Camille’s petite legs guided her down the painfully familiar, brightly lit halls ignoring the soft whispers shaping around her as she passed. It was Saturday, so the school held club activities or PTA meetings in few rooms. Camille knew all too well that the few eyes watching her on her journey knew who she was, but she ignored them as she climbed multiple staircases and turned corner after corner to get to her destination: the board room. The board room was, simply put, a room where conferences or small meetings were held. The meeting she was already ten minutes late for was one she didn’t understand why it wasn’t being held in a more private, legal building. She had long ago vowed to never return to this place, for it brought back too painful of memories. But this would definitely be the last time she stepped foot in this building.
Climbing her last set of stairs, she rounded her last corner and came face to face with a dark handcrafted oak door at the very end of the hall. The golden plate screwed to the door reading ‘Board Room’ stopped her in her tracks. Behind this door held her past and the people from it that she so hard tried to evade. She could feel the blood rushing from her olive colored complexion as her size seven black and white converse shoes slowly inched her closer to the door. Her hazel eyes shifted about the barren hall looking for any excuse to not step to the door yet. As if her prayer had been answered, Camille’s eyes connected with the soft, familiar green eyes of a woman slightly taller than herself with similar long, curly brown locks as her own. The two smiled at each other and soon embraced. The woman broke the hug and looked down at Camille, “Mia sorella, I’ve been waiting for you.”
Camille smiled hearing her older sister Christina’s Italian accent. Christina was two years older than Camille, but it was obvious they were sisters with their same olive complexion, petite figures, and astounding dancing skills. Christina wrapped her arm through Camille’s and led her away from the door they both were supposed to be entering. “For some reason, that scares me, Chris,” Camille laughed softly allowing her sister to take her away. “How’s school?”
“School is awesome. I love Italy.” Christina attended Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milano, Italy. She had transferred from Julliard in New York after wanting to experience life with her mother’s Italian family. “Nonno and Zio Paolo are always arguing over something. Nonna ignores them. Oh, and her cooking is the best! I go for dinner four times a week. Actually, she wants you to come and visit. They haven’t seen you since the funeral.” A lump the size of a ping pong ball formed in Camille’s throat at the mention of the funeral, their mother’s funeral five years ago. “Oh, Nonna got you a birthday present. She sent it a few days before your birthday. Did you get it yet?” Camille smiled as she remembered opening the box of herbs and candles and handmade jewelry. Chris smiled in response and opened a door that led to a dim lit hall. “You liked it? She’ll be happy.”
“So where are you taking me?” Camille asked suddenly as the door behind them squeaked closed. They climbed a revolving staircase that seemed never ending with each swirl. “Chrissy, I’m getting dizzy.”
“Huh, you used to love this staircase.” Christina thought aloud as they reached the top. The hall was different from the other halls in the school. This one was smaller, with only three doors. The lighting was a bit dark, seeing that the only source of light came from a small circular window granting Camille the knowledge that they were at the very peak of the school building. Christina led Camille to a worn wooden door and then turned to Camille with a smile. “Do you remember this?”
Camille looked at Christina oddly and shook her head. Almost as if something was pulling her near, she walked to the door and rested her palm against the hard wooden surface. The door held a cool sensation against her warm hand, and she found herself massaging the face of the door. “What is it?” Her hand instinctively moved to the cold, round copper knob and turned it. “It’s locked.” She turned to Christina who wore a dejected expression. “What’s wrong?”
Christina shook her head and sighed. “I forgot she always kept this room locked. I figured someone might have pried it open by now.” She looked at her watch and sighed of relief. “We are officially thirty minutes late. Shall we return?” She walked over to one of the other doors and opened it, revealing stairs leading down.
“And why didn’t we take those in the first place?” Camille glared at her playfully and followed behind a laughing Christina.
Camille once again found herself facing the door of the Board room. Christina held her hand reassuringly, also to keep her from running off. “So, Cammy, how does it feel to be nineteen?”
Camille shrugged not able to give a real response. “Same as eighteen, I guess.” She and Chris came to the door and she hesitated in opening it. Behind this door she already knew was the person she didn’t want to see for at least a few more months, maybe even years. She had yet to forgive and forget the past events and wasn’t ready to face them just yet. She felt a warm hand enclosed tighter around her own and let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She looked over to Chris who gave a soft smile and nodded for her to open the door.
