Michelle spent the rest of the week that they were on vacation going to work from her grandfather's house. Things at work were peaceful, almost too peaceful, Freddy and Peter were going out of their way to avoid her and Meg as well. The whole thing was suspicious but Michelle didn't question this small breath of freedom that she received. Now the week was over and the Harts would be returning soon. She wished she could see the looks on their faces when they returned to find her not wallowing in sadness like they'd hope. Wait a minute; she could see the looks on their faces, thanks to technology.
After confirming the day of their return, which was on a Saturday, she relaxed in bed, got her laptop and opened up the camera app, which also had audio. She watched their car pull up to the driveway and they all trooped into the house.
"What do you think Michelle's doing now?" Leo asked his voice garbled as it sounded out of the laptop.
"Probably still crying, like last time." Logan responded laughing mockingly.
"Really bro, crying for a whole week. Even she wouldn't be that desperate."
"You two shouldn't talk about big sis like that." Lucy said her voice scolding, "She's probably very sad up in her room."
"Oh don't pretend like you care Lucy." Logan responded rolling his eyes. "If you really cared you shouldn't have tagged her in that picture you posted."
"I only wanted her to realize that she should have come along with us if she only apologized."
"No, you wanted to show her what she was missing." Leo retorted. "Someone should come pack these bags now!" He called out and some of the staff approached them collecting their bags and carrying it to their rooms.
"It was a really nice vacation wasn't it honey." Abigail chimed in turning to Lionel who was distracted by a text he received on his phone, a text that most have really pleased him because he was smiling as he looked up at his wife.
"Yes dear, it was nice."
"Too bad Michelle couldn't join us." She said in response in a pitying tone.
"She would have ruined the mood if she was. The trip was far better without her joining us." Lionel said and the twins nodded in agreement.
Michelle continued to watch them a small frown forming on her face; they really did not care about her at all.
"Where is she anyways?" Lucy suddenly asked as they sat in the living room to rest a bit. The whole family looked at each other in confusion.
"Who?" Leo asked.
"Big sis of course. She hasn't come down to welcome us."
"Now that you mention it." Lionel said, "Amy." He called for one of the maids. After a moment Amy joined them in the living room, head slightly bowed.
"Yes master?"
"Where's Michelle?"
"No one in the house has seen the Young Lady since we came back yesterday, master."
"What do you mean no one has seen her since yesterday? Did none of you bother to check her room?"
"No sir. As per your orders we left her alone."
Turning to the twins he said, "One of you, go upstairs and check her room. Bring her down here immediately."
"Dad, we just got back. We're tired. Can't this be later?" Logan whined.
"No! Bring her here now!"
Through the laptop Michelle watched as Logan begrudgingly stood up, went up the stairs, then the cameras switched to the one in her room. She watched the door open, Logan step in to an empty room. None of her belongings that usually decorated the room was there. He walked towards her closet, opened it, found it empty and looked around him in disbelief, and then he rushed out of the room and down the stairs.
"Where is she?" Lionel asked seeing that his son returned alone.
"She's gone dad." He replied disbelief evident on his face and in his tone.
"Gone? What do you mean she's gone?" Abigail asked sitting up.
"I mean, she's gone. None of her things is in her room. Clothes, decorations, nothing."
"What? Big sis left? But where could she have gone?" Lucy asked hand to her chest in mock worry. In truth Lucy did not care at all about Michelle's sudden disappearance, in fact she found it to be a good thing. If Michelle left the family and ran away to who knows where, her family could finally be perfect.
"Oh this child." Abigail said, massaging her head in worry. "What are we going to do with her?"
"This is ridiculous, where does she think she could go. She has no one." Lionel said enraged.
It would seem in their anger and disbelief; they had forgotten that she was not alone. In fact, she was far from alone.
Lionel grabbed his phone and fiddled with it then he placed it to his ear. He was making a phone call, to whom she had no idea. The person he was calling didn't pick up the call and in frustration he tried another line.
The ringing in the house startled her. She looked up trying to gauge where it was coming from- the hallway of her bedroom. She got up and walked down the hallway, where she found a telephone that was ringing incessantly. She debated whether she should pick it then figured she would let him stew for a bit. She alerted the staff that they need not bother with answering the call, that she knew who it was and she would answer it in due time. Then she hurried back into her room, grabbed her laptop and rushed back to the telephone.
Watching as he called repeatedly, she picked up the telephone and in a falsetto voice said, "You've reached the residence of Gerald Hart, who is this and how may we help you?"
"Put me through to my father!" He yelled into the phone.
"I'm sorry, who is this?"
