MY BOSS [the Series]

16

A friend of mom's stopped by to say 'hi'. Mrs Kiliani Beckett and my mom had history from way back.

They used to attend a Fashion Management school in London together. That was when Mom decided to help grandma Amanda to manage Amanda Empire. They've remained friends since then.

Kiliani was black. Her parents originally from Nigeria but they settled in London for business. I admired her easy and outgoing nature. She asked us teenagers about our careers and played a couple of games with us before leaving. She and her family, Mr Beckett and their four boys, lived close to our vacation home and most times they'd stop by for a friendly banter.

Slowly, our vacation drew to a close. Mom had to return to her business, dad too. Me and my friends prepare for the new term ahead and winter threatened to come sooner than usual.

"I say we pay Victoria's family a visit. How's that?" I asked my bestfriend as we walked hand-in -hand down a side walk bordering the busy Californian traffic.

Victoria's funeral was last week Saturday. My friends and some students from school attended. That day was solemn and sullen and the ceremony dragged on as quickly as possible.

Victoria's parents, Mr and Mrs Hatchet and her elder sister, Jasmine were distraught by the loss. Honestly, I was still in shock too.

"Let's go there and after that, remember that movie I told you about?"

"Resident Evil."

"Yeah, that one. We're going to the cinema later. I got us tickets." Shawn squeezed my hand in a pacifying manner.

I broke away from his gaze and focused on walking to Victoria's house with him.

Victoria's parents were not at home when we knocked. It was Jasmine that answered the door.

"Hey, Hazel right?"

I nodded. "That would be me."

She smiled, eyes flickering to my bestfriend. "Shawn?"

Shawn was stunned that she knew our names. "Yes. How-"

"-Victoria had always talked about you, especially Hazel. Come right in." Jasmine held open the door for us to enter the impeccably furnished house.

"Please sit." She offered us two white leather sofas and we occupied them.

"We just came to talk. You know, pay our condolences." I spoke, gauging Jasmine's reaction. Her countenance had fallen, dark clouds replacing her sunny disposition.

Jasmine dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief hastily drawn from somewhere. "Victoria had her flaws, she could be mean, she could be desperate, she loves the spotlight to be on her. Yet, she was my baby sister and I loved her. Victoria didn't deserve to die."

Gemma would beg to differ.

"Victoria used to be my nemesis but I was equally sad." Shawn said.

Jasmine laughed heartily. "That little cockroach had a lot of enemies."

A figure emerged from one of the many doors. Saraphina. Her closest friend, the only of of her friends that stuck around.

"Hazel, Shawn. What are you doing here?" She didn't mean her words to be rude or anything but she was downright surprised.

"We came to check in on the family." I answered

Saraphina's eyes were red and her cheeks and nose also blotched with red. She had been weeping.

"Thanks. I'm sorry, I haven't been much of a human to you and others." Her gaze strayed to Shawn.

"We didn't come here to point out anyone's flaws, Sara." Shawn stated and flashed her a reassuring smile.