Eighty- one. Her fountain
"Monalissa?", Camille blurted in shock. She couldn't believe what her eyes were telling her. Frantically, she took out the picture and showed it to Hera who was also looking at her with a questioning gaze.
"Who's she?", Camille asked, her voice a clear quiver.
Hera arched a brow at her. "The girl you said you would help me find. Liliana", Hera pointed out.
Camille felt all the bones in her body go soft. She couldn't believe her ears. The girl in the damn picture was Mona-freaking-Lissa! No. No way! Maybe that AI was mistaken. It wasn't true.
Hera noticed Camille's abnormality. "Is there a problem? You don't know her and you can't find her?", she asked, her voice filled with traces of anxiety.
"Not that at all. Not that", Camille said shaking her head, while her eyes still rested on the picture in her hand.
"Then what? Stop making me edgy!", Hera yelled at her.
Camille looked at her. "I know her. She's...my friend", she said after a little thought. Monalissa was the one who sent her here. Did she know beforehand? If she did, why didn't she volunteer to go herself? Or did she not even know? Was the painting even real? AIs can make mistakes too, right?, she asked herself.
Hera on the other hand was dumbfounded. She couldn't believe it. That was too fast. She didn't believe what Camille had said. How could that be possible? Fear enveloped her all of a sudden. Her parents might forget her completely. They might never look at her anymore. Tears filled her eyes, and a huge lump formed in her throat. She wanted to cry.
"Are you ok?", Camille asked. She noticed Hera's different behavior from her previous bossy behavior. Now she was like a child who was afraid of having her candy taken away from her.
Hera didn't respond and clenched her fists. She didn't even know what to say. Was she ok? Well, she was supposed to be. Her foster sister has been found and soon, will be brought home. Her parents would be happy with her for helping them find their long lost daughter. However, she was not okay not to talk of being happy. Her sister should have died.
"Hera?", Camille called.
Hera looked at her. "Elena, you have worked hard", she said her face clothed with a bitter smile.
Camille felt her body chill at the statement. She hoped that it wasn't what she was thinking that Hera was going to say.
"It wasn't an easy feat though", she said with a nervous smile.
"I'll treat you to dinner", Hera said.
Camille heaved a sigh of relief. Thank you Lord!
"Thanks for helping me find Liliana", she said.
Camille looked at her for a while. She was no fool. At the least, her Boss has trained her to be as observant as ever.
"You don't want to talk about it now?", Camille asked. She noticed that Hera withered the moment she announced that she knew Monalissa.
"I don't even want to talk about it", Hera said.
Camille nodded. "It's fine. But in case you change your mind and want to talk about it, I'm here for you", Camille said. She packed up the pictures back into the box.
"I don't want her to come back", Hera suddenly said. Camille paused. She looked at Hera.
"Why?", she asked.
Hera scoffed. "My parents would forget about me. They'd barely noticed me when she's not here but what of when she returns? What does my fate hold?", Hera said,her voice shaky with tears.
"I know she's your friend. But I don't care. I don't want her to come home. If possible, she should be dead!"
"Hera!", Camille yelled.
Hera's eyes widened at the tone Camille had used. "Hey..."
"You don't talk about others like that. You shouldn't wish her death. I know you feel bad but... she's still your sister", Camille said.
"You and I know that she's not", Hera sobbed.
Camille came close to her and held her by her arms.
"Hey, you're not less important than her. Your parents love you and will do anything for you", Camille said.
"It doesn't matter if you're their real child or not. You helping them find their biological child is the best thing you've ever done and they'd never forget that. This ", she said then continued, "which you've done makes you the best person in the world. Don't be surprise what this would bring you", Camille concluded.
Hera buried her face in her hands and cried. "I have been ignored by them, everytime", she said.
Camille pulled her into a hug. "I'm here then. I won't ignore you", she said. "In fact, I can be your friend too", she said with a chuckle.
Hera felt her lips stretch into a little smile and she held unto Camille tighter as though she had found her source of life. Her fountain.
Monalissa arrived at Elijah's abode after an hour. Alvin was behind her, guarding her. She pressed the doorbell, gently.
Elijah sprang from the couch he was sitting on and rushed to the door. His heart hammered in his chest at the thought of who might be at the door. Was it Alvin and Monalissa? Or was it just Alvin?
Steeling his heart, he punched in the codes and pulled open the door.
Heavens!!!
Elijah screamed for joy within when he saw Monalissa standing before him. He knew that he had threatened her but Monalissa could be proud and stubborn sometimes. She was Walker. An assassin who kills without mercy, not showing pity even to the prettiest being.
"You came back", Elijah blurted as he looked her over.
"You wanted me to", she said.
Not knowing what to say, he reached for her and pulled her into his arms. Monalissa let out a gasp when she was pulled. She furrowed her brows while rolling her eyes. What's with the dragging? Dragging her into their arms? Oh god!
"Thank you for choosing my side", Elijah said.
Monalissa pulled away and walked into the sitting room and made way for the stairs.
"Mona", he called.
Monalissa halted in her steps and turned to look at him. "I didn't do it for you. I did it for myself", she said.
"You won't regret it, I promise", Elijah said.
"I hope I don't", she said and went upstairs.