"Are you new or just dumb? Or maybe you're both?"
Rolling her eyes she responded, "That doesn't answer my question sir."
She watched rub his eyes, his go to move when he was trying to restrain himself.
"This is Lionel Hart; put me through to my father. I want to speak with him."
"Oh Mr. Hart, why didn't you say so sooner. Your father isn't in right now but I could take a message."
"What do you mean he's not in? Where is he then?" He asked yelling again.
"I do not appreciate you speaking to me in that tone sir. I don't know your father is, it is not my job to keep tabs on him, you'd have to ask his personal assistant."
"Hmm. No need. When he returns, tell him Michelle is missing and I don't know where the girl has run off to."
"Miss Hart is missing?" She asked with faking concern, "That is terrible. For how long have I been missing?" she asked her voice returning to normal.
"We just arrived today, but the staff hadn't seen her since yesterday and-." He paused and through the screen, Michelle could almost see the wheels in his head turning as his brain registered what she said.
"Michelle? Is that you?" He asked rage barely disguised in his tone.
The rest of the family looked at each other in confusion, perhaps wondering how he was able to get on the phone with Michelle when he was trying to reach Grandpa Hart.
"This is she." Michelle replied amusement in her voice.
"Do you think this is funny? You dare use me for your amusement? How were you even able the house phone for the main Hart residence?"
"How else, father?"
"You're at my father's place? For how long? You had better get yourself back here or else I'll make you regret it. You have two hours." Then he ended the phone call.
Michelle rolled her eyes placing the phone back and she strolled leisurely back to her room, watching as Lionel relayed to the family that the person he had just finished speaking to was Michelle and not a maid of the Hart Residence like he originally thought.
"So she made her way to grandpa's place? Good riddance if you ask me." Leo said slumping back onto the sofa.
"Right? Things are going to be so much better now." Logan said in agreement seating beside his brother. Neither of them noticed the look of agitation their parents exchanged, neither of them except Lucy of course. She noticed the look and started to wonder why her parents cared why Michelle lived with them. Michelle was their daughter but they didn't treat her as such, heck they never interfered when any of the twins or herself bothered Michelle. Michelle was practically a doormat that posed as a family member in public. Sometimes Lucy wondered if Michelle was really her sister.
Already bored of watching them, Michelle turned off her laptop and promptly went to sleep.
Michelle sat in the dining room sipping a cup of tea when Lionel barged into the house with Abigail by his side.
"Where is she?" He yelled, "Where the hell is she? This brat who thinks she's free to do whatever she wants."
Some of the staff approached him in a bid to calm him down.
"Sir please you mustn't raise your voice. Please relax sir."
"No. Take me to Michelle now. Is she hiding? Cowering in fear of what I'd do to her? She'd better be."
She called out from the dining room, not bothering to get up, "I'm in here and I'm not cowering. I'm enjoying a cup of tea."
Together the couple made their way to kitchen, stopping short as they saw Michelle, the very image of nonchalant and relaxed.
"What are you doing?" Abigail asked in a disbelieving tone. She simply could not compute that Michelle wasn't cowering in fear of her husband's rage, looking around the room she noticed another cup on the table but made nothing of it.
"Did you not hear me? I'm enjoying a cup of tea." She responded calmly.
"Stop all this rebelliousness and come back home with us."
Placing her cup gently on the table she stared at Lionel dead in the eyes and said with eerie calmness, "I am home."
Her response left them speechless. However, recovering quickly Lionel said,
"This isn't your home. This is my father's house, now you come back with me young lady. You have overstayed your welcome here and I won't let you disgrace me any further."
She looked behind her father and in that moment, she decided to take a leaf from Lucy's book. Willing tears to form in her eyes, she looked at Lionel pitifully.
"How am I disgracing you by coming to stay with my grandfather. You guys left me all alone in that big house for a long time, you didn't tell me when you were coming back. I couldn't just stay there on my own." The tears were running freely now, "And you say I'm throwing a tantrum and disgracing you? How could you father?"
"Enough of this, this pretense of yours. We gave you an avenue to follow us, something you refused." Lionel responded.
"That's right child. Why are you crying like we mistreated you?" Abigail asked her tone confused.
That's because you did Michelle thought taking the time to cry even further.
"Let's go back now!" Lionel yelled banging the dining table. The noise made everyone in the room flinch.
"Honey, there's no need to be so loud. I'm sure Michelle understands now and she'll follow us without any fuss. Isn't that right Elle dear?" Abigail asked.
"My granddaughter will go nowhere with you." Gerald said appearing from behind Lionel and his wife, with a calm tone that hid his growing anger