Never underestimate the power of family and loyalty in one sentence.

-THEO

Caleb Parks POV

After a hard day of singing and dancing, Jack, Jacob and I are lounging around by the lobby, where Jacob is practising lines he will use on Peyton when we get back to the penthouse.

Speaking of the silver-blue-eyed girl, our moment this morning is still ringing in my head. Sure she cursed me out like a sailor, but you have to agree that when she sat down and started feeding Gail her breakfast earlier. I felt something tingle at my heartstrings.

I'll put this feeling at the back of my heart and these thoughts at the back of my head because whatever it is I'm thinking of, I know deep within me that it's a lost cause.

"Do you come here often? If not, let me show you around." Jacob said to a woman in a pants suit that was walking by. Her reply had more colours than the rainbow.

"Jacob, I once said you suffered brain rot as a child. Now I'm not sure if you ever had one, to begin with." Marcel walks in looking dishevelled; sweat stains on his blue dress shirt and red tie undone. He was a contrast to the sun-kissed woman that walked right past him.

In a fitted black dress, Mrs Dinah Wellington was a sight for sore eyes and hated whenever Marcel insulted anyone. That may have been why they split up.

The bottom line is when she walked in on Marcel's comment about Jacob's brain. Her hand connected with the back of his head, and I can assure you that the handprint left could rival the redness of a fire truck.

"What was that for?" Marcel grunted, irritation clear as day on his face.

"I thought that after a couple of years, you would stop having the IQ of a five-year-old kid. Then I remembered, you're supposed to dream big and not think stupid."

I said she hated when Marcel insults people. I never said she would hesitate to return a favour.

"How was the workout you two did?" Jacob grins at the stellar couple.

"As stressful as trying to understand what comes out of your mouth," Dinah says with a playful grin.

"So the verdict of the trip to Mexico?" Jack asks Marcel.

Marcel wipes the sweat on his forehead before replying, "We leave Friday night, just us three and Shawn."

He stared at me. As if daring me to question his decision on the flight arrangements. I knew deep inside it would be a futile argument because now that Gail now has a sitter, there is no need for her to tag along.

"What of Marci?" I say instead of as I turn my focus from Marcel's heated gaze.

"She is coming to spend some girl time with me." Dinah answers while resting on the wall opposite us.

"So only Peyton and Abigail will be in the penthouse this weekend?" Jack asks. He looked around as if we had grown extra body parts.

"So?" Like a true parent of Marci, Dinah rolls her eyes and examines her nails. "I once worked with a woman named Mrs Sandel back in the Bahamas. Her daughter's best friend is Peyton Griffin. If I could describe her in one word, I would say, well-grounded."

"Interesting, we now know that you have friends in your field of work." Marcel yawns as sarcasm drip from his tone, "How does that help us know if she won't kidnap Gail and run out of town?" He asked the question that burned in my mind.

"Since your attention span is so short, you nitwit," Dinah rolls her eyes once more while Marcel gives her a sour look. "She is loyal to everyone and everything around her, meaning if she is who I see her, she won't take Gail and run away."

"Are we sure we can take the gamble?" Jack cocks a brow.

"I guess we're just gonna become experts in playing poker," Jacob responds while the rest of us groan.

-

"I'll get Abigail. You guys get Marci," Jacob said and began walking towards the junior section without a reply.

If I know that man well. He wants to grope Gail's teacher while the rest of us stay out of his way. He's doing me a favour because the last thing I want is to have an encounter with that woman.

I adjusted my beanie and sunglasses; with Jack beside me, we walked towards Marci's class. The halls were crowded because the school had closed, so most students were leaving. We stood at the door, where Nathan and Marci were busting the same moves my backup dancers, and I practised in front of the class.

I smirk as they finish. Marci looks up and sees us. Without looking at each other, Jack and I are sporting matching grins as Marci grabs her book bag, grabs our hands, pulls us out of the classroom and makes us speed walk out of the school.

Jack and I couldn't resist the urge to tease her as we walked down the halls.

"So, is he your partner in every aspect?" Jack begins the playful banter.

Marci kept silent and used her dark hair to cover her blush.

"So what occasion is coming up?" Before she answered, I quickly added, "Besides your wedding."

Marci stopped walking and glared at us. I bet she was hoping our heads would fall off. When she saw her wish wasn't going to happen anytime soon, she gave up with a huff and continued walking between Jack and me.

