Chapter 2 – Reading of The Will

Vivian’s POV:

The second day, I went to see the bodies of my parents. I couldn’t first time…. I needed to be alone, without Steven. I have seen corps, blood and the worst in my life, and had no problem, but to see your own, it’s pain after pain. When I got out, I threw up in the parking lot and had the worst day of my entire fucking life. Nothing compares to seeing your own loved ones in such a state and dead…. And you can’t do anything about it, just cry and have your heart torn into pieces…. I have no soul left, no heart, no nothing…. The only thing that anchors me to life right now is Stevie. Our parents were orphan, so we don’t have other family members than us. We do have our own friends, but blood is one. No matter how much you bicker to one another, blood is a powerful bond which gives forgiveness and being there for each other all the way.

We had the funerals. From the family, only us two, and there were a suit of friends and business clients and associates who came to present their condolences and have their last goodbyes. The second most painful event in our lives….

My little brother is staying with me for the last two weeks. Yes, two weeks have passed since the death of our parents, and I have no lead to the ones who murdered them. It’s a murder case. I don’t know for what they had to suffer such a painful and sudden death.

I don’t know what time it is, but it’s morning. These two weeks were hell on earth as I had companies and missions to deal with. Today we have the meeting with our lawyer to read the will and settle all transfers to me and Stevie. The collateral? It’s going to be discussed today as well. I have no problems over that. It’s not fucking legal. They can’t do shit to me. The lawyer has the contract over that and said we’ll have it on the table to legally discuss on it today. No, I haven’t seen it yet. I didn’t give a fuck on it after Stevie told me. I was just overwhelmed by my parents’ death that I overreacted.

I’m in my bedroom, dressed like last night as I had a mission, and I was beat tired to change. I came home at around three in the morning. I’m splashed over my bed, with my pillow in my arms and dead in my sleep. “Viv?” She’s not here…. Go to sleep…. “Viv!” Stop shaking me…. I’m not going anywhere…. Let me droll on the pillow some more…. “Sis! The lawyer! It’s today!” Stop yelling! I’m sleeping, not deaf! “Sis…. Come on…. Wake up….” I’ll beat your fucking ass…. You go…. You said you’re a man now…. Go and be a man and let your sister sleep…. I’m making the money and you go and deal with the other shit…. Done…. Responsibilities shared…. “Sis? Who’s Monroe? He said he’s….” What?! Not another fucking mission! I open my eyes and grab my phone from his hand, now seated on the bed, raking my fingers through my unruly hair as I always have it in the morning, yawning….

“Coffee, bro…. Coffee…. Fast….” I’m reading the message. ‘Meeting. I need you. I’m at the hotel. Private.’ Yeah….

“Here. All ready.” I take the cup from him, looking on the phone still, as I have to reply. ‘I’ll be there. 8 pm.’ “Another mission? Viv? You worry me with all this…. You were last night too? You came in late. Please…. Don’t go anymore, sis. You’re the only one I’ve got now….”

I move me webbed, sleepy eyes at him, closing my left eye, as I’m so fucking tired and the sunlight really fucks my eye. He’s all dressed up, in a suit. He’s one grown man. Stevie is tall with dark chocolate wavy short hair, we share same eyes, and well-built for his age. When did you grow so tall and handsome, little bro? I’m so fucking aging…. You were so fucking small 18 years ago….

“Stop nagging…. You look like a little man, baby bro.” I stand up and stroke his shoulder. “Thanks for the coffee.” I take a sip, give it back to him, and go for a shower and change of clothes. Kiddo….

“I’m not little! I’m taller than you now!” Still a fucking kid in my eyes… Baby bro…. He’s yelling at my back while I’m already in the bathroom and smiling.

After some, I don’t know, 15 minutes sleeping under the shower, with my forehead on the shower’s wall, I wash up and change into clean clothes. I have a black, long top, tailored to my body, a pair of black jeans leggings type, a black leather jacket within my waist, my flat black leather shoes, have some BB-cream on my face, and I’m ready to zombie around. And a touch of perfume which always makes me sneeze after I put it on. My black shades are on. I have sensitive eyes to sunlight when I wake up.

“Let’s go, Stevie…. I can’t wait to finish it and come back to sleep some more…. I can’t fucking keep my eyes opened….” I would sleep for a month….

I take the car keys, purse, and off the door to go through this hell as well. Everything connected to our parents gives us more pain and remembering our loss.

