What is family?

Chapter 26

Theo

"You three come meet me in my office.", Vince said in a cold voice and walked out of the dining room.

Whenever they get in trouble with Vince, I try my best to get them off the hook, unless until it is very serious. And right now, I am completely furious.

How could they?

How dare they decide to leave Arianna all alone on the road?

I know it's not just Ash. Anything they do, they do together. I thought it would be a little difficult for the boys to accept an other member in the family and digest the truth, but, this? This is ridiculous.

This is no way to treat our sister. 

I looked at Dylan and he was just staring at the table with a blank expression. Ace looked a little guilty and Ash had a blank expression, but I could see right through his eyes, he is not proud of what he did.

Most importantly they looked tensed.

Good!

They should be. Vince is quite upset with them and I'm furious. They know that I'm not going to support them in front of Vince right now. 

I look at Arianna and she seems tensed. It's not her fault. She should be relaxed.

Sigh.

Vince was right. Aria is not normal. As he said, she might have gone through abuse at her old house. We need to talk to her about it and find solution to overcome her fears and anxiety.

I'm furious right now and in no state to console someone, but I can't ignore her when she seems so tensed and upset.

So, I hugged her sideways. She stiffened at first, but relaxed after a moment.

"Relax, Aria! You're not in trouble.", I told in a gentle tone, containing my anger successfully.

I don't want to scare her!

She nodded and tried to breathe normally. I handed her a glass of water and she drank it. I rubbed her palms to calm her down.

I know Vince can be scary, but he had used his most calmest voice with her. The one he uses only with Angelina. I do admit that his way too calm tone seems scary too sometimes. But, that's just how he is. He would never intend to scare Arianna.

After rubbing her palms for a few moments, she calmed down completely.

"You look exhausted. Why don't you go to your room and take rest.", I said rubbing her back.

She nodded and walked out of the dining room, not even casting a single glance at the boys. After she left, the dining room was utterly silent. No sound could be heard. It is eerily calm.

I looked at Angel and she was just looking down at her bowl of soup. She was just staring at it, not doing anything. She is upset. I could see that.

"Why?", she asked in a low tone, laced with pain.

Her simple question held a lot of pain and it clenched my heart, listening to her voice. I understood what she's asking. Why did they do something so terrible? Dyl, Ace and Ash didn't respond. They knew what she is asking. They were just frozen in their seats. They could hear her pain too.

She sat quiet for a moment and then walked out of the dining room, leaving me and the boys alone. I stood up to go too. There's nothing there for me to say.

I walked out of the dining room to Vince's home office. I walked inside without knocking. He's used to that. I march inside and stand leaning to the wall. He is checking out some files calmly.