"The talent show is coming up. Nate and I wanted to perform." She states plainly.

As we walk through the halls, the students stop to give us glances. Most of them are questioning glances which are thrown toward Marci. Taryn would pick Marci and Gail up from school, but I forgot to tell her.

"So that's why you were paying extra attention to the dancers?" I raise a brow.

"Yup," She pops the p.

We finally come out of the halls. Walking towards the inconspicuous limo. But unfortunately, Abigail's teacher Miss Beatrice was leaning on it with Jacob, who had a wolfish grin on his face as he shamelessly ogles her.

I looked around for my sister. My curiosity was quenched when the air in my lungs was knocked out with force.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I look down to see a giggling Gail; I kiss her forehead and contemplate if we should rather walk home to avoid the attention Miss Beatrice would give me. Before I could head for the road, she spotted us and made her toward me like a woman on a mission.

Like traitors Jack and Marci left, leaving me to face the Australian woman.

"I missed you this morning." She pouted her red-coated lips in my direction; Gail cocked her head to look at her teacher as if silently asking the question that was repeating itself in my head.

'What is she doing?'

"Sorry," I say. Not to sound conceited, but when ladies throw themselves at me, there are some that I wouldn't mind dating. There are some that I feel like wedging my microphone into their skulls if it means that they would stop talking.

The bottom line is that they are only into me for the money and fame they would gain if I chose to get closer to them. This is why no matter how curious I am to get to know Peyton. I know that I have to keep my distance because who knows? If she could be like those ladies.

"I was busy." I made to sidestep her while keeping a firm grip on Abigail's hand, but she anticipated my movements and stepped along with me.

"Come by this evening, and we will make up for it." She begins to use her claws to climb onto my hand that is not attached to Gail.

Can someone tell me how to say fuck off nicely?

It's times like this I wonder if my sister is a middle-aged woman trapped in a six-year-old's body.

"Miss Beatrice," She called out, and we all looked down to focus our attention on her. Lucky for me, Miss Beatrice's claws had stopped climbing onto my hand, and I shrugged her off.

"I was wondering if you would allow Caleb and me to get home so we could finish the ton of homework you gave me." I knew that sly smile was something Marci would teach her. I'm against having bad traits imprinted on Gail, but this one deserves an award.

Miss Beatrice looked at a loss for words. A tight-lipped smile was thrown down to Abigail; an over-exaggerated wink came my way. She allowed us to walk away and leave her standing in the parking lot.

When Abigail and I got closer to the others. I said, "Not a word of this."

But as always, Jacob found a way to get under my skin with a witty comment, "No worries, Caleb. I'm sure you're wife won't need to spell what she wants out for you." He says with a grin.

"Can we leave now? I'm starving," Jack complains before getting into the limo, followed by Abigail, me and Jacob. Before Marci could get in, someone called her name.

All heads snapped to the red-curled Irish boy, hurrying our way with a book in his hands.

When he reached us. He stretched out a book, "You forgot this."

Marci reached for the book; Nate grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him before kissing her cheek and slipping the book into her hand. He grinned at her and pulled away. Leaving a stunned Marci to enter the limo and face the teasing with me, like true siblings.

-

A long, teasing trip later.

We arrived at the penthouse building, faced the presses and got into the penthouse.

"Where's Shawn?" Jack called over his shoulder as he went straight to the kitchen. Never get in between him and food.

"Said something about going over to meet up with Peyton in the orphanage," Jacob said as he turned on the television while settling on the couch.

Gail went to her room to do her homework while Marci practically dragged me to the music room.

We were both sitting in the middle of the stage in the front of the room.

"So when did you plan on telling me that Nathan can make moves on you?" I said with narrowed eyes assuming the overprotective brother role.

Marci looked up and grimaced, "I swear we were going to take things slow-"

I mimicked her voice making mine go higher a bit, "I swear we were going to take things slow."

"Now you're just being mean." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Now you're just being mean." I continued.

Marci huffed and got up from the floor, but I dragged her to sit back down on it.

"Relax," I hugged her shoulders, "I don't want you to get hurt because of some ridiculous crush. If he breaks your heart. I might be lenient, but I can't say the same for your dad." I state as a matter of fact.

"True, but Nate and I are nothing too serious. And if it helps you sleep at night, I'll allow you to play Sherlock Holmes with him, but if you scare him away, I'll undo your pants the next time you go live."

