Imogen stood staring at the door in shock for a few moments. Her face burned with the humiliation of being reprimanded in front of her boyfriend. "I don't suppose you know what brought that little display on, do you?" She asked Jeff angrily and he just raised an eyebrow, not much liking what he'd heard and seen of Imogen in the past twelve hours. He pushed down his annoyance and forced himself to speak to her civilly.
"I only met your sister this morning. She doesn't seem like the type to trust very easily. Why would she confide in me so soon?" He asked innocently while Imogen just rolled her eyes in disbelief before turning to her daughter, whom she thought had been sleeping. She jumped in surprise to see that her child was staring at her; eyes full of hurt accusation.
"Where have you been, Mama?" Kiara asked quietly, hardly trusting herself not to cry. Imogen walked over to her and took the girl in her arms.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come home before now, baby, you know I was so busy with all the signings and the shows, but I missed you so much. I thought about you every day." Kiara pushed her Mother away as the fear and hurt she'd been feeling for so long overwhelmed her.
"But you could never be bothered to call, or even just send me a quick e- mail to see how I was doing." She asked quietly, trying to quell the tears that filled her eyes, and jumped up off the beanbag walking towards the stairs that led to the bedrooms.
"What on earth are you talking about, Kiara? I did call, you know I did." Imogen snapped and Kiara spun around, amber eyes fiery with anger.
"Yeah, a whole twice in two months! You should be so proud of yourself." She spat and started up the stairs, Imogen started after her, ready to strike out.
"Don't you dare speak to me like that, young lady! I'm your Mother, goddamn it, treat me with respect!" She screamed and Kiara turned back, shaking with the intensity of the rage she felt.
"Why should I? You don't deserve it." She roared and Imogen stopped dead in shock. Her hazel eyes narrowed as the impact of what her daughter was saying hit her like a tidal wave.
"You ungrateful little bitch." She said quietly, her voice shaking with intensity of what she was feeling, and Kiara flinched in shock. "After everything I've done for you. Raising you on my own since I was seventeen, putting a roof over your head, feeding and clothing you, and now," Her voice started to rise until she was screaming again. "Now, you throw it all back in my face! How fucking dare you?" Kiara, although frightened, forced herself to stand tall and not back away. Imogen took a few deep breaths to try and calm down. "What happened to you, Kiara?" She asked after some time, hurt and confusion echoed in her voice. "I didn't raise you to act like a spoiled brat. What has your Aunt been filling your head with, child?" Disappointment filled Kiara and she sighed, feeling deflated.
"Rhian has said nothing bad about you to me, EVER. She's too good a person to do that. I figured it all out myself." She told her mother, quietly, but with a forceful determination that Imogen had never before heard in her daughter's voice.
"What? What have you figured out Kiara?" She asked impatiently, and Kiara smiled bitterly, recognising the expression on her face. It was one of total and utter boredom, which never failed to make Kiara feel like she was unimportant in her mother's scheme of things. The thing that hurt the most was that she knew it was true.
"That you don't want me around. You've always paid more attention to your boyfriends or work or training than you ever have to me." Imogen's eyes filled with sudden defensive tears and she shook her head, ready to dispute Kiara's claim, but her daughter continued before she had the chance. "You know, my "Aunt" has been more of a Mother to me in the past few years than you have ever been throughout my entire life! She loves me no matter what I do or say and at least Rhian will spend time with me without making me feel like I'm intruding on her. God, Mother, I didn't ask to be born. It's not my fault that you got stuck with me, so stop making me feel like it is."
Imogen was so taken aback by what Kiara had said that she didn't know what to say. She wanted to deny it, to say something to comfort her daughter, but she just couldn't find the words. When Kiara realised that Imogen had no comeback, her eyes once again filled with tears and she walked the rest of the way up the stairs.
"And just so you know," She turned back to face her Mother one last time before she went to bed. "I'm not a child anymore. I'm a teenager now; a young adult. But I can understand how that could have escaped your attention, what, with you never being around and all." And with that, Kiara walked into her bedroom and locked the door behind her.