Her Last Wish

Pinky Promise?

"What the hell happened Cam?"

My eyes snapped up to look at a worried Berta. Somehow we had managed to get to my office. Berta still very confused, waited for my answer.

"I um, [clearing my throat because it was raspy] ahem, I think I'm fall-"

And at those words Berta dropped her clasped hands and slammed them down on my desk. Which made me flinch. Berta leaned over to look closer at my face. Her eyes searching mine.

"You think clearly about the next words that come out of your mouth missy. Don't you forget what you came here to do. Don't you ever. Forget. Ever. Now, what was it you were saying?"

Berta said relaxing into the chair opposite me. I looked down at my hands. Resting on my lap. Thinking about everything

"He believed it." I told her. At the verge of tears. Berta with wide eyes was about to interrupt again but I didn't let her. "No you listen to me. He believed it!"

I told her practically hollering.

"And I?" I said exasperated because all my emotions were trapped in my throat. In my chest. In my heart. "I'm falling for him!"

At that having risen to yell at Berta, dropped into my seat in sobs. How could I have let this happen? Berta shocked got up from her seat and made her way to my side. Where she crouched down to eye level.

"C'mere you," she said softly, opening her arms for an embrace which I gladly recieved.

"I'm falling for him." I told her softly. Berta hugged me tighter.

"I know darlin', I know." she whispered.

"I don't know if I-" I began.

"Excuse me? Oh no no, no." she said removing her self from the embrace to place her hands onto my shoulders.
"The Camille that I met at the festival was driven. She knew what she wanted. And she wouldn't have let any boy get in the way of her plans. So no m'am you are not giving up. Not on my watch."

I looked up from the floor to face her. Eyes burning from the tears. My mouth tasted salty. And my face dry where the tears had not yet touched.

"That Camille is gone." I said monotonously.

Berta knitted her eyebrows together and then raised them in anger.

"She may have lost her way but she is NOT. GONE." she told me. Her eyes staring deeply into mine. Waiting for me to crack. But nope.

"It's been almost two years since Mary's wish. I should have let it go a long time ago."

Berta hung her head and sighed. She looked down for a while before looking back up.

"Just because you haven't gotten to where you want to be," Berta slowly said. "Does not mean that you are nowhere."

I gulped and nodded. Berta got up and reached for her phone on the desk. But I could not let her win that easily.

"This is my chance Berta. To move on and be happy." I told her. Berta slowly placed her phone onto the desk again. To look back at me.

"Don't you want me to be happy?" I asked her.

"Of course I do. What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't?" Berta said tears threatening to drop. Her voice strained. "But what kind of a friend would I be if I didn't uphold our blood oath. The blood oath we made the night of the festival."

Tears began running down my cheeks as I too began to remember that night. Berta gulped down her tears as she continued.

"You came into the ticket booth a total wreck. Hell I thought you was drunk! You had me worried. And so you explained everything. Your entire life. And why you came to sixth avenue. And then you made me swear that if you ever lost your way...[ at this Berta stopped momentarily to regain her breaths and wipe her tears]...if you ever lost your way, I'd lead you back."

She said, crouching down once again.
I thought about her words for a moment.

"We have been planning this for months. It has to happen tonight. Max gave everyone the day off. Tonight is our chance." Berta said peristent. "And Camille Gillespie, does not. Give. Up."

I looked down at my hand once again, for the second time that night. And just as I was about to argue again. Her words rang in my head. Find my son.

"Who said I was giving up?" I said slowly meeting her eyes. Plastering a small smirk on my face. At that Berta grinned ear to ear.

"That a girl!" Berta said happily grabbing me into a hug for the second time that night. I hugged her tighter.

"Thank you." I whispered to her. Berta released herself and went back to her serious face.

"Don't thank me just yet. You have to carry on the plan." Berta told me as one would reprimand a child. I nodded looking at my only friend.

"Now, what time is it?" Berta said taking her phone in hand to look at the time. " Oh my. Oh my. I'm late! I'm late for a very important date."

Berta began to giggle. And I rolled mt eyes at her lame pun. But then I realized what she said. A date?

"What date?" I asked her confused. She hadn't even told me about this. Berta gave me a look, placing her hand on her hip. Raising an eyebrow.

"I told you last night!" she said laughing at my confused face. And then I noticed her pink dress. Ah, yes. I had said baby blue.

"Oh yeah. I just forgot duh." I said brushing her amused face off.

"Like you forgot that this dress is yours?" Berta said bursting out in laughter. My eyes widened as I realized what had happened. Berta had caught me off gaurd last night. She knew I was tired and she also knew I would never let her borrow my clothes. So she took advanatage of my state. I gasped at her.

"You. You-" I began but I could just not let the words fall out. As I realized that Berta had felt pity on me. Which is why she agreed to bring me lunch. Of course. It all made sense.

"Oh darlin', you need to get your head outta the clouds before somethin' real bad happens," Berta announced still trying to stop laughing. ", oh and I left your lunch from Candie's Diner in the microwave. The one in the worker's lounge. You're welcome."

I narrowed my eyes at her but she only laughed more.

"Just go already. I got this." I said sighing. Berta looked back from the door. Her hand resting on the doorknob.

"Good luck." she said and opened the door before I could say anything else.

"Good luck to you too." I whispered.