"Miley! Miley, come on down! It's time for breakfast!"
I rolled over in bed. Dad didn't have time to make breakfast for me anymore--he had a job.
I muttered under my breath. He didn't have to! I remembered the drama of exactly one week before, two days after watching Rodney finally win the girl on Win your Woman. Oh, it was quite a drama...Jackson wasn't much involved...but I was.
Dad had called us down for a family meeting, teasing Jackson by giving him "the look" as usual...that was really funny...it made me laugh, as usual. There was something about Dad, though--he was too...happy. I know, I guess that sounds really stupid, but he was! It was like he finished another Hannah song...but why would he call Jackson down here for that?
"I have good news," Daddy had said. Oh, great. We were starting out slow. I had to get to the beach with Lilly and Oliver in five minutes. I wasn't even wearing my swimsuit yet!
"What?" I said, hurrying him up.
"I got a job!" Dad said, throwing out his arms, waiting for us to cheer him on.
"That's great!" said Jackson, dutily, before exiting the room to join Cooper at the beach.
"What?" I had said; then a drama exploded about Dad saying that he wanted to have a job besides Hannah's manager, so that he could "be like a normal dad." I told him we didn't need a normal dad--but he shushed me off and sent me away.
Now, in my bed, I listen to the voice from downstairs--and I notice that it's not my dad's voice...it's a feminine voice.
I pull off my comforter, slip on my robe and slippers and head downstairs.
It's Dara. She's flipping pancakes, catching toast, scrambling eggs, taking bacon out of the oven, pouring milk into cereal and O.J. into cups and all the while trying to keep her brown hair out of her eyes.
"There you are, Miley," she said, smiling at me. "Your dad's at work, so he asked me to cook breakfast. I hope this is enough!"
Despite the fact that Daddy was gone, I was happy. Dara was so nice! Cooking breakfast! I sat down at the table and began eating.
"Of course it's enough, Dara," I said, not noticing until that time that Jackson was stuffing his face with food. He looked like a over-stuffed chipmunk. As soon as he finished that plate, Dara sat down another one, saying,
"Here's your fourth helping, Jackson...are you sure this is enough?" She looked at him with her blue eyes, seeming to not notice his chipmunk-cheeks.
Jackson nodded greedily and took another bite of eggs.
I wanted to look good in front of Dara, so I ate daintily, taking one small bite at a time. I was almost embarressed with my brother--in front of our father's very nice girlfriend! Did he have to do this?
"Well," said Dara. "I was thinking that we could maybe do something today. I know you two are busy with all your friends, but I really want to get to know Robby's kids. You two seem so great! Miley, you look so much like your mother!"
I stopped mid-bite. What did she just say? I was confused!
"What?" I said, pulling the fork of pancake out of my mouth. I frowned at Dara, noticing how very pretty she was.
Dara looked confused, too.
"Well didn't Robby tell you?" she said, her brow frowning, as well.
"Tell me what?" I said, setting down my fork on the table. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Jackson, completely oblivious to our conversation, still eating as though he hadn't done so in years.
"That your mother and I were best friends in High School and college! Didn't Robby tell you? Your mother and I did everything together! And I was the first to notice that she had a crush on your famous father! He did go to our college, you know!"
This information came to me in a rush--why hadn't Daddy ever told me? Did it bring back memories that he wanted to forget? What was it? Why was he hiding this from me? How come my mom hadn't ever told me about Dara?
And then it came to me.
The dark-haired girl in the picture.
I ran out of the kitchen as fast as I could, into the living room to where the picture of our family Christmas was sitting on the dresser. I picked it up, and for the first time, noticed a dark-haired girl with her head thrown up in an appreciative laugh--blurry in the background of the picture. (A/N: I'm just making that up!)
This girl was Dara!
I ran into the kitchen, bringing the picture with me.
"That's you, isn't it?" I asked, excitedly, pointing at the out-of-focus figure. My eyes were wide, and she glanced at them quizzically before putting one hand on the picture frame and looking.
"By golly, it is!" A smile errupted on Dara's face. "How'd you know?"
"I guess...I guess I just remember my mom an awful lot," I said, rather sadly.
"Yes, I'm sure you do," said Dara quietly. She stroked my arm, and for once I didn't feel like she didn't understand.
A/N: I'm making this story have a double plot, and I thought that before I continue the main plot in the story, you ought to meet Dara. So that's Dara, and I hope you keep reading. The main plot will continue in the next chapter, I promise!