Amanda
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I got a call from Genevieve while receiving a lecture. My screen lit up silently, and after peeking at the name on the screen, it was hard to suppress my curiosity enough to fully concentrate for the rest of the lecture. She hardly ever spoke to me on the phone. I'd had phone number for years, but it really just sat there. I know a good number of people who would loose their minds if they got a call from Genevieve Mallard, regardless of the purpose.
Right after we were finished, I packed my things and rushed out the door, postponing my initial plan to speak with my professor before I left. I dialed her, brought the phone up to my ear and held my breath.
"Hello, Amanda!" Her voice was crisp and lively. "How are you?"
"I'm doing great, professor. How have you been holding up concerning Nicholas?"
She kissed her teeth and sighed. "It's taken a lot for all of us, especially Finn. It's why I called you actually. I've got a favor to ask of you."
A wave of panic shot through me from the fact that I didn't know what to expect and most of all, I wouldn't be able to say no to her.
"I'm all ears."
"Nicholas' funeral is this weekend at his private island. It's a small affair, just some family friends and close associates and I really want you to come with," she explained. "For Finn."
I felt my mouth part open. That meant his family would be there, including Octavia and River. I recalled the one time I'd been in a room with a large number of them, during Finn's birthday dinner. They had been anything but pleasant, with the evening ending with chaos— hostile commentary that ultimately ended in a fight between Finn and his half cousin.
And judging by the words they'd exchanged, I was the topic that had them throwing fists.
"I think it would be helpful to him if he had you around," she continued quickly, like she had limited time to convince me. "I've seen the way he lights up around you. I want that for him. I want to see him not sad."
"I'll do it. I'll come."
She let out a breathy laugh. "Oh, you don't know how grateful I am. But if it's something you don't want to do, I would understand completely. There's no harm in me asking."
"No, no, it's no problem at all, professor. I'll go with him."
"Great! You don't have to let him on about the details of this conversation. I'll just tell him I invited you. You're like family, anyway."
"Thank you, professor. That means a lot coming from you. How long will we be there for?"
"Ah, two, three nights at most. I'll be going with the rest of the family on one jet but I'm sure Finn would want the privacy of his."
And if Natalie and Elliot weren't coming along, that meant it would be him and I.
"Got it."
"Alright, Amanda. Take care now. I'll let you know if I've got any other information to relay. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, professor."
After the call ended, I dialed Natalie immediately.
"Amanda, how are you?" Her cheery voice filtered through the phone.
"I'm doing okay. Are you busy today? Can I see you?"
"Of course you can. Is anything wrong?"
"Uh, Finn's aunt just asked me to tag along for the funeral of Nicholas Young. I don't know what to expect and need some advice."
"Oh, oh," she slowly said, starting to see my point. "Oh. I'm not home now, but I will be in the next hour and a half. You don't mind waiting a bit, do you? That's if you won't be busy."
"It's completely okay with me. Send me your address and I'll be headed there."
"Sure thing."
So many things were running through my head as I drove to Natalie's place. Octavia would undoubtedly be at the funeral. I could never forget how much venom she bore for me and what Finn and I had. She was responsible for a fire that brought my apartment down, and even went as far as stalking me to Paris when I was there with Finn. A stay on a private island with Finn's family and associates of the Young and Harris' sounded very daunting. Given the chance, I bet they'd eat me up.
Time seemed to speed by while I waited for Natalie. I was sat on a blue sofa nestling a cup of coffee when she swooped in through the front door, long, flowy dress billowing behind her. She had Cole in hand, who had his school bag in the next one. He was dressed in a navy blue uniform, so I assumed he was the reason I had to wait a bit. I thought it was cute, that she went out of her way to get him from school when she could easily pass the responsibility to a staff. She had a pretty busy career, after all.
"Hi, Amanda. You look great today. Cole, say hello to aunt Amanda."
Cole's gaze drifted from his mother to me, and be waved with a toothy grin. "Hello!"
I smiled and waved back. "Hi! How was school?"
"Good. I got a ten over ten in spelling, so mom said she will get me something special because I got ten over ten three times last week."
"Wow, that's great!" I fawned.
Natalie crouched down in front of him and stroked his cheek. "Go upstairs and let Wren run a bath for you. What would you like to have for dinner later?"
"Waffles and sausages and scrambled eggs."
"Great, I'll have them make that for you. Go upstairs now."
While he trotted up the winding stairway, Natalie moved over to me and sat close, filling the air around us with her vanilla scented perfume. She had to be the most elegant person I knew. The way she presented herself, moved and spoke, they were nothing short of graceful. She was the type to fit in perfectly with the rest of the island guests.
"Will you and Elliot be at the funeral?"
She shook her head. "We really want to be there with Finn, but we'll both be too busy to make it. Which is why I'm super relieved Genevieve asked you to go."
"But Natalie," I started in a whisper, "I haven't seen those people in years. I don't know what to expect. I'm scared something horrible is going to happen with me there."
Because when I became involved, things turned ugly. I wanted to save Finn from any of that, which was why I was heavily contemplating honoring Mallard's invitation.
"Even with him there? I highly doubt Finn would sit and watch you struggle with anything. And his family knows better than to cross the line with him."
That was hard to believe. "Are you sure about that? Because I can recount a good number of times they've bulldozed their way past that line."
