Elsa admired the suits, blouses, and dresses on the bed. "Thank you, Miss Houston. Y'all are so kind. I hope I get to keep working for you."

Milandra came out of the closet when she heard her say those words. Elsa looked at her.

Milandra didn't crack a smile. "You don't have to worry about your job. Father has left in his will that as long as you are alive your job is secure."

Elsa couldn't believe Rupert had done that for her. She wondered if this was his way of asking her for forgiveness of the things he had done to her. "Thank you, I feel so blessed. Thank you again."

Milandra knew she was appreciative by the rapid clap of her hands. Kenley sat on the bed admiring her mother's clothes. Milandra saw her sister was being of no help.

"Kenley, go into Father's study and clean off the top of his desk. I'll handle what's inside the drawers," Milandra said.

Kenley hopped off the bed, leaving her sisters to tackle the clothes.

"Elsa, let the help know that at this time we won't be firing anyone. But there are going to be some major changes around here. My father has another daughter," Noelle said, spilling her father's secret.

"Noelle!" Milandra was annoyed. "Why are you telling Elsa about that girl?"

"Milandra, she's going to be moving in here. She has to know."

Elsa listened as the sisters argued. She wondered why Tessa didn't tell her this, nor did she know of her daughter coming to stay at the Houston Estate. She remembered asking Tessa about her daughter but the doorbell had rung, interrupting their conversation.

Noelle paid her sister no attention. Telling the truth would alleviate twisted lies and stop the servants from gossiping about her family.

"My father, in his final wishes, has allowed our half-sister, Aniyah Sanchez, to live in the house. You'll be basically working for her, but under the trust of Mr. Chavis. We're moving."

Elsa stood with her mouth opened. "Tessa's daughter?" She recalled Tessa telling her about her pregnancy.

"You knew my father had a daughter?" Milandra screamed at her.

"No, Miss Houston. I just found out about her. Tessa came to visit me. She told me she had a daughter. She says her daughter was Mr. Houston's child."

"Where is this Tessa now? I want to speak to her. I bet she plans to live in this house, too-evil and vicious woman," Milandra said angrily.

"Miss Houston, Tessa said nothing about moving in here or her daughter moving in here. Really, she talked as if she was going back to Mexico."

"Are you telling me the truth?" Milandra screamed.

"All this yelling is not necessary, Milandra," Noelle said. "Elsa has done nothing wrong."

"Miss Houston, I don't have any way of contacting Tessa. I did ask her to keep in touch. Mr. Chavis may hear from her," Elsa blurted, not realizing what she said.

"Why would she call Mr. Chavis?" Noelle asked curiously.

Elsa didn't know what to say. "I guess to say h.e.l.lo. He was one of the people she remembered when she worked here."

Noelle was relieved, hoping there were no secrets between her and Baron. She had to get to see him. It had been a while since they had snuck around and been together. In her mind, he kissed her goodbye and left her hungry to taste more of his lips.

"Mr. Chavis will inform me if he hears from her," Milandra said.

"May I be excused?" Elsa asked. "I will miss you girls around here." In reality, she would only miss the two younger sisters. Elsa couldn't wait for Aniyah to move into the estate. The sweet personality of Tessa had to have rubbed off on her daughter.

"Leave," Milandra ordered.

In the next room, Kenley cleaned off her father's desk, basically throwing everything in one box, except his laptop. She turned it on to have some goof-off time.

Kenley started to click on a game of solitaire, but instead her eyes were drawn to the file labeled Doc.u.ments. Inquisitively, she moved the mouse to click on the files. There she scanned different files. All of them pertained to his work, except for the last file. Kenley clicked the file. The image slowly came up. Her eyes opened wider and wider right along with the image. "Talk about s.e.x." She could see two people flesh to flesh.

The image became clearer to her. It was her sister, Noelle, with her head back and Baron leaned forward, kissing her. Noelle's b.r.e.a.s.t.s were partially exposed.

"No way," Kenley mumbled. "Noelle making out with Mr. Chavis. And she acts like she so innocent."

Kenley wondered what the image was doing on her father's computer. How did he get it? Why didn't he say anything about it? Why did Noelle and Baron Chavis pretend like they had no connection? But the big question to Kenley was when did her father learn about them? His cause of death was a heart attack. He had a look on his face as if he had gotten disturbing news. Was this what drove her father to his death?

She closed the file and wanted to run to Noelle and show her that she knew the truth about her. Milandra would be mad.

Kenley decided to keep it a secret, for she would watch Noelle and Baron. See if they had the guts to come clean about their relationship. One thing she knew, Milandra would fight her for the laptop. But this was one fight her older sister would not win. This was hers to keep.

Kenley logged off the computer. She closed it down, unplugged it, and carried the laptop out of the office and back into the master suite where her sisters continued to pack their parents' belongings.

Milandra noticed her carrying the laptop. "Hand over Father's computer."

"I'm keeping it for myself. Father always let me have fun on it," Kenley said as she held it tight.

"No, you're not. There may be important files on there," Milandra said.

"I'm computer smart. There's nothing on it. Father only used this one to surf the Internet, not for work. He would never let me play games on a computer he handled his business on."

"Kenley, leave the computer in his office," Milandra ordered.

"Can things ever go my way? Everything has to be what you say?" Kenley yelled.

"Don't bargain with me. Just listen," Milandra said, going through her mother's jewelry.

"Look at you picking out jewelry you want to keep from Mother. Neither Noelle nor I get to have any say so on what you get to keep or take from Mother or Father."