Upon stepping in the room, her silent entrance was overpowered by her dominant presence. The six pairs of eyes in the room floated to the two sisters as the door behind them closed. Christina dragged Camille to the glass table in the middle of the room where everyone else was seated. The silence of the tension in the room was so thick a knife wouldn’t even leave a scar. Camille’s livid eyes connected with her father’s own astonished ones as she took a seat. Christina sneered beside Camille, taking her seat as well. Tired of the staring game, Camille looked away from her father and around the room to see the head of the committee of the school, Mr. Bower, the lawyer, Mr. Garner, and her father’s wife, Victoria Hampton. Camille scowled as she stared at the 14 karat white gold three stone diamond ring that lay on Victoria’s finger. Months before Leo and Linda’s wedding anniversary, she had caught him with Victoria underway to sex at his job. On the last day of the divorce settling, Linda was rushing to the final signing, but got in a car accident that ended her life. Not two years after her death Leo remarried to Victoria, and Christina and Camille have yet to forgive him. Camille turned and looked at Christina. “Why is she here?” Christina shrugged but said nothing.
“Well, now that the two guests of honor have graced us with their presence, we can continue with the meeting,” Mr. Garner spoke as he stood from his seat tightening his red and tan striped tie. “Let me start off by saying happy late birthday, Camille. Now that you have turned nineteen, as stated in your mother’s will, you all have regrouped to finish the reading.”
“Yea, about that,” Christina interrupted looking at Leo and Victoria. “Why is she here?”
Victoria ran her manicured fingers through her rinsed black hair that fell perfectly to the middle of her back—courtesy of the extensions granted by her hair dresser. “I came for your father. Honestly, neither of us thought you two would show up.”
“Whether or not we show up to our mother’s will reading is none of your concern, Vivica,” Camille snarled maliciously clenching her fists.
“Why don’t you just leave? Your presence is obviously unwanted here.” Christina watched as Victoria ran her smooth cocoa tinted hand over Leo’s and shook her head. “Mr. Garner, can we speed this up? This is my last day in the US and I have other people I’d rather be stuck in a room with.”
Leo ran his hand over his freshly cut fade and sighed. “Girls, let’s not do this right now.”
Camille leaned forward, looking over at Mr. Garner and Mr. Bower. “Yes, please Mr. Garner.”
Mr. Garner and Mr. Bower looked at each other then went back to the papers before them. “Well, there were few things left out at the prior reading due to circumstance. Your mother wanted to wait until you both were at the appropriate age. If you would be so kind as to read this aloud, Ms. Hampton.”
Garner gave the letter to Christina, she cleared her throat before eyeing the letter. “‘Dear, girls, I know how much you hate lengthy letters and such so I will get straight to the point. Happy belated my darling Cammy. You must have grown into a beautiful young woman, as have you Christina. In the first letter, I have left you both my physical possessions, so to skip on to what is in store for you both. Mr. Bower, the head of the committee board has been notified and we have been setting up this process since you both were born. I have created joint accounts splitting your inheritance from my stored profits from Hampton School of the Arts. Both accounts together sum up to 5.2 billion dollars, and as I already said, will be split equally.’ Holy shit, are you serious?” Christina looked over at Mr. Bower for confirmation, and accepted his nod. “Wow. ‘In addition to this, I leave you both my seat as the founder to overlook all roles and undertake the responsibilities as I did. The documents have already been created, all is needed is your signatures and your cooperation towards Mr. Bower as he guides you through things. May your lives be filled with happiness and love and good times to come. Arrivederci, my darlings.’”
Silence found itself back in the room after Christina finished the letter. Mr. Bower reached in his briefcase and retrieved two small boxes while Mr. Garner took a small envelope from his own briefcase. Mr. Garner gave the white envelope to Leo. “From Ms. Milani.” Camille’s eyes watched as Leo’s fingers reached into the envelope and pulled out Linda’s wedding ring. Victoria rubbed her hand across his shoulders and he placed the ring back in the envelope and in the breast pocket of his suit.
Mr. Bower placed both boxes in front of Camille and Christina. Camille stared at her box. It was a soft cream colored rectangular velour box, whereas Christina’s was navy blue. They both took hold of their boxes simultaneously. Christina was first to open, she gasped softly as she removed the hand crafted sun shaped pendant embellished with a black onyx stone from the box. “Mom’s necklace.” She marveled in the beauty of the dim red stone surrounded by the gold outline. “Mom always wore this and told me I was her shining sun.” Tears brimmed her eyes as a hint of a smile crept upon her lips. Camille gave her a half hug and squeezed her shoulders. Christina wiped the one escaped tear and looked at the cream box. “Open it.”
