TWO YEARS LATER
"There's a flower delivery" the butler announced, and Kaitlyn dropped her phone hurriedly to receive them.
"Who sent them?" She asked and pulled out the card.
"It wasn't stated", James Silvery, the butler, replied.
She wasn't paying attention to him when she opened the card and read the message.
"Who's that from?" Kingsley came downstairs, fully dressed with a tie in hand.
"I don't know, it doesn't say who" Kaitlyn turned the card sideways to look for more information.
"What does it say?" the older brother asked and Kaitlyn frowned deeper.
"Hello, did you miss me?" His sister read and Kingsley sighed with a shake of his head.
"Is this from one of your numerous suitors?" he asked, tone bored as he poured coffee and Kaitlyn shrugged.
"I think so. I met someone last week" she smiled and sniffed the flowers.
"Hmm, try not to get divorced this time and choose someone... richer, we need the money," Kingsley said and walked into the kitchen.
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, the doors opened.
"More flowers!" James announced and wheeled in the heavy and large bouquets into the living room area.
"Wow", Kingsley chuckled dryly before disappearing.
Kaitlyn bit her lip and a slow smile spread on her face.
"I think he has money" she squealed. "Look who's about to say yes" she said to herself and swayed her long blonde hair before moving aside. "Bring them in, all of them, I love it!" She called her hands with joy.
Soon the whole living room filled with various kinds of flowers.
"Who would think that such a beautiful thing could happen to me?" Kaitlyn cooed.
"Did we suddenly grow a garden in the house?" Kingsley came back to the living room from the kitchen, looking at the new flower arrangements skeptically.
Kaitlyn turned to him with a smile. "Don't you just love them?!" Her brother only rolled his eyes.
Kingsley had sold his house after losing money to a bad deal. He took out numerous loans to fix his mess, but the bank came in and seized the house he used as collateral.
Filled with shame, he convinced his wife, and they moved back in with his mother.
While Kaitlyn was living with Carrie because she had been placed under watch because her drug use was becoming too much, right now she was undergoing rehab in private, so the press wouldn't get wind of the situation.
"With all the problems we have in this family, flowers are the last thing we should be concerned with," he said, but Kaitlyn did not share in his own ugly spirit.
"Ouuu I love them" she laughed "I need to take a picture with them. Would you mind taking one of me?"
"No" Kingsley replied before she could finish with her request.
"Where is breakfast? Where is the incompetent cook? James! What happened to Amelia? Why isn't she at work?" Kingsley barked.
The older man came rushing into the room, "Good morning Sir Kingsley, I believe you had a great night...."
"Where the fuck is the cook? And why isn't breakfast ready? Are we not entitled to eat in our own house?"
"Of course not sir. She called in sick today...
"What? So we're going to starve today because she's sick? She's fired, return her shit to her and I don't want to see her around this house."
"This is just a temporary setback, we can find a remedy..."
"We?!!" Kingsley hollered. "Go find a new cook by yourself and make sure they meet standards or else you're getting fired too!" He yelled and James gave him a quick nod before walking out.
"I fucking hate poor people. Once you are nice to them, they think you've given them the whole world, and then they're ready to walk all over your toes" he muttered angrily, and Kaitlyn scoffed.
"Don't you think you should pipe down a little? If you had not wasted the family's money and taken those stupid deals, we'd still have many chefs and maids running around. Kord told us the truth two years ago, but we thought he was bluffing. Now look, we're about to go hungry because we're too poor to get a proper and competent chef, Kingsley."
"And what contribution have you made to the family, Kaitlyn..?"
"Hello everyone, good morning!" Carrie chipped in from the stairway and stopped the argument between her children.
"Control your stupid child," Kingsley said.
"You're the gambling addict who needs control!" Kaitlyn fired back.
"I'm the addict?" He laughed. "The irony."
Kaitlyn was about to lunge for him when Carrie cleared her throat loudly and stepped in between them.
"I'll just make breakfast..." Carrie offered, but Kingsley gritted his teeth and yelled.
"No! Michelle can do it?!"
Michelle, who was coming down the stairs and into the living room, froze.
"I can't cook" Michelle said, wide-eyed and irritated at her husband.
"Well, you have to learn, you're a wife, remember?" Kingsley forced and Michelle stared daggers at him.
"No, I won't cook because I cannot cook..."
"Don't piss me off Michelle, I hate the fact that you're just too lazy and all you know how to do is spend money..."
"Well, you knew that before you married me, right?" Michelle fired back, refusing to back down from the demand which she thought was outrageous.
"I'll make breakfast. You still like your eggs scrambled honey?" Carrie asked and walked into the kitchen.
"Yes mother," Kingsley replied, not paying attention to his mother, but continuing the square off with his wife.
"Let her be Kingsley. If she doesn't want to cook, then she won't. After all, she's daddy's Angel who hasn't lifted a finger all her life", Kaitlyn chipped in, her tone laced with sarcasm.
