Autophobia

"No."

"How many pancakes?"

Adrian sat across the kitchen counter with a newspaper that blocked his vision of Amelia. His face was tight as he reread the article over a second time. A restaurant owner had unexpectantly lost his business and was found dead in another city the same day. The picture the article showed was of the man smiling of when he first opened his restaurant six years ago with a smile.

A sudden smack echoed through the kitchen.

"God dammit, Amelia!" Adrian shook his hand that his little sister hit with the spatula.

She had to lean over rather far to reach her bother to be able to smack him. Standing back up straight she patted out the wrinkles she made from pressing herself to the counter. "How many pancakes?" She asked again pointing the cooking utensil at him.

"Five," he murmured.

"Thank you."

With a wide smile, Amelia ignored her brothers scowl as she set the pancakes on a plate. Buttering each one before drowning it in maple syrup. Grabbing two red cherries, she put one on top of the stack of pancakes while putting the other in her mouth. Pushing it as far across the counter that she could. Adrian pulled it the rest of the way in front of him.

"Good morning."

Amelia grabbed another plate when she saw her father. "Good morning, father. How many will it be?"

Carter sat next to his son. "Five." He looked around the kitchen. "Where is Heather? I don't remember her calling in sick this morning."

"I told her to have the day off again. I'm getting bored in this house and her sons birthday is tomorrow."

Carter nodded in agreement, he had noticed Amelia had started to pick up on some of the maids duties recently. The maid's have not spoken to Carter about it but he knows that they are worried about their pay if Amelia was also doing domestic chores around the house. However, he knew that they would have their fair share of work back sooner than they think.

He glanced to his watch for the hundredth time that morning. "Did the therapy session yesterday go well, Amelia?"

Amelia scrunched up her nose and kept her gaze on the pancakes she was flipping. "Same old questions, same talk, same lecture, nothing new." She quickly stacked her father pancakes and pushed the plate to her father.

Carter got two cherries.

"Picking favorites I see," Adrian remarked as he looked back at the newspaper again.

Amelia smiled, but only giggled in reply as she grabbed two pancakes, four cherries, and poured an abundance of syrup on top of it. She walked around the counter and set her plate next to her bother where she set her napkin and fork earlier. Grabbing the stool she hopped into it.

Carter checked his watch again. He should be here now.

Adrian and Amelia talked as their father finished his pancakes and left to the other room. Hearing his daughter's laugh brought a twist in his heart. He walked to the balcony and listened to Amelia's upbeat voice, hearing her happiness made him feel uneasy. As he dialed a number, he shut the balcony door with shaky hands.

The phone rang only once.

"Carter," Zane's low voice spoke. Despite how early it was he sounded refreshed and wide awake. "I guess your calling because of how late I am?" Zane's voice did not sound apologetic but rather irritated.

"I assume it was business."

"More of tying off loose ends," Carter could hear the smile on the other line.