The Flyer

CHAPTER 15

Cc: A Letter from Mom.

VALYRA.

I did feel better after the girl's outing and I could say that I was even smiling as I walked home from the mall. Claire and Froida decided to walk together while Maddie and I both went in different direction.

When I got home, true enough, Nat and Allain were gone.  They left me a letter that explained how they had left and what would be happening in the next few hours if everything went smoothly.

I chuckled a little. That's right-- they should go home. Also, they have duties to fulfill, they shouldn't be lazing around like I am. Who knows how much worse their punishments would be if they kept the others worried for even longer?

Nat has grown up so much already, but I didn't realize it until now. She used to ask others what she should do, and now it seemed like she was doing what she was going after. Maybe it's because the person very close to her has similar objectives, but nonetheless, it was nice to see her more confident and more directioned.

Allain was a surprise.

I haven't really heard and known much about our other relatives because to me it was just Nik, Nat, Mom, and Dad. I knew we had some other relatives and had some vague ideas about them, but I generally didn't know who is what and where.

One of the few things I knew, though, was that we did have close relatives on Mom's side. Apparently, for every generation in their family there's a trio of girls who are closer than most and whose families are like one. In our Mom's generation, she was the youngest of the three, supposedly the most spoiled, and according to my brother who had hearsay as sources, the most used.

She worked the most and had a huge responsibility that revolved around being a strong core for the rest. She was hugely doted on and although no one really said anything about respect, she was said to be even more loved than the most powerful of her homeland. Her errors would be judged heavily but with the way she worked, there was barely much to worry about. She was said to have an incomparable work ethic that was barely present before but grew to be very admirable as she spent more time there.

Mother, who they said I looked like, and the mother who was willing to abandon her child for the law.

I didn't understand it, and neither did Nik, but apparently, Mother was also abandoned for the law.

Venera Markham.

Lethal and fashionable and highly admired by people in this town. When I was younger I felt her presence from the stories people around me spoke. Whether they were true or not, I didn't know, but one sure thing was that they had a look of fondness on her face.

I was mad to see that. I'd always thought that it wasn't fair for her to be receiving such praise when she wasn't the same "admirable person" to me and Nik. I've asked my dad coubtless times if he and Mom even loved each other. He only told me that they did, but that they loved us more.

Were they any different from parents who ignore their children?

With Nik acting up lately, I couldn't really confide in him anymore. What he told me in California still rubbed me the wrong way. It wasn't something the Nik I knew would... But I guess Dad caught up to his schemes because now Dad's being more cautious about him.

I realized, though, why my dad seemed to treat us differently. From all the information I've gathered, it seems that I had more of a future than Nik did anywhere I chose to be, while Nik, like Allain, wouldn't really get much from staying in that homeland. Dad was grooming Nik to become his successor, while he was giving me a sort of freedom I might miss very soon.

This led me to thinking who in the world our generation's trio would be.

I didn't realize I was dozing off to my thoughts until my phone rang. It was a number.

"Hello?"

There was a slight crackle before the line went clear. "Hey, is this Valyra Baron?"

"May I ask who this is?"

Who would call me at this hour?

"Yes, this is Jaque from the Mackey fashion house? We'd like to invite you to be our special guest endorser this summer if you're free."

Mackey fashion house? Isn't that little Terry's Mom's fashion house? She's scary. But...

"You must be mistaken," I tried to say as nicely as possible. "I'm already a model of the Mackey fashion house."

Jaque cleared her throat and stammered a bit before speaking audibly into the phone. "No, Madame, you misunderstand. The lady wants to elevate your status for this summer season. You are to be a face of Mackey's summer collection this year."

Oh...

"I... Wow, okay, I... Yes!" I said, a little bewildered, but wholeheartedly feeling honored. "Yes, I accept. Thank you for the honor."

On the other end, Jaque laughed lightly. "No, my dear, thank you. This is nothing compared to your years of dedication to our fashion house."

She ended the call after telling me to expect an email of the details, and I squealed excitedly in my head. This is huge!

My first big endorsement after a  decade of modeling.

But a sigh came when I realized I didn't have a mother or sister nearby to gush with.

Someday, hopefully.

I decided to get some rest after taking a quick shower and drying my hair. Tomorrow's gonna be a huge day.

However, all thoughts of sleep left when I saw an envelope on my study table with that specific seal that I both longed for and dreaded.

It's a letter from Mom, and it was addressed specifically to me and only me.

To Valyra.

For Your Eyes Only.

Open in private.