She held down my hand with hers and stared me straight in the eye. "He's going to make sure none of that BS never happens again."
Her confidence annoyed me so much that I had to look away. I hated everyone else acting so sure of something that concerned me while I questioned everything. It felt like I was being pushed to the edge of a cliff they had no knowledge about. It was frustrating.
"He doesn't know I'm going, so I don't even know if that's something he wants."
"Seriously?" She muttered and got off the sofa. "God, I don't know who's more oblivious between the both of you," I barely caught her words as she disappeared and reappeared shortly with a glass of wine. She kicked off her heels, and with a tap on a remote, soft music filled the room. She took the volume down and returned to the spot next to me.
She heaved a sigh. "Eventually."
"Eventually what?"
"I'm just thinking out loud," she said and tipped her glass to meet her lips.
"Have you been to the island before?"
"Oh yeah, one time. It was like, five, six years ago. Elliot and I had been seeing each other for about two months or so. The Harris and Youngs were spending Christmas there and Finn wanted it with us. I remember Elizabeth was there too, and Nicholas' health was a lot better. I really enjoyed it there. Everyone had space to do their thing."
"Was that the last time Finn was there?"
"I don't know. It would be sad if it was. It's going to be a tough one for him." There was a pause and she rose a finger up. "Oh, I keep forgetting to tell you, but edited pictures from the wedding came in and I was wondering if you'd like to see the ones you appeared in."
"Oh? Sure."
That day had felt like an out of body experience, right from when I arrived late to the venue and had my first encounter with Dominic, down to the moment Finn arrived and I got my first look at him in years. Then it had gone downhill for me from there.
Natalie got out her phone and handed it to me. I stared long at the picture on the screen. I was surprised to see how truly good I looked stood among the others. I certainly hadn't felt that way, and recalled the compliments Dominic had thrown my way. I'd thought he was simply trying to flatter his way into my bed, but he hadn't once steered the night in that direction.
I swiped and caught him in a few other pictures too. It compelled me to ask.
"Do you know Dominic?" I asked Nat.
"Dominic Hayes? Yeah. He and Elliot are pretty close."
"What about Finn? I get the feeling they don't like each other."
"Well, that's because they don't. At all."
My curiosity was through the roof in a flash. "Do you know why?"
"You want the entire story?" She looked too amused at my eagerness, but I nodded still. "Before Finn was Elliot's best friend, it was Dominic. I can imagine how much it sucks loosing your best friend."
"So he's angry Finn took his best friend?"
"Let me clear something first. Finn didn't take his best friend. He lost Elliot because of the way he acted. Elliot is not an object, he's got his own free will. When he and Finn grew closer in school, Dominic handled it terribly. He became hostile towards Finn and tried to emotionally manipulate Elliot into feeling bad about it. And back then, Finn didn't have the maturity to handle it as well as he should have. They got into fights often, most of which were started by Dominic."
They were still talking now. Maybe they'd reached an impasse. Elliot looked like he was happy to have Dominic around, even with the picture I was painting in my head as Natalie narrated.
"Elliot hated that it made him feel like he had to choose between the both of them. He got really upset one day and just snapped at Dominic. They didn't speak for a while. Elliot told me it was Finn who mediated the situation. We don't know what he said to Dominic, but it was convincing enough for him to come apologizing to Elliot. Since then the three of them have been the way they are now— trying their hardest to find balance on a tightrope, because they both don't want to ruin what they have with Elliot. Dominic and Elliot are fine, but you see Dominic and Finn? It feels like a thundercloud is in the room when they're together."
I soaked the story up. "There's something Finn mentioned about a wedding and how Dominic was caught... with the bride."
"Oh, that story. Dominic has this woman he's been in love with for ages now, I don't even know how long. That's how Elliot put it. He would do anything for her, and what does she go ahead and do? Get engaged to the son of her boss."
"So, she didn't love Dominic back?"
"Oh, I think she did. Does. She just loves career success more. Her marriage gave her a major boost. So on the day of the wedding Dominic snuck into her dressing room and hiked her pretty dress up and well, you know what happened."
"She ended up not getting married?"
She let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Oh, she did. Her husband knew letting her go would mean Dominic would get the upper hand, and in a weird act of power play, he married her anyway."
"What the hell."
"And guess what? They still see even while she's married. They're obsessed with each other, but she wants to eat her cake and have it."
That could explain his dislike for weddings. I guess I wouldn't be needing his explanation anymore.
"They're really bad for each other. Her for him especially. She's so narcissistic, but gets her way all the time."
Everything swam in my head while I drove back to my apartment, almost muddling together. I never actually considered any romantic prospects with him, but after what Natalie had narrated, Dominic was completely ruled out. And in case he wanted to push his luck, I would be ready to stand my ground. Because absolutely no way was I going to sit and watch myself be made an experiment of.
I had just shut my front door when the doorbell rang. It was a delivery man, bearing a large box. I took it in and dropped it on the couch before going to find a knife to cut it open with.
I marvelled at the Chanel and Dior boxes I pulled out, stunned by the bags in them. I traced a finger across the thick black leather of the Chanel and looked into the delivery box again. Sure enough, there was a note inside.
I'm hoping retail therapy does the trick. If not, I'd be willing to try something else.
- Dom.
I was taken back to our conversation yesterday, and how he was eager to make me feel better when I didn't appear too good. I fiddled with the note, part surprised, part confused.
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