"Father Beckford...." one of the choir boys came knocking on the chapel office doors after Sunday service.
"Yes,"
"Sir, you have some visitors."
James frowned and stood from his chair. "Very well, come in." His eyes widened when he saw both his mother and father step inside.
His mother has blond white hair wrapped tightly into a high bun, her lipstick was brighter in contrast to her pale skin. She stretched him a melancholy smile.
Yet his father's expression had not changed from the day he told hold him his plans to become a priest. The only thing about his father that had changed was his hair, the blackness had faded into grey.
"Darling...how are you," His mother approached her son,although James was hesitant he reluctantly opened his arms and embraced her taking in her scent, the same smell of designer perfume filled his nose, the same as many years before.
Over her shoulder his eyes met his fathers, the same serious stern look was glaring back at him.
"Pardon my forwardness but what are you both doing here?" James frowned. They had not even been there for his ordination ceremony, what business would they have now. He noticed his father carrying his briefcase as usual.
"We need you to sign something," his father blurted our rather nonchalantly.
"Oh I see. So this isn't a social visit. " James kept his polite smile on his face. "Very well father, whatever you need from me,"
Honor thy Father and Mother....
"James," his mother touched his cheek with her soft silk-like hands. "We wanted so much to be at your ceremony..."
Their son shook his head, tucking his hands into his pockets. "It's alright, I know you must have been busy."
His father approached his wife and son's little circle, "Yes. We were absolutely busy. Now that the company is going to belong to someone else, all the training we have to provide. All these new legal documents we have to fill out handing over the family business to someone who wants it." he sneered.
James kept his composed smile. "I am happy for you father. I remember before you were unsure of who you wanted to leave the company to as far as a successor."
Each word he drew from his mouth was like a wound to his fathers heart.
"I am happy you finally found someone fit for the position."
"Tch...."
His mother placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder. "Calm down," she whispered to him before changing her expression for warmer one.
"It is true that we have a successor, although it wasn't easy, " she chuckled, "Your father and I have come mainly to see you and how well you're adjusting to your new life."
James could hear his mother but his gaze hadn't left the eyes of his father.
"Do you have plans for dinner tonight? We are in town and I was hoping," she looked to her husband for a second before meeting her sons. He was still not looking directly at her "We were hoping that you would join us for dinner at this cute Italian restaurant we saw on the drive here."
Finally, her son turned to look at her. His gentle smile didn't waver.
"Of course mother,"
She kissed her son on the cheek, leaving behind a red lipstick mark.
Across town Anne and Elizabeth walked the busy street looking into shops for prom dresses. They reached a vintage shop and went inside straight for the racks.
"What color is your favorite?" Anne asked pulling a few pieces out for further inspection. " I was thinking you'd look great in a royal blue."
"Honestly, I don't think I have a favorite color."
"Well what kind of length were you thinking?"
"I'm thinking...something fun."
"Hmmm...something flirty then. Maybe a little bit sexy?" Anne giggled.
"Yea, maybe something like that."
Anne pulled out a black dress, it had a sweetheart neckline and was pencil tight with a small slit on the thigh. "Here try this one."
Elizabeth grabbed the dress and went inside the changing room. Anne took out a pink one for herself with tulle on the bottom that bloomed out similar to a ballerina skirt.
"Ready Liz?"
"Yup."
Elizabeth thought she would feel embarrassed at first from the sexy tight dress but to her surprise it boosted her self-esteem. She loved the way the dress hugged her body, how it showcased her breasts in the mirror.
Anne's eyes widened a bit, "Oh my god I am jealous of your boobs!"
As a reflex Elizabeth slightly hide them with her arms. "S-stop...they're the same as yours!"
"Are you blind? I'm almost completely flat!" Anne looked down, clutched her chest underneath the dress. "Anyways, I love that dress on you! You look so hot I think Zach's gunna have a hard time keeping his eyes and hands off you."
Elizabeth and Anne stepped into the small podium that was surrounded by mirrors looking themselves all around, "Maybe it's too much."
"We can keep looking,"
"I do love that pink skirt you got on,"
Anne shrugged, "Yea but I think I look too much like a ballerina in this,"
Both girls giggled and continued dress shopping, Elizabeth pulled out a red gown. It was longer and reached the floor, the waist of the dress was form fitting and the top had the sweetheart neckline with a slightly deeper plunge but no slit on the thigh, there were tiny off the shoulder sleeves that gave the dress a dreamy look. Elizabeth felt drawn to it and immediately put it on.
"I think I found the one!" she exclaimed before emerging from the dressing room and onto the podium.
Anne burst out following her and her eyes sparkled as she saw her friend beaming with happiness over the red dress.
"Oh my god Liz it looks stunning!You have to take that to prom!" Anne came up behind her and lifted her long thick black hair. "It would look great with your hair up like this,"
"Do you think Zach will like it?"
