Smoke and Mirrors

Chapter Three

Carmen sat at the Grand Piano of a crimson themed lounge in the Del Vechio’s apartment. On second thought, Carmen had never seen anybody else in this room except herself in the reflection of a big gold framed mirror.

Trent was doing his work out as obsessively as always. As vain as a duchess Carmen thought. Herself, she could never be bothered with workouts really. Running through the park; yes. Training for tennis or hockey with the team; yes. But she was far too restless for staring at a white wall for hours on a piece of gym equipment.

Carmen had learnt most of the pieces in the Del Vechio’s piano books by heart. There wasn’t many. But there was a thick anthology of Chopin that she was working through.

Carmen enjoyed playing music, mainly the saxophone, oboe and piano. Instruments were easier than people. They always talked back to you if you pressed the right keys. And you could leave them sitting in the instrument closet for the summer and know that nobody else would touch their lips.

Half way through the funeral march, Carmen’s Samsung buzzed against her hip in her pocket. The vibration exceeded the three short hums for a text. Someone was calling. It was probably Leanne. And she probably had some really important gossip that Carmen really didn’t care about.

Carmen slid out her phone and checked anyway.

It was her mother.

“What do you want?” Carmen snapped.

“Where on earth are you?”

“Why do you care?”

“Because I come home to see my family and what do the maids tell me, oh she’s been at a friend’s for weeks. I wish the maids would keep a better eye on you.” Jacqueline sounded quite upset. It was odd for her mother to get distressed over Carmen not being home. Carmen knew she agitated her mother a lot, but to be actually scolded was rare. Carmen was too disgraceful to interact with on the most part.

Except there had been a few odd years during the two occasions when her mother had been married to Mr. Clemons when family life had been stricter. Mr. Clemons was into the family brand and invested lots of time and effort into the family. But even then it was only on Sunday and Carmen usually stuck around with James instead of her own siblings.

“I’ve only been at the Del Vechio’s.” Carmen loosed her school tie.

“At the Del Vechio’s? Carmen! What do Mr. and Mrs. Del Vechio think of you making use of their guest rooms like an orphan? As if we can’t provide for you ourselves.” Jacqueline fretted.

“The Del Vechio’s aren’t even here and even when they are here, Mrs. Del Vechio has a thing for their house in Vaucluse.”

“Well I want you to come home this instant.” Jacqueline gulped. “Should I send Daisy with the car?”

“Yes?” Carmen was at the height of confusion. It was almost… satisfactory. Like her whole life she’d been screaming at her family so they might notice her. But now… When she was just doing the same thing she always had at the Del Vechio’s she got noticed. It didn’t quite add up. But when life forgot your serving of lemons you didn’t stop to ask why.

“Trent?” Carmen poked her head into the gym. Trent slowed down the cross trainer to a halt.

“Yes.” He said walking towards her, wiping his saturated forehead with a hand towel.

“I have to go home.”

“What?” Trent furrowed his eyebrows. Had he done something wrong?

“I know. It’s so weird… My mother just rang and insisted I go home.” Carmen shrugged.