Playing With Fire

Pas De Deux With Death

"I'm your grandfather. I know we've never met, but surely you must at least have seen pictures."

Before I could respond, Carver stepped in front of me, blocking me from the man. "I'm sorry, but you must be confused. Our grandparents are dead. On both sides."

The man sighed as if this wasn't entirely unexpected. "I guess I don't blame your father. When he left home, we weren't on the best of terms, but I'd always hoped that he would at least tell his kids that they had a granddad."

Carver frowned. "Charlotte," he called and turned to the man, "Look, I don't want to make a scene, but I think you need to leave."

Before the man could respond, Charlotte hurried over concern on her face. "What is it, Carver?" Then seeing the man we had been talking to, she smiled knowingly. "Ah, I see you've met our granddad. He arrived here a couple of days ago for the reading of the will."

"If he's been here for a couple of days, why didn't he introduce himself to all of us then," Carver asked suspiciously. I also suspected he was slightly peeved he didn't get to attend the reading of the will. I also had been unable to attend, but the fact that what I'd inherited more than most state lotteries had helped to soften the blow.

"Well, it was actually my idea to delay the meeting," Charlotte said, wringing her hands nervously. "There's actually something that we need to discuss with you two, and I was hoping to put it off until after the funeral."

"Tell us what?" I asked uneasily, my curiosity piqued.

"Can we please discuss this after everyone's left?" Charlotte said, glancing around at the guests still milling around.

"No, Charlotte," Carver said, anger creeping into his voice.

Charlotte sighed. "Fine, but let's at least step outside."

Carver nodded tersely, and I smiled slightly. I'd forgotten that a quick temper was something my twin and I shared.

We followed her out onto the porch, where the sun was beginning to set, providing some relief from the hot day.

"Ok, we're outside," Carver said, "Now talk."

"Well, as you know, since you two are still sixteen, there is the slight issue of custody to deal with," Charlotte said, fidgeting.

I frowned. I hadn't even considered custody an issue until now. I'd been living practically on my own in New York since I'd been eight.

"And apparently, our parents named your grandfather as your legal guardian," Charlotte finished glancing nervously back and forth between Carver and me.

I laughed. "Ok, the way you were talking, I thought this was going to affect both of us."

"Cordelia, this does affect you. You're going to live with your grandfather as your guardian when I go back home to Virginia, and Conrad goes back to school."

"I don't think you understand," I said, frustrated. "I'm training to be a ballerina in New York, so I don't have time to live with some random long-lost grandfather unless he happens to live in New York. I've been on my own for years, and I don't see why that should change." I crossed my arms to emphasize the point.

"Look, you're tired, and this has been a tough day for all of us. We'll talk about this tomorrow" Charlotte smiled dismissively at me, and I fought the urge to scream.

I settled for a whatever before storming back inside to the bar. I downed two more martini's before Carver caught up with me.

"Cordie, are you sure you don't want to slow down," He said as I downed a fourth.