Camille looked at Christina, then Mr. Bower, then down at the box in front of her. She slowly moved her hand over the box and opened it. As the lid snapped open, Camille eyes the content curiously. Inside was a large, tarnished antique gold skeleton key hanging on a 16 inch gold wrapped wire chain. She picked it up and noticed the card on the inside lid that read ‘the key to my success’. Camille smiled to herself, almost hearing her mother say those very words in her ear. “It’s beautiful.” Her forefinger and thumb traced the cold heart design of the handle of the key. “This was her special key. She said it opened the door to her success, but I was the main source of her success. I was her key to success.” Camille continued to hold tight to the key during the rest of the meeting, wondering what her mother used it for.
Camille sat on the burgundy leather couch with her legs crossed and shaking impatiently. After the meeting Camille tried to make a quick exit, but was stopped in the school’s parking lot and kidnapped by her grandmother, Helen Hampton. The two went out for dinner then Helen commenced into taking Camille to her old home against her will. Upon arriving, Camille called Christina to rescue her from the hell and was expecting her to arrive shortly. And as if kidnaping her wasn’t enough, Helen had gone to her guest room to bring Camille’s late birthday present, leaving her alone.
The front door of the house opened and Leo and Victoria entered. Camille looked over and groaned in frustration as she caught eyes with them both. “Camille?” surprise was evident in Leo’s tone as he walked over to her. He stood awkwardly as she gathered her things to leave. “What are you doing here?”
“Grandma Len abducted me, but I’ll be leaving now.”
She walked past Victoria wearing a scowl. Her hand barely touched the doorknob when Victoria spoke up, “Leo, don’t you think this is a good time to talk to Camille about the school?”
Camille peered over at him, “What about the school?”
“Well, your father thinks it’s best if someone else were to hold the seat and responsibilities. Temporarily, of course.”
Camille looked back and forth between them both steadily growing irritated. “Let me guess, that someone should be you?” she sneered at Victoria. “Over my dead body.”
“Camille,” she looked over at Leo, “it would only be temporary. Victoria has had proper training and has gone to school. You and Christina can’t possibly handle that much of a responsibility at such young ages. You both are still in college, after all.”
“What about being in college?” The three turned to see Christina standing behind Camille.
“Your dad here wants Victoria to have mom’s school,” Camille spoke venomously. Her eyes never left Leo as she practically felt Christina burst to flames behind her.
“Say what?!” Christina moved in front of Camille and began pointing between Victoria and Leo. “You mean you’re trying to take the last thing our mother left us in her will and give it to this bitch?”
“Christina, language, please.”
“Screw you, Leo! I don’t even know why I'm so surprised. Once again you’ve put this bitch before your own flesh and blood.”
“It’s only reasonable, Christina. You’re all the way in Italy in school. How are you going to take care of a school like Hampton?” Christina was silent trying to think of a comeback. “And Camille is all the way in New York. Though it’s closer than Italy, it’s not close enough to California. I'm only thinking of you girls.”
“Now what's all this commotion down here? I leave for five minutes and all hell breaks loose,” Leo’s mother and the girls’ grandmother, Helen, descended the stairs with a neatly wrapped box while surveying the room. “Christina, when did you get here?” She walked over and hugged her eldest granddaughter.
“A few seconds ago, but me and Cammy have to go now because your son is tripping hard.”
Helen frowned as she handed the box to Camille, “Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do about that. When will you visit again?”
“Honestly, when he gets rid of that trash over there. But, I’ll try to call more. School is kind of hectic, you know?” Christina smiled innocently and kissed her grandmother before heading to the door. “Cammy? Dai! Let’s go.”
Camille kissed Helen and smiled. “I’ll call, too. Thank you for the present.” She walked the path following Christina. She stopped in the door way and glanced at Leo over her shoulder. “I'm sure Mr. Bower can set up something for Christina and me, since he and mom had been thinking about this for a while before she died. Don’t worry about our school. It has nothing to do with you anymore. And I’d appreciate if you didn’t show up to the remaining meetings, as I said Hampton School of the Arts has nothing to do with you anymore.” She closed the door behind her and allowed Christina to lead her to her car. “Chrissy, my car’s back at the school.”
“I got you, Camille.” They got in the car, Chris turned on the ignition and looked over at Camille with a smile. “That was freaking beast, Cammy! You told him off all proper-like.” Camille smiled as Christina laughed and drove away out of the driveway, the house behind them slowly growing smaller by the second.
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