1
Troubled Times
“I’m so sorry, darling, how do you feel?” Keira asked Alyson. Aly’s mom had just died that afternoon, killed by her father and now she was at Keira’s apartment with Lizzie, Alex and Vi at her side.
“My mom just died, Keira, how do you think that would make you feel if your mother died?!” Aly spat at her best friend. She didn’t want all this; she just needed to think this all over. But she saw her best friend’s fallen face, “Gosh, I’m sorry. I’m just too tired, it’s been a long day and…”
“It’s okay, babe. You could crash in my place with Lizzie for tonight,” Violet suggested and Aly only nodded. She just had the longest day of her life. After returning home from school and on her way to her friends’ house when she heard a big BANG! In the neighbourhood and rushed home to find her dad unconscious on the porch with a gun in his hands and her mother nearly dying in their bedroom. She died at 4.15 pm. But Aly handled it as an adult.
She brushed her tears away and attended to the situation. Seeing that her late mother was in the hospital morgue for the police investigations (they took it as a homicide case and the house was off-limits for the moment), she then went to the police station with Violet and Lizzie to speak with the officers. Walking towards one of the prison cells in the miniscule station, she (in her rage) slapped her father hard across his face. He only had a sad look. The nerve of that man! She felt like she was going to pick up the gun he used and pulled the trigger right towards his face but she remained stable. She never let her temper run away with her and she wouldn’t start now. Violet and Alex had a pitying and sad expression on their face as they heard the news. They immediately took a cab over to the hospital and comforted her. Vi and Lizzie had always felt close to her mother since Violet’s own parents died in a plane crash and Lizzie and Alex always looked at Mrs Parker as a second mother. Then, they took a taxi together towards downtown and went to Keira’s next-door apartment and here they are, sipping hot chocolate and trying to take the sour look that has once again took over Aly’s facial expression.
Mr. William Riley opened the door, looking very tired from his daily job at Drummond Road (a lawyer), “Hello, girls. Aly, I'm so sorry. I just heard the news,” he gushed as he saw her face and patted her hand gently, “Would you like to sleep here tonight and have dinner?” he asked politely, putting his briefcase on the sofa. He divorced with Mrs. Karen Riley 5 years ago and took the custody of Keira. 3 years after that little incident, he took Lizzie as a surrogate daughter too but she decided to live next door with Violet. He is very kind and never raise his voice, except in rare occasions such as when Keira used too much money on shopping till his credit card was ‘un-usable’ He is also a highly accomplished lawyer and often spoken highly of in his circles. His spaghetti meatball is to die for.
“Thank you for the invite, Mr. Riley but I’ll just stay for dinner. I’ll be staying at Violet’s next door,” she said.
“Okay, your choice. You girls go do whatever you like and I’ll just prepare some spaghetti then since you’re here. I know it’s your favourite!” he said in a high voice. Aly snickered despite knowing he was trying to lighten up everyone. She really liked Mr. Riley. He’s like her father before he started taking the Chardonnay and brandy as if its water.
“How about we go to Vi’s place? We could still study,” Alex suggested. The others nodded. They knew that Violet’s apartment is the only place that Aly can relax with its lavender scent and the feel of being in the Victorian times.
The girls trooped out of the apartment to the right door at the hallway. Violet took out her set of keys and opened the door. Violet is a rich girl with two parents to be loved by till 2 years ago. Her parents were best friends with Lizzie’s parents and they took them to an all expense paid trip to Paris, the four of them. It was like a second double honeymoon (instead of a double date). They died on the return home when the plane crashed in the middle of the ocean. None of the passengers survived. So, Violet’s lawyers read her parents’ will and she found out she was the heir to their rich heritage, and unlimited riches (which wasn’t much of a surprise because she was their only child). So she sold the estate and bought an apartment and stayed with Lizzie. So, Violet let her stay with her in Forest Glen.
Lizzie was also given a substantial amount of money but it was paid to pay her parents’ debts. Almost broke and with no home (she sold it because she had no money) Mr. Riley took her in. She lived in Violet’s apartment who lived next door after she read her parents’ will.
Alex stayed with the Riley’s next door. She turned up at the airport from New York just after the girls waved good-bye to Lizzie and Violet’s parents. She moved there from Canada 5 years ago with her parents but she ran away from her abusing father and had just enough money to come back to Niagara Falls. But Mr. Riley doesn’t know about this and thought that her parents died and she went back her to her hometown. Alex didn’t want to make a big case out of it though everyone disagrees. But you can’t argue with a girl like Alex. You’ll never succeed.
Everyone looked exasperated. The sixth parent in their group to die in the last two years. Violet wished she could say something to break the silence but nothing came. So, Violet kept her mouth shut and went to the kitchen to make tea. All of them surely needed it.