"You do know that that threat is empty, right?" I give her a knowing smile.

She stared death in my direction.

"No matter how you narrow your eyes, I am not going to go six feet under."

"You are a horrible brother."

"And you love me still." I grinned at her, and her glare turned into a slight chuckle.

"So I need a favour. The talent show is coming up. I need you to please teach Nate and me some new moves."

I twirled my fingers on my imaginary moustache, "When do we start, lassie?"

In the middle of a black flip, Abigail came running into the room, bouncing with her pyjamas and wild curls.

"Storytime! Storytime!" She giggled.

I'm glad I have good reflexes. If not Gail would have made a cute chocolate pancake.

"Sure, Squirt." Marci smiled and picked her up. "Caleb, you better join us because if I have to play Barbie tonight, you will play Skipper." She threatened off her shoulder as she walked out of the room.

At times Gail sees story time as a time to play all the games known to man, so instead of us getting her to sleep, she tires us out, and we fall asleep in her room.

We make our way out of the music room and towards Gail's room. Gail and Marci get into the medium-sized bed while I grab a small chair and straddle the back of it.

"So what story are we telling this little mushroom to fall asleep?" Marci ruffles her hair while Abigail grunts in distaste.

"Leave my hair alone." Gail nags.

I can smell a bicker from miles away. And I don't plan on becoming a family counsellor anytime soon.

"Hold up, girls," The two melanin females stop staring death at each other and focus their gazes on me. "Did you guys ever know that we learn big words every day?"

"No kidding, I thought school was the Seven Cruel Hours Of Our Lives," Marci says, and I roll my eyes, not appreciating her sarcasm.

"Bottom line is you two have no idea what I'm talking about. The words family and loyalty are words that are always overlooked and thought to be pointless. You two need to learn the value of these words."

"Where are you going with this, Caleb?" Marci asked as she snuggled deeper into the sheets.

"One day, I'll be gone, and so will Marcel, Jacob, Jack, Shawn, Taryn and Dinah. You two will be the only family you have left, and it's time you learned to love each other. Or I will haunt you both from the grave."

Marci scoffed while I gave a look which said, 'you wanna bet on it?'

"So girls remember there is no family without loyalty."

After I got that out of my chest. I told the oldest tale that Taryn told me; it's mostly about how animals take on the roles of humans and display the virtues and vices of the world.

Gail fell asleep when I was done, and I kissed her forehead. I closed the door after Marci and walked out of the room. I came face to face with Peyton.

"Were you eavesdropping?" I cock a brow as a smirk makes its way onto my face.

"Now, kids, remember an impressionable young lady in this room." Marci grins at us as she motions to Gail's room. She hugged me goodnight and walked down the hall to her room. She calls out with a sing-song voice, "And I'm also here, so keep it PG, people."

Peyton looks skyward and says to Marci, "If you don't get to sleep in the next two seconds, young lady, I will staple your sheets down."

"As long as the bed you two sleep in doesn't end up like the one in the twilight, it's all gonna be a long night." Before Peyton could say something that clearly won't be PG. Marci closed the door to her room, successfully muffling her laughter.

"So."

"This is not some cliché awkward silence shit, so get to the point of what you want to say." Of course, she makes everything so hard.

I heaved a sigh, "The guys and I with my producer are going to Mexico Friday night while Marci is spending the weekend with her mom."

"Do you trust me enough to leave your sister alone with me?" It was her turn to quirk her brow at me.

"Honestly, no. But someone vouched for you."

"Well, okay." With that, she made to leave, but I don't know why I said this, but I can kill myself after it's done.

"How was your first day?"

She came back and leaned on the wall opposite me in the hall, "Entertaining, Abigail's teacher is a real piece of work."

A whispered laugh left my lips, "What about the kids in the orphanage?"

"I think that was the best part of my day. Shawn came by to help out."

She looked unsure, "How long will you guys be gone?" She bit her lip as if she felt guilty.

"If things go according to plan. We should be back by Monday." I didn't want this conversation to end, but it seemed like there was nothing else to add.

Before I could make myself say something that may piss her off, she closed the distance between us and cupped my cheek, "You're a good brother Caleb, don't ever doubt it." She glanced down at my lips but shook her head not a moment after.

She created distance between us and walked away without another word.