"As far as I can remember, Kaitlyn, you're as spoiled as you're condemning me to be. Don't be a hypocrite" Michelle threw a nasty smile and flicked her hair before walking away.
Kaitlyn chuckled dryly and went back to fawning over her flowers.
"Why is the living room suddenly filled with such ugly flowers?" Michelle suddenly said and Kaitlyn scoffed.
"You're just jealous..."
"No! These flowers are bad omens. I've received enough flowers in my lifetime to know their meaning, besides my grandma was a florist..."
"Okay smart ass, what do these lovely flowers mean?" Kaitlyn was beginning to get angry.
"That's a black Dahlia accustomed with death, an orange lily symbolizing hatred, petunias, whoever gave you those holds deep resentment towards you besides those roses are too dark. Whoever sent this does not like you a bit. Wait Who sent them?" Michelle asked, but Kaitlyn was already fuming.
"Well, since you got your degree, and you know every fucking thing!" Kaitlyn snapped and pushed past her angrily.
"Don't say I didn't warn you", Michelle laughed.
"Is everyone down for breakfast?" Carrie showed up back in the living room.
"Breakfast is ready" she announced, and they all walked to the dining room.
"What is that flying around?" Michelle looked at the bug buzzing around.
"James? Why is there a bug in the house? I pay you enough to keep this place animal free!" Kingsley's spoon clattered on the plate loudly.
"I'm sorry, it must have flown in from the garden. I'll get something to take it out..." James stepped up from behind him.
"is that a ..."
"Bee??!!!" Michelle shrieked and became too rigid in her chair. "I hate bees"
"There's another one!" Kaitlyn's shriek followed.
"James!!!"
"I have a photo shoot coming up, I can't have a bee sting!" Kaitlyn screamed.
"There's more!!!"
Before anyone could blink an eye, the whole room swarmed with an army of bees.
"Bees!"
Soon the house was filled with bees, stinging and attacking.
"James! Help! My face!" Kaitlyn cried and struggled to get away from the attack. Kingsley abandoned all three women and ran away to safety.
Hours later Kingsley was filled with anger as they conducted an investigation.
"There's a honey bee attractant in those flowers", the officer in charge said, and left after a promise to find the perpetrator.
"Someone did this". Kingsley was finding it hard to talk.
Kaitlyn sniffed and wiped her swollen face. "But who?!"
"I don't know, maybe ask your suitor why he decides to play such expensive games on our family. Tell him I will be pressing charges!" He yelled and Kaitlyn cried more.
"It's not him, someone else did this", she wailed.
"How do you know?"
"I called him to ask, and his wife answered, maybe she knew about us, maybe she did this!" She wept but Kingsley looked at her with irritation.
"This is what your whoring around gets you. Now we have a bee attack from a scorned wife!"
"Don't pin this on me! I didn't know he was married. I lost my job! My shoot was canceled because I could not show up with a swollen face. They picked someone else," Kaitlyn cried more.
He hissed, "Pick yourself up, you just lost a brand deal, but my wife and our mother are in the hospital. The press will know about this, and we will become a laughing stick to the public!"
"I don't give a fuck about them! I'm broke! Where do I get money to fund my lifestyle?! No one wants to employ me!" She cried angrily.
"You should check yourself in the hospital so you don't die of bee poisoning before you worry about those brand deals, and fix your face so you'll get a better suitor this time around". Her brother snapped and walked out on her.
"I'm afraid the house will not be available to reside in today," James told her.
"Get away from me!"
A week later, everyone had almost forgotten about the bee attack when disaster struck again.
"What is that awful smell?" Michelle scrunched her nose and checked her hair in the mirror one more time.
"It's horrible!" Carries covered her nose in agreement. "James!"
The old butler hurried in "Yes ma'm... what is going on?" His stomach churned as he caught a whiff of the smell.
"I should be asking you that"
"I believe it's the new diffusers we got. I'll take them out immediately" he said, and ordered the security in the house along with the maid to take out the diffusers.
"I'm afraid the smell will linger," James said when the smell did not leave with the disposal of the diffusers.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I have a meeting today. Who delivered those useless things?" Kingsley raised his handkerchief from his nose for a second to talk.
"It's the same supplier. I suggest you find a new venue for the meeting with your clients..." James said, but Kingsley was about to lash out at James before someone new stepped in.
"Mr Van Cleve? There are people at the door for you."
"Perfect! Just fucking perfect", Kingsley snapped.
"Turn them away, I'll find a new place..."
"I'm afraid I let them in already", the man said, and Kingsley groaned.
"You're fired!" He wanted to scream more, but his expensive-looking clients walked into the room, he kept quiet and forced a smile.
The men didn't wait another second and were forced to hurriedly leave the house, canceling the meeting and any other deals they had with Kingsley Van Cleve.
And for such humiliation, they thought he had to pay and so....
"It's in the news that I have a dirty and smelly house!" He yelled and flung his phone against the wall.