"Of course! He'll probably fall over once he sees you!"
It was decided then that Elizabeth would take the dress home to anxiously wait for that special night.
"What about you Anne?"
Anne came out of the dressing room with a white empire dress, the top of it sparkled with blue and white crystals and the skirt flowed like a beautiful mist as she walked.
Elizabeth's jaw was slightly askew, "Woah you look so dreamy!"
"You like?" Anne did a little twirl, her friend nodding in approved before clapping. Anne did a little bow before they erupted in giggles.
"Anne...do you like Alex?" Elizabeth asked while they waited to pay for the dresses at the counter. Her blond friend blushed as she pulled out her wallet, "N-no no like that."
Anne takes a breath to calm her nervous, " I mean...he's cool and all but I don't see him like that ..."
Elizabeth tried to remember the first time she met Alex at Zach's house party, but that night was one she did not want to relive again.
"Besides ... I ... kinda like someone else..."
Elizabeth's mouth fell slightly, she never spoke to Anne about guys like this before. It excited her and she wanted to know more, "oh really? Who?"
But Anne would never tell, "ah well... no one you know," she laughed lightly. Her eyes darted to Elizabeth who seemed puzzled, "he doesn't go to our school so it's nothing,"
"Oh, well I hope you guys get together if you like him so much," Elizabeth smiled brightly.
Anne blushed a deeper shade of red, she poked Elizabeth in the cheek playfully. "Come on, I'll take you home."
*****************
"Pasta primavera for me please," Mrs. Beckford handed the menu to the waiter. "What are you having darling?" she questioned her son.
James smiled blankly at the waiter, "The wine is fine for now, thank you."
Once the waiter had left, the table grew quiet save for the sound of the soft music of the restaurant.
"Shall we get down to business then?" James brought his hands clench together on the table.
"Lets." his father took out his briefcase and pulled out some papers. "You need to sign these. Now."
His mother merely looked away, her wine glass shook from her trembling hands as she awkwardly pressed them to her lips.
"And what are 'these'?"
Mr. Beckford glared at his only son, "The rights to the company. You are the sole heir and since you want nothing to do with everything our family has build from generation to generation-"
The anger was building up to a boiling point in Mr. Beckford; his hand balled into a fist around the knife wrapped in his napkin.
"...Dear...Please.." his wife begged him.
His eyes darted to her for a second, acknowledging that they were in public and the last thing they wanted was to cause a scene.
"..Anyways, since you want no part of it, you need to sign these releases as the heir." He said as he practically tosses James the paperwork.
The priest takes hold of the documents and reads them slowly, taking in every word of it before stumbling upon one of the clauses. Immediately the gears in his brain beginning to wind.
"...the 1.3 Billion dollar company will be transferred to the successors of the current families choosing." James places the document down before eying his father. "Your company is not worth that father, it has no such value."
Mr. Beckford nose scrunches up, his clenched fist wanted nothing more than to slap his useless son across the table. "Of course it is. You wouldn't know how much it grew since you walked out."
James sighed before picking up the paper again, "...well that may be what's on paper but it's not real..." he says more to himself than to his parents.
"I'll have you know that I have managed to turn this business around and make it what it is today; and you won't be able to get one cent of it!" Mr. Beckford was fuming, his anger blazed in his eyes.
James maintained his composure, glancing at his mother he noticed her eyes were holding back tears.
"That's fine father. I became a priest to live a humble life. Riches of the world don't matter to me. In the end, when I reunite with our Lord I won't be bringing one cent with me either." James carefully spat back at his father.
The boiling point was met and his father shot up quickly from the table.
"Make yourself useful for once." His index finger pointed at the paper, "Sign it."
James crossed his arms with a deep sign, "I will father. But first, I would like to see it once more; before I am cut out completely from your lives."
His mother brought her body closer to the table, "See what once more dear?"
"The company of course. Your old office, where you used to sit me on your lap as you did your work. I have such fond memories of it. I would like to see how much it's changed since-"
"Absolutely not! I don't want you anywhere near-"
James stood up matching his father's eye level, "Then I'm afraid I won't sign it."
By now the restaurant had turned their full attention to the table. Mrs. Beckford rose up as well and placed a gentle hand on her husbands shoulder, "...It'll be fine." She looks towards her son, her eyes begging James' for honesty.
As if reading her thoughts James smiled even more, "I promise you I will sign anything you wish. You have my word," he adds as he places a hand on his chest.
His mother nods in relief and her grip on her husband's shoulder tightens. "Come along now dear..." she manages to un-root Mr. Beckford feet off the floor.
"James honey, you know the address. Stop by any day you have time. I'll inform security personal to give you access."
"Thank you mother,"
She blows her son a kiss, not wanting to separate from her husband "We'll come back for the paper when you're ready."