At Home

"Mum I was actually surprised when she said it, you know" Lily told her mum.

"Hahahaa. Oh really? You can say that again. Class captain, class captain, I can see you don't want to ever let go of that position . I'm really proud of you pumpkin" Mrs Daniels said with a sweet smile on her face.

The duo kept chatting, laughing and enjoying the moment until lily stood up giggling and accusing her mum of being a distraction. She went into her room for study and kept herself busy for hours as usual.

Soon it was time for dinner, her dad was already back from work including her big bro who attends a different school from hers. They were seated at the dining table eating but the place was quite , infact there was tension, everyone was uneasy and forcing themselves not to speak, as if they were going to get into a huge trouble if they made the mistake of speaking. Or rather they were keeping quiet to avoid saying the wrong words so as not to upset the head of the house Mr Adams Daniels.

It is always like that when he is around. Lily's dad is a strict man that doesn't loosen up even when he is with his family. He is overly protective and paranoid whilst trying to impose his rules, decisions and thoughts on everyone not minding what they want. Though he claims it's for everyone's good and that he is trying to create a better tomorrow for his children but he fails to realize the actual impact of his actions on his children, his children have actually become too scared of him and they don't even share a close bond with him. Coupled with the fact that he is hardly ever around, always going from one business trip to another.

His wife has complained severally about this but as usual, he will always yell at her and tell her how he is trying to give her a better life. They have had countless issues over the way he treats the children like puppets but it has never yielded a positive result. She has even given up on the issue and decided to take whatsoever she sees but she promised herself to provide love and support for her children and not let this stuff affect them much.

" Dad was never like this, things weren't as complicated as there are now, this whole tension wasn't there before. I could sit with dad and have long fun conversations for hours. But now things have suddenly changed, I can't even say a word when he is present. Hmmmmmm Lord" Lily thought to herself while she was eating like she had no appetite. Those thoughts alone made lily's heart to sink as her eyes became watery.

Her elder brother Micheal noticed it but he couldn't even say anything because he was even in a worst mood. All he could do was pray his father wouldn't insist for a family time after dinner. Family time have become nightmares to them.