Milandra knew this was true, as always, because she was the oldest, and as the oldest she carried the role of being a mother figure to them.

Noelle, the peacemaker, jumped into the conversation. "Milandra, let her keep it. She's grieving Mother and Father, too. Come, Kenley, share some of Mother's jewelry," Noelle offered.

Kenley recalled her mother wearing diamond studs. "Just save me a pair of her diamond earrings," she said as she left the room. Noelle was saved from her revealing what she found on the computer. If Noelle had taken sides with Milandra regarding the laptop, her secret would have been known.

Kenley placed the laptop near her belongings. She wished she knew her father's pa.s.sword for his email. She would check for that, too, in search of more hidden secrets.

After a day of exhaustion, they were packed and ready to move out. Milandra called Nolan, the mover, to come move their things.

"I didn't know I would be hearing from you this fast," he said as he held his cell phone to his ear.

"Yes, my sisters and I decided to get things over with. The sooner we get settled in our new lives, the sooner we can begin to heal and move on."

Nolan made it over in less than an hour.

"You didn't bring help." Milandra noticed he was alone.

"I can handle it on my own."

"If you need a.s.sistance, I can get some of the help."

"I'm used to it," he replied.

Nolan carried the boxes out and loaded them into the truck. Milandra was impressed by how he took charge and had pride in what he did. He carried the boxes with caution to avoid any damages to their belongings.

Nolan placed the last box in the truck. He waited in the truck to follow them to the Houston Villa.

The sisters stood outside of the house. They held hands as they tearfully said goodbye to the Estate.

Many of the servants, including Elsa, watched as they stood tall in unison. Milandra was still suited down, as her mother would have been dressed. Her French roll was still neatly intact.

Noelle was casually dressed in a pair of slacks and a tank top. Curls fell to her shoulder. Kenley sported a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. Her hair was pulled back high into a ponytail.

A limo driver awaited the Houstons as Nolan watched from his truck.

Elsa went over and gave them each a hug. Other servants followed, crying for them. No matter what they thought of Mr. Houston, they knew the feeling of losing a loved one. They left the Houstons to say their final goodbyes.

"Maybe this is for the best," Noelle said. "The house died the day Father and Mother did." She cried.

"I don't believe that. In my heart, I feel this is a temporary move. G.o.d is giving us a chance to heal. There are too many wonderful family memories in this house for any pain to flow through it right now. G.o.d is letting us relieve our pain somewhere else. When we come back, we'll restore the house with nothing but joy," Milandra said.

"I'll be back and forth. Since Miss Half is half, then she'll be sharing half of the house with me. Don't worry, I'll be watching her. She won't turn my parents' house into a wh.o.r.ehouse," Kenley said.

"Kenley, be careful. People can be real vicious at times," Noelle warned her.

"Please. Let Miss Half bring it on," Kenley said.

The driver opened the door and they got into the limo.

Reaching their new home, the Houstons noticed the pine straw was raked and used as skirts for the trees.

"You had a gardener to clean the yard?" Noelle asked.

"No. I don't know who tidied this," Milandra said, surprised.

They got out of the limo. Nolan stepped down from the truck. He called. "I hope I did a good job on your yard," he queried.

Noelle and Kenley left Milandra to talk to him. They could see Nolan was focused on their sister.

"Please, whatever the cost is, add it to the bill," Milandra said.

"That won't be necessary."

Kenley ran outside with a cold soda in her hand. "Milandra! Thanks for having supper on the stove. Fried chicken, potato salad, and string beans. The refrigerator is filled with cold drinks. I was wondering what we were going to do about food," Kenley said.

"You didn't do that, too? Did you?" Milandra asked.

"My pleasure." He smiled.

Milandra pulled out her checkbook. "Please, let me pay you."

Nolan pointed to his truck. "I'm going to empty your boxes out of my truck to work up an appet.i.te. All I ask is to let me have a bite to eat when I finish."

"Of course you may share a meal with us, but that's not payment. You're eating the food you purchased."

"Yeah, but I'm eating for free at your home. And, I get to look at beauty for free while I eat." He smiled.

"All right, I see you can be as stubborn as me," Milandra admitted.

Nolan went on to unload the truck. Kenley giggled. "Milandra has a boyfriend," she teased.

"Hush, he might hear you," Milandra said as she pulled her sister to walk toward the house.

The aroma of fried chicken filled the house. Noelle sat at a wooden oak table as she bit into a chicken leg.

"This is delicious," she said. "Nice and crispy."

"You know we can sit down at the table and have supper together," Milandra said.

"This is a snack," Noelle said.

"I'll have a snack with you," Kenley said as she took a chicken wing out of a KFC box.

"Come, Milandra, have a chicken wing," Noelle said.

Kenley sat down at the table next to her sister. "She's not hungry for chicken; she's hungry for the mover," Kenley instigated.

Milandra tried not to blush. "Nonsense!" She left the room and went on the patio deck. She called Baron.

"h.e.l.lo," he answered.

"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Chavis, this is Milandra. Any new update on how we can fight my father's will?"

"Sorry, Milandra, but there are no loopholes, yet. Realize that even if I find one, we could be in court for a very long time."

"Whatever it is, I want the estate back. Father should have left this house to her; it's enough s.p.a.ce for one person."

Milandra jumped when Nolan came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned around to come face to face with him. She immediately said to Baron, "I have to go." She clicked the phone off.