Page 69 of Sing with Me

“Yes, ma’am?” The family housekeeper and erstwhile cook came running into the dining room.

When Parker, Diehl, and Skye had been kids, Cara was their nanny and fill-in cook of midnight snacks whenever the family chef was not available. She had been college-aged when she started working for the Brooks family, and she was in her fifties now. She still worked at Brooks Cottage today, but in more of a supervisory role—and still the cook of midnight snacks—which she’d prepare and leave in the refrigerator before she left the Brooks Cottage to go home to her own family in Brunswick across the river.

“Go see what’s taking Ned so long.” Rose waved her away.

“You could have texted Dad,” Diehl said.

“He’s down the hallway in his office.”

“Text him. Three words:lunch getting cold.” Diehl didn’t like the way Mom still pushed Cara around. Everyone else had always been nice to Cara, but Mom still treated her more like a servant than a family member.

“Dad.” Across the table, Ethan looked up from his phone. “You forgotis. Lunchisgetting cold.”

“Well, looks like my hundred-thousand-dollar-a-year elementary school is paying off,” Diehl said.

Ethan grinned. “Just saying.”

“Thank you, Ethan. You are right, grammatically.” Diehl glanced over at Elisa, who was also on her phone.

She was in her own little world over there, sitting next to her brother. Sometimes Diehl wondered what Elisa did on the phone and internet. He should have insisted on installing a safety filter on her phone, but she was twelve years old. What could a kid that age possibly do on the internet? Also, he did not want to violate her right to privacy—

Wait a minute.

She was twelve years old, and she was his daughter.

Wasn’t a dad supposed to protect his own kids? Who could he talk to about internet safety?

At Brooks Investments, all their computer communications had NSA-grade security. Yet at home, Diehl had let his kids just use the Internet without any firewall or safety features.

Wow. Did I drop the ball somewhere?

Diehl almost took out his own phone to text Malik and ask him to look into internet security for his two kids. He decided not to touch his phone right now—to make a point. Besides, it was Sunday, and the Director of Security deserved the right to have the day off to spend time with his family.

Diehl decided to talk to Malik on Monday, when he was back at his office. Malik oversaw all the physical security at their properties worldwide, but Diehl wanted to know how much of that included online security as well. One could never be too careful these days.

Diehl’s MBA was old school, but the last acquisition at Brooks Investments that had burned him out had been for a majority share of a software company in Atlanta. He knew he was in way over his head because of his lack of knowledge on computers beyond simply being a user.

Dad was even worse. Dad was the pen-and-paper sort of guy. He wouldn’t sign an electronic contract. He’d have to drive to the ninth green if he wanted Dad to sign a contract when he was out of the office.

Speaking of whom, here he came.

“Siobhan,” Dad said. “So you’re the surprise guest and the reason we’re having a formal lunch on a Sunday instead of just eating sandwiches on a tray while watching TV.”

Mom grunted her disapproval of what Dad said.

“Thank you for inviting me.” Siobhan smiled.

Cara came in. “Lunch is ready. Is there anything else you need?”

Ethan put up his hand. “Are you making me banana pudding, Cara?”

Cara nodded. “Chef Pierre is going to serve it right after lunch, okay?”

“Thank you.” Ethan returned to his phone.

“Kids, please put away your phones until after lunch.” Diehl watched Elisa.

Sure enough, she made a face. It was her default setting that said she was irritated at the world.

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