"Oh God no! This is an awfully bad time for me, and we don't want this kind of scandal or attention," Carrie said.
"We've just been labeled the dirtiest family in the whole of America", Kaitlyn walked in. "What's going on? This is ruining our public image!"
"Fuuuuck!" Kingsley yelled and smashed a glass against the wall. "Whatever the fuck this is, I don't like it. I keep losing clients every day because of some stupid petty attacks. I need money and this nonsense these past few days is not making my hunt for cash any easier!"
He groaned and pulled at his hair. Michelle feared he would pull his roots out.
"We could take a loan, maybe invest it and start something new?" she suggested.
"How did that work for us the last time? The bank seized our mansion because I used it as collateral. We're now back to living in my mother's house, and you want me to take another loan again? How stupid are you Michelle?!!!" He snapped at her in her face.
"I'll fix this, I'll throw a party, maybe a charity event, and we'll pilfer all the donations. How does that sound?" Carrie suddenly offered.
"It's your area of expertise. You should know better mum", Kaitlyn sighed.
"Alright, Michelle will help me with the planning. You should invite everyone you know," Carrie said, and walked out of the house before the smell would make her faint.
A few days later, Carrie, Michelle and Kaitlyn were in their best clothing, dressed to the brim, but all were clutching their stomachs painfully.
"I think I'm having diarrhea" Michelle groaned.
"Everyone has a runny stomach, mum has been arrested, and the guests are saying we poisoned them", Kaitlyn groaned.
A heavy knock pounded on the door and Kingsley burst in, "No one made a single donation and there are two wrong things happening now: our toilets are filled, and the guests are all leaving. Bob Walters shit in his pants!" Kingsley complained heavily.
"I think I did too", Kaitlyn groaned in discomfort.
"Who was in charge of the food?!"
"Mum is at risk of being arrested. The guests are saying they will be pressing charges. What do we do?" Kaitlyn looked at her brother.
"Fuck? This is not our fault, Someone is trying to sabotage us" he thought aloud and held his rumbling stomach.
A new knock startled all of them. James opened the door.
"The police are here, and they're demanding to see Mrs Van Cleve," James announced.
"Jesus Christ!" Kingsley snapped.
"I swear I don't know how this happened", Carrie looked like she was about to break down.
"I'm calling our lawyer", Kaitlyn chipped in.
"And the press are outside...."
"Oh God, oh my God" Michelle groaned and hurried out of the room.
"I fucking hate this!"
Carrie was arrested and freed two days later but not without the humiliation that came from the public.
She was blacklisted by some brands she worked with and canceled from attending the parties of the people affected.
Horror struck a week later.
"Jesus Christ!" Kingsley yelled and jumped out of his seat.
"Ahhhhh!" Michelle screamed and scrambled out of her seat. Her heart rate went up.
"What is... oh my goodness!" Kaitlyn opened her plate and turned around with disgust.
Carrie just sat frozen, tears rolling down her face as she stared at the decaying dead rat lying on her dinner plate.
"Okay, something is wrong", Kingsley exhaled harshly. This was all becoming too much for him to handle "James!"
"He's not on duty, it was the new cook we hired, and she has gone home," Kaitlyn informed him.
Michelle clutched her stomach and ran out of the dining room crying.
"Oh God, Kaitlyn, take care of mother and get someone to get rid of this.... the whole table", he instructed his sister and ran after his wife.
Kingsley found Michelle vomiting in the toilet. After she cleaned her mouth, she resumed another fresh bout of tears.
"Are you okay....?"
"Get away from me!" Michelle yelled and put her hand out to stop him from coming closer. "This family is filled with psychos!" She wept and made no move to wipe her tears.
"Your family is crazy, you are all nuts and I don't know what sick game this is, but I don't want to be part of it anymore! I curse the day I got married to you!" She spat at him and that hit a nerve in Kingsley.
"What is better? Being with Vince?! Why don't you go be with him?" He lashed out at her and Michelle scoffed before shaking her head in disappointment.
"Is that what this is? Your jealousy? Because you know I loved him more than I'll ever love you? It's been eleven years, Kingsley! Get over it!"
"I should tell you that. I see how you still look at him. Do you wish you were married to him instead of me?!"
"Yes!" Michelle gritted her teeth angrily. "I would choose him over and over again. I was so stupid"
Kingsley chuckled angrily.
"You have no choice because you're stuck with me now" He made to walk away but stopped and turned back to face her. "Fuck you"
"Fuck you!!!!" Michelle yelled after his retreating figure.
"Someone is doing this!" Kingsley slammed the door to Kaitlyn's room hard.
"But who?!"
"I don't know, but I will find out and that person will be sorry they ever messed with me."
******
EVA McClain
"Thank you, James, I have sent your cheque already. You keep doing your job well, and I'll keep paying you handsomely."
"Anything for you, Eva" he said, and I smiled before ending the call.
I watched the house lose their minds as I sipped my wine, a permanent, pleasing smile plastered on my face.
"I hope you missed me"