignored. Enjoy!

I could smell breakfast. Slowly, I opened my eyes, squinting due to the sunlight streaming through my window. Sighing, I got out of the bed, and moved towards the closet, dressing myself like I did every day. I jogged down the stairs, and seated myself at the kitchen table, grabbing a plate in the process.

Dad was home now, but I knew I was safe as long as he shoveled food into his mouth. We ate silently, Kai looking around the room as he ate. I wasn't sure if I liked him yet or not. He seemed nice enough, but could I trust him? Finishing what was on my plate, I moved to put my dish in the sink.

"I'll get it." Kai said, grinning at me. He walked over to the sink and rinsed both plates clean.

"Uh, thanks." I replied, a little dazed. People weren't usually nice to me.

"So, Kai. What do you think about working for me?" Dad asked, looking in the boy's direction.

"Really? You'd hire me sir?!" He commented, his eyes lighting up.

"Well yeah, we could use some help around here, seeing as how my daughter ain't good for nothin. And there's no need to call me sir, just call me Gotz."

I glossed over the insult. I didn't need a fight just yet.

"Well thank you sir, I mean Gotz!" Kai exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

I smiled to myself. It must have been really bad where he'd came from, seeing as how he was so happy to be here. I mean, I loved this town, but my family wasn't the greatest.

"Karen, you show him the ropes. I'm going out for a bit." Gotz said, getting up from the table and walking out the front door.

Mom took his plate off the table, as well as her own, and washed them.

"Mistress, may I ask your name?" Kai asked, out of the blue. My mother chuckled.

"There's no need to call me Mistress. My name is Sasha." She replied, now drying off the dishes.

I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him outside before he said anything else. In the sunlight I could clearly see his clothing. He wore a purple bandana around his head, and his pants were the same color. Around his wrists were small bright green bands, around his waist a black belt. He wore a dark green long sleeved shirt with a white one underneath it, and black boots, which his pants were tucked into.

"So Miss Karen, what are we doing today?" He said.

Miss Karen? What the hell?

"Just call me Karen, and today I'm just going to show you around here, there's nothing really that needs to be done." I replied, pulling him around the vineyard.

Over the next few days I showed him the hang of things around here. Soon enough him and I were working side by side. Everything settled back into the way it was before. Dad screaming at everything, Mom crying at the drop of a hat. I just tried to stay out of their way, and tried not to pick fights with my father. We still fought, though. I'd try to run away, but Kai would always find me, and plead with me to make up with my father. It was always "Please Karen, make up with your father." Or "Please don't run away Karen." Or something else I never really wanted to hear.

Weeks and months passed without fail, and it had soon been a year since he'd come here.