"Your dad wanted you to get this if you were to ever get married", the lawyer said as we sat in his office.
He had just returned with a box which was apparently left to me from my father.
"Is this why you emailed me last night Mr. Parish", I asked quizzically.
He nodded, "As your father's lawyer he confided some things to me that I think you should know. Even though your father's been dead for a while it is still my responsibility to carry out his last wishes. There were things about him that you don't know. I think that now you should know though. For your own safety".
Last night when I was with Zadia I had received an email from my father's lawyer asking for an urgent meeting this morning and that's why I am here at seven thirty a.m.
"Your father was a part of a secret society. There's not much that I knew about it myself, only that he had a lot of money tucked away from his illicit interactions with this society that you will inherit once you marry".
My eyes remained on his and I blinked. Then I blinked again, trying to figure out what the hell he had just told me.
He sighed and sat back into his plush leather chair behind his perfectly crafted mahogany desk.
"I understand that this is all a bit sudden".
"You think?", I couldn't help but to retort.
He sat forward in his chair now and even I did the same.
"Mr. Parish", I met his eyes, "I'm going to ask you this once and please tell me the truth. What was my father involved in?".
A second passed and he stared at me too intently as if discerning the answer to my question from my eyes.
What was he hiding from me? I feel like I'm about to explode with suspense.
"He was involved in something dangerous Blake. Something that got him killed".
And those words did it!
All the air left my lungs in that one moment. A cold shiver ran down my spine and my entire body froze.
"Wh-what did you say?" the words barely made it out of my mouth.
Instead of answering me Mr. Parish just stood up and turned the lock on the door to make sure no one could enter. Then he turned back to me.
"Blake Bennett we have a lot to talk about".
***********
"Okay what's wrong?", Zadia asked as we sat in a coffee shop only two hours later.
I hadn't realized that I'd been staring thoughtfully at the raisin muffin for the past five minutes with a frown in my brows.
"It's nothing", I said quickly, just managing to muster up a smile to prove the contrary of my true feelings.
She narrowed her eyes at me and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. She was so cute when she was annoyed.
"You're not fooling anybody Blake, now spill whatever it is that's bothering you".
An awkward silence enveloped us as I contemplated the pros and cons of telling her the truth.
After all, she had told me the truth about my mother and their investigation into my father's death.
It's the least I could do. But was it worth it though? Telling her would only put her into more danger.
I should hold off on telling her.
As if on cue my phone rang just that moment, I decided to interpret it as the universe giving me a sign and not just me justifying my actions like the hypocrite I pretend not to be.
"Blake, do you have a suitcase?", was the first thing the caller asked.
I leaned back in my seat and scrunched up my eyebrows in confusion, "That was a random thing to ask. Why do you wanna know?".
"Because we're going to London", Siara sounded extra cheery which distracted me from the real issue for a moment.
"Wait what!", I shouted into the phone, Zadia immediately looked at me with caution, "I can't go to London! Why do you even want to go there in the first place?".
"The company is sending us to secure a business deal there", she explained and I could hear the shuffling of clothes in the background. I guess she was already packing, "we don't have a choice. You and I are businesses partners now and both of us have to be there in person to see this deal through".
This can't seriously be happening now.
I sighed, "When do we leave?".
I could sense the grin on her face even without seeing her actual face.
"We leave tonight actually Heather is letting us take the company jet so be at the airport by nine".
Snorting, I brought the phone to my other ear, "We'll see about that. I need to have a word with my mother. I'm not going to London for God knows how long. I know I agreed to come back and work for her at the company but that doesn't mean that I don't still have school and a life, I have friends and a fiancée here so there's no way I'm going".
She huffed through the phone as if everything I'd just said had thoroughly amused her, "Fiancée huh? So she's the one you don't wanna leave?".
I rolled my eyes, "Is that all you got from what I just said?".
"Whatever Blake", she sounded annoyed now, "let's see you try and get yourself out of this one. Besides it's only for a few days. I know-", she paused and I looked at the phone to check if the call had disconnected. After a few seconds her voice came back on the line.
"Blake I have another caller on the line I'll see you tonight at nine", the phone disconnects on my ear and I roll my eyes at her rudeness.
"Let me guess, that was Siara?", Zadia asked from across the table.
I nodded, still a bit annoyed from the phone call.
"-And your mom is sending you to London for business?", She continued.
My eyes finally meet hers and I smile at her, "I'm not going to London babe", I scroll through my contacts until I find Heather's contact and I call her bringing the phone up to my ear.
It goes to voicemail four times before I realized exactly what's happening. She's ignoring my calls because she expected me to call her and she knows exactly what I'm going to say.
"She's not picking up her phone", I say to Zadia who's just about finished her breakfast.
"If I know your mother she's not going to answer. You're gonna have to go see her in person".
That's exactly what I should do, Za is right.
"I'm gonna go stop by her office then are you coming?".
She stood up the same moment as I did, "No I have to meet my dad in an hour, you go along and call me so I can know what's happening".
"Cool", I say and we share a chaste kiss before she leaves and I pay for our breakfast and leave as well.
***************
Twenty minutes later I was standing outside the door to my mother's office. I wasted no time and walked inside without even a knock for warning.
She was standing in front of the wall to ceiling windows with her cell phone pressed up against her ear and she turned around when she heard me enter.
"Once again, I'm sorry to hear about what happened Alana", she says with a stoic expression that had chills running down my spine.
Why was she talking to Alana? I thought I told her to leave her out of this?
"I'll do what you asked", mom said looking me dead in the eye, "of course, I won't tell Blake about your father".
I felt my heart drop in my chest. Heather was even manipulating Alana as they spoke yet I couldn't find myself focusing on that. Did something happen to her father? I needed to find out.
Without a second though I turned to rush out of the office and go and find Alana. I hadn't realized that mom was no longer on the phone.
"Don't take another step", her words weren't harsh or angry but they were serious enough to have me freezing in my spot.
Slowly I turned around to face her barely able to find words, "What happened to Alana mom? Is her dad okay".
"No", Heather says simply as if I'd asked her if she's heard the latest Simple Plan song, "her dad's in a coma, he doesn't look like he'll make it".
Her words held no emotion as she said it. My eyes narrowed at her nonchalance and I wanted to argue or call her out for it but I could barely pull the words together. I had long forgotten the reason I came here in the first place.
So I turned again to leave when she stopped me.
"I have to go mom", the words came out in a whisper, "I have to know- I need to know". I stuttered
She cut me off, "What you need to know is the truth about Alana", she fired back stunning me, "you need to stay away from that girl. Take a seat. I'll tell you everything you need to know".