All conversation stops when Daniel and I enter my house. I’m not surprised to find my grandmother in the middle of all of it. She seems to bask in the attention she’s getting when she should be mourning.
Everyone looks at me; their eyes filled with pity. I’ve been pretending to be deaf to the rumours, but I’m well aware of what everyone has been saying and what they’re truly worried about. Most people here are investors or stakeholders of some sort. They aren’t here to offer me their condolences or to pay their respects to my father. They’re here because it’s a rare chance to speak to Daniel in person. They’re here to find out what the company’s future holds.
I recognise many of the people in the living room, but I don’t actually know many of them. It makes me feel like a stranger in my own house. The last thing I want to do right now is entertain people my father didn’t even like. The whole concept is weird to me. Why would you hold a literal pity party at someone’s house after a funeral? My father would’ve hated this, and he would’ve hated my grandmother for allowing these vultures easy access to Daniel.
My grandmother walks up to me and grabs my arm with more force than necessary. I wince and try to pull away, but she won’t let me.
“Dear, where did you go after the funeral? You just disappeared. There are so many people we must greet. We mustn’t let your father’s hard work go to waste. It’s up to us to reassure everyone that everything is fine. We must maintain the connections your father established. I saw the Mayor here. He brought his son and he mentioned that you’re acquainted. We best go say hello.”
I’m overcome with disgust. The last thing I want to do is socialise, but it seems to be all that’s on her mind. She seems positively giddy at the prospect of conversing with the Mayor and it sickens me. I regret inviting her to the funeral at all.
I gently pull my arm out of her clutches, at a total loss for words. Before I can come up with an appropriate response, Daniel intervenes.
“Thank you kindly for the help you have provided in the days leading up to the funeral, Mrs. Moriani. Though you haven’t been in touch with Alyssa since she was a toddler, she has really appreciated your presence here in the past week. Please have a seat and help yourself to the refreshments we have provided. As always, the catering is provided by Deluga Catering, so I’m certain you’ll enjoy it. I wouldn’t want anyone to think we don’t treat our guests well, so please help yourself.”
Daniel’s voice is loud and as always, when he speaks, people pay attention. Those who’d been falling over themselves to gain her favour hear the warning loud and clear. My grandmother isn’t associated with DM Consultancy, and she and I aren’t close.
Daniel takes my hand and leads me away before she can retort. The whispers around us increase as we make our way through the room. Daniel leads me to the kitchen where Dominic is already waiting with a cup of tea in his hands. Making a cup of tea was what my dad always did when I was sad or upset. The thought that he’ll never do it again breaks my heart.
Dominic hands me my favourite mug. It’s the one that says Boss Lady on it, and my heart breaks a little more. My dad gave it to me for my 22nd birthday a few weeks ago, telling me he was going to step up my training so I’d be ready to take over his role within a few years. He had so much faith in me, and now he won’t ever see me accomplish the goals we set together.
My eyes fill with tears and Dominic opens his arms. I walk into his embrace and hug him tightly, barely keeping my tears in. A stab of pain twists my heart at the knowledge that I won’t ever see my father at the office again. I won’t be able to drop by the office he shared with Daniel for a quick cup of tea and a chat. I can’t ask for his advice anymore when I don’t know how to handle a situation.
Dominic puts his index finger underneath my chin and gently lifts my face up to meet his. “Hey, I’m here. I promise I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this together. I promise you won’t be alone,” he whispers.
I stare into his grey eyes, willing myself to believe him. I’ve felt alone ever since he started dating Lucy. No one has ever been able to get between us, and both of us have had to end relationships because our partners couldn’t accept our friendship. But Lucy is different. She’s been vocal about her dislike of me, and Dominic has been giving in to her. He’s been distancing himself from me lately. I can’t even remember the last time he and I were alone. Lucy and he are a package deal now. If I want to see him, I have to see her too. I can’t even blame Lucy for her distrust of me, or Dominic for giving in to her. Just as Lucy suspects, I do have feelings for Dominic. I’d never act on them or jeopardise his relationship, though. I wish he could see that.
Lucy walks up to us with outstretched arms and tears streaming down her face.
“Alyssa, there you are! I’m so, so sorry for your loss. What can Nic and I do for you? Please, let me know how we can help,” she says, her voice loud and shrill. I cringe a little and step away from Dominic. I’ve tried my best to like Lucy, but I can’t do it. I cannot understand what Dominic sees in her. She’s loud whereas he’s quiet, and she’s adorably silly whereas he is intelligent beyond compare. They don’t suit each other. Lucy is the type of person that neither of us has ever liked.
“Do you know more about the will yet?” she all but shouts, her face crunched up in what I assume is worry. My eyes automatically find Dominic’s. I can’t believe he told her that. When I told him what Vincent said to Daniel and me, I told him it was confidential. Her shouting what she did could easily cause more unrest amongst our biggest shareholders, many of whom are present today.
Some of the women in the kitchen pause and tune in to our conversation. I sigh uneasily, surprised at her lack of sensitivity… and, well, her common sense. Sometimes I wonder if my dad was right about her when he called her a dimwit.
Daniel glares at Lucy and puts his hand on my shoulder, reassuring me without words. He exchanges a look with Dominic that tells him what he thinks of her behaviour, and Dominic lowers his eyes in shame.
Lucy trembles and starts crying as she throws herself into Dominic’s arms. I’m not even sure whether she’s crying because of the funeral or because Daniel just glared at her. Somehow Dominic ends up consoling her instead of the other way around. Dominic lost a father figure today, yet he’s wiping away her tears instead of shedding his own.
I take a step back and look at the two of them together. I could never compare to Lucy with her supermodel figure and her long blonde hair. In comparison, I look like an Oompa Loompa, with my overly full unfashionable curves and my petite stature. It’s no wonder Nic never fell for me the way I fell for him.
He pats Lucy’s back as she cries on his shoulder, but his attention doesn’t seem to be on her. He’s looking at me, his eyes filled with worry and sorrow.
I turn away to find Daniel leaning against the kitchen counter. He’s looking at me with a pained expression, and I can’t help but wonder whether he knows how I feel about his little brother. Whether he understands how much it hurts to need Dominic so badly, yet having to watch him hold someone else instead.
Daniel holds his hand out, and I bridge the few steps that separate us. He takes my mug and wraps his arm around my shoulder, offering me a bit of consolation. He stares at Lucy and Dominic disapprovingly as he takes a sip of my tea. Daniel usually ignores me, but I’m happy he’s showing me some solidarity today.
“I don’t think we should wait till tomorrow,” I murmur. Daniel looks at me with a knowing look in his eyes. I don’t need to explain what I’m talking about. He knows. Thanks to the rumours Lucy has just helped spread, we’ll need to take action as soon as possible. The uncertainty we currently face might be harmful. He knows as well as I do that my dad always had something up his sleeve. It’ll be the same now. We’ll both rest easier if we know what it is, especially if it pertains to the company.
Daniel nods. “I’ll call Vincent.”
