Tyler

I am still tired, when sounds of a heating conversation wakes me up. Two female voices and a male voice argue in the house, not far from our room. I open my eyes, and realize that my sisters are missing, so the two female voices are probably belong to them, not to Erica and Heather. I slowly get out of the bed, despite of my wish to turn to the wall and fell asleep again, and half-asleep start off the staircase downward. I have to end the quarrel between Ian and my sisters.

Again.

I don't want to count how many times I have made it in the last four years. It has already became a daily routine, so I am fed up the behavior of my sisters. This is the last quarrel, I am willing to mediate between them and the rest of the family. The very last one. My younger sister is also became an adult today, so she has to behave like an adult. Or else she won't get a bite from her birthday cake.

I am the last one of the family, who arrives to the living room. I guessed right: Savannah, Taylor and our uncle, Ian are quarreling with full voice. The other four of members of our family, Dame, Andrew, Erica and Heather are silently sitting at the dining table, and carefully watch the show. Their faces are straight, and it looks like they don't want to take part in the quarrel.

"Good morning!" Ian turns to me. "Your sisters are gone mad. Please, beat some sanity into them!"

"Starting with exercises in the early morning?" I am joking, just to ease the tense, but none of them smiles. All of them look at me with angry faces.

"We are not mad, we are just as sane as you are." Savannah turns to me.

"We have more sanity, than you, because we are finally leaving this prison!" The younger one cries.

"Leaving? Prison? Finally?" I echoed. "What does it mean?"

Savannah and Taylor inform me in unison, that they are not willing to live with us anymore, and today is the best day for moving. My tired, foggy brain slowly set the pieces together. Beside my angry sisters I notice four packed suitcases. Both girls are dressed up – while the other family members still wear pajamas. There is no mistake: Savannah and Taylor are ready to go away. They didn't say a single word to us about their travel, they probably planned to leave without noticing them by the family.

"If you don't have any questions, we are going to the bus stop." Savannah impatiently says to me.

"Where do you want to go?"

"To Peter's place."

"To that badass playboy?" I cried. "Ian is right. You sure lost your mind!"

"He is not a playboy! He is my love! He is the only one, who could understand me and Taylor!" Savannah cries so vehement, that her angry voice clears up mind.

"He is just toying with you! He hasn't got a sincere word!"

"No. He asked me to marry him. Is it sincere enough to you?" Savannah triumphantly laughs to my face.

She won. I don't have a single word. She wants to marry that bastard. It doesn't seem I could stop her.

"You could leave, but Taylor stays here." I tell them my decision. " Your sister is still goes to school, and it is hard to change schools before the summer holidays. She could follow you, after the graduation, if she still wants."

In case Savannah still stays with her "love" then. Or not. I hope she will soon realize her future husband's bad side, and returns to home, before Taylor could follow her.

"No, I am leaving with Savannah." Replies Taylor.

"I am your..." I start to tell her, but the realization stops my speech.

"Yes. I am 18 years old today. I have every right to leave this hell, you call home. I can live whenever I want, and you are not being able to order me. I myself will choose my carrier, and friends. I will be finally free, and nobody can stop me!" Taylor almost screams the words.

I am lost. Just as lost as six years ago, when my wife cried the same things. I couldn't stopped her leaving then, and I can't stop my sisters to leave the house now. I have to face the issue, that my family irrevocably disintegrated. I just don't understand why. There wasn't any single sign from my sisters, if they would have a problem with living here.

"Stay until you graduate from high school!" I ask her, and force myself to add the next word. "Please. The proper education is important. Do you think, you could find a good school, for such a short time? "

"Don"t worry, Peter is the headmaster of the local voluntary high school, in Hardersfield. I think the level of the education is match to your expectation. Changing school is a piece of cake."

"Hardersfield?"

The name starts to ring a bell, but I couldn't tell, why. Sounds familiar.

"Do you have money for such a school?" I am aware, that both of them have a small amount of pocket money.

"Peter sent some. It is enough to cover the travel expenses. I will work in his school, as a PE teacher, so the money won't be a problem, and Taylor's legacy covers the tuition fee."

"Peter..." I spit the word with hate. "How do you plan to live with him, while you are looking after your sister?"

"Don't worry, I won't be the fifth wheel, I am moving to Sylvia." The younger one kindly informs me. "Until the wedding, Sav will also live there."

"Sylvia?!"

Well, mentioning my exwife's name, it makes everything worse. Realizing, that my sisters cooperate the woman, who betrayed me. It is too much, my anger peaks. I give up. Hardersfield! That's why was the name of the destination of my sisters was so familiar! It is my exwife's new hometown. Probably these two girls planned this together with her. This fact is unbearable for me.

"Leave. Now."

My voice is just a weak whisper. I don't want to see them anymore. I wish people could vanish into the thin air, just like in the fairy tales. But my sisters stay on the exact place, where they were standing before. Both of them stares at me in disbelief. Am I seriously send them away? I turn away from them, because I simply can't stand the sight of the two traitor.

"GO! A few minutes ago you wanted to leave so badly! So, go away! What are you waiting for?"

"Wait a few minute." Ian stands up. "I will drive you to the town. I just need to dress up."

He dresses up for a long time, it takes about two minutes. I hear the noises of picked up suitcases, the footsteps, as my sisters getting out from the living room. Nobody speaks a word, there is not a farewell, or best wishes. Just the muffled sound of a closing door. Ian's car roars for a second, but that sound also dies, leaving silence behind.

"What do you want to eat for breakfast?"

Dame's sudden question breaks the silence, and pull me out of my state of self-pity and anger. His words magically activate the others, and in a minute I am pushed down on a chair, got a big mug of hot tea, and their chatting prevents me to think about the events, or to sink into deep depression.

They don't speak anything special, just their plans for the day, but their voices warm up my heart. Heather and Erica will go to the horses after breakfast, and will take a long trip in the forest with all the stud. Horses also need some exercise. I refuse their offer to accompany them.

Dame's plans are pivoting going to the gardens, but I refuse his offer too. I don't think some gardening could distract my thoughts from my sisters. Andrew is the last one, and the only one, I can't refuse. He is planning some training before going to the hospital, and he needs a partner, so I will keep with him.

Our little team runs apart to dress up, and some visit in the bath, and fly back to the living room one by one. All of us need a big breakfast, the girls need some packed lunch, so we start to cook. The food is not so complicated, just boiled eggs, American pancakes, vegetable sauces, and fruits. Heather sets the table, and she is clever enough to hide my sisters' former seats. Only Ian's place is empty, but it can't be helped. The food is delicious but I don't really feel the taste. I can't keep up my concentration, and it also can't be helped.

After breakfast I obediently follow Andrew to the gym. We lay together the tatami mats, and when we are ready, Andrew stands into a pose, and smile at me.

"Come. Come with everything you have."

He doesn"t have to say it twice. I am the first one, who strikes.