“Sis!” What?! What’s more?! I turn around to look at him. What did I forget? “You haven’t brushed your hair…. It’s all…. Puffed….” He breaks into laughter. I’ll beat your ass if you laugh one more time…. Try for a day to be in my fucking shoes and see how that goes…. I ignore him and go back to arrange my hair.

In about an hour, we are in our lawyer’s office, Mr. Jerry Kolnick. He’s an ordinary looking man, around 50, short and plump. He drags a bit his left foot, round glasses, and chestnut hair. He’s our lawyer for the last 15 years. All legal documents go through this guy from our side.

“Hey, Vivian! Stevie! Take a seat.” He’s happy to see us. “I’m sorry for your parents…. I’m at a loss of words to express how hard it was for us, too.” He’s flushed with sadness now. Yeah…. You guys were close, too….

“Thank you, Mr. Kolnick.” I take a seat and Stevie does the same. He says the same to him. I feel like a drunk person from how much sleep depraved I am.

He goes through the will and nothing new pops. All shares, companies, and assets go half and half between me and baby bro. Profits and losses. He finishes reading the will and I stand up to go as I’m falling asleep at this point. Not because I’m getting bored, but because I have no energy. “Viv! Wait. There’s more. The second part of our meeting.” Oh, yeah…. That fucking contract…. Forgot about it…. I don’t function well at nine in the morning…. Not after all I had these past couple of weeks. I crawl into my seat again.

“I’m sorry. Continue. I was rude. I apologize.” I take Stevie’s left hand into mine and wait for some more speaking. I do concentrate and register everything, but my eyes just go into off mode from time to time. I need a double shot espresso after this…. There was a coffee shop downstairs…. Yep. Next stop is there.

“No worries, Vivian. I know you’ve been through a lot and the companies gave you headaches. They’re not looking good at all.” Tell me about it….

I give him a genuine smile and signal Stevie with my stare to my hand on his. He knows that he needs to squeeze it to give me some impulse to stay fucking awake. He does it. Love you, baby bro…. I really can’t stay awake…. Not my fault I had to run for fucking thirty minutes last night after a criminal and fight him for another twenty minutes. I fucking jumped so many things to catch his ass…. Then to write reports and the following shit…. If the companies would have made profit this period, I would have taken a vacay from the agency…. We need those money, too, unfortunately….

“For this part, we need to wait for them, I’m afraid.” He takes a concerned stare behind those round small glasses of his. For who? I’m lost right now….

I look at my brother; he looks back at me. Not helping, little man…. I was looking at you to fill me in, not to ask me….

“To wait for LeAngelo.” Lewho? Who the fuck is that? Are you fast aging, too, Mr. Lawyer? We don’t know any Lealo something…. I’m so fucking tired….

I give him a raised left eyebrow and very sleepy stare. “Lelo guy is not connected to us….” I get interrupted as his secretary has just showed in two guys. I take my head and stare, with difficulty, to check them out and see who they are. I don’t fucking know them. Mr. Lawyer instantly stands up at their sight and welcomes them, intimidated and wiping his sweat on his forehead with his handkerchief. “Well, if your next meeting has arrived, we’ll show ourselves out, Mr. Kolnick. We’ll keep in touch.” I put my shades back on and stand up to go. I fucking need a bed…. I really walk like a drunk man…. Fucking shit…. Even my breathing is delayed…. I need some food, too, but the espresso is first to go in….

“Vivian! Wait!” I’m out the door…. What the fuck have I forgot this time? I’m so fucking messed up this year….

“We’ll take it next time, whatever it is…. I need some sleep…. Sorry, Mr. Kolnick….” Stevie has just pulled me back in by my jacket. What are you doing?!

“Sis?! This is the guy I was speaking of. The 10 million loan….” What? Who?

I turn my head and look at the guys inside, through my shades. They’re both towering and ripped in muscles, like Greek Gods. But one is older, around forty, and one is younger, around twenty something. The young one is all pissed off, the old one all smiling. Nice combo in attitude. Contrast. They’re wearing expensive tailored made suits and all neat and, expensive. They both have dark green eyes, white skin and chiseled jawline. They’re so fucking big. But I can beat the shit out of them if it’s necessary…. Yeah…. I visibly scan them to see their structure and find their weak spots, if it’ll will get down to violence. I’m half-awake now as the ones claiming me as a wife for a shit loan could get their asses kicked.

“Oh…. Right. Lealo guys…. OK.” I give my shades and purse to Stevie and I take my killer look and attitude, sitting back on my chair. Let’s see the scores…. Should be interesting…. I don’t give a look to any of them now and have my glare on the lawyer to speak.