CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Mark Conely

MARK WAS HUGGING Camille, seeing his best friends getting married, he wanted with the most sincere feeling that they were as happy as he and Camille were being at their wedding, after all, they were rich, beautiful, talented. Everything in their lives worked out, they had global recognition and best of all, each one had in their hands the best prizes anyone could dream of.

Even without assuming himself, Mark knew that he would like madly to be in Anthony's place, while he could, he loved Josie madly and madly and because he loved her that way, he wanted them to be happy, what he felt was not a feeling of possession. But he knew in his heart of hearts that she would be happier with him, they were simply made for each other, not even the scandal of the videos had shaken him.

When Mark found out, he even wanted to know what Josie would look like naked, but suddenly, he felt that it would be an affront to that friendship, what they did was their problem.

— Did something happen, love? — Camille said, making Mark come back to reality.

He gave a brotherly smile.

— We've been through so much together, the three of us, that I can only be happy to see them like this, it's something magical.

I feel like that's not how you feel.

— It's just weird, nothing more, because if I've found happiness, why can't they be happy together too?

Camille leaned back on her chest and continued to watch the ceremony in silence, she wasn't quite satisfied with the answer, but she herself was dubious about her feelings towards Mark.

Of course, Mark never liked Tony's extravagances, all that publicity about the marriage was bad for both of them, mainly because of Tony's numerous scandals in recent times, that had a negative impact on his career. Even winning the Oscar, for many, Tony was a mistake of nature in the artistic environment, he represented everything that the artistic environment should not represent, but the great truth is that Tony was the finest work of art, evolution, almost in most intimate part of Apollo in today's culture.

That was also Mark 's opinion.

But who was he to give an opinion on the lives of others... after all, even with so many scandals he won an Oscar... nothing should be impossible for him.

Especially after the day Anthony said:

— I appreciate the concern, Mark, but if you insist on taking care of my life, I will be forced to give you a cat, after all, he has seven lives for you to take care of and forget about mine.

MARK WAS HUGGING Camille when they decided to go into a restaurant, but upon entering, Mark saw his parents together in the greatest mood of romance.

— Is it just me, or...

Before they can even turn around, their father yells:

— Mark! My dear son.

Noah hugged his son, who didn't hug him back.

— I miss you.

Mark looked him up and down and realized that he hadn't changed at all, he was still the same leech...

Did you wait for me to get rich to come back in our lives?

— Why are you here? — Mark asked sharply — When we needed you, you weren't around.

— That's the past, son, let's look to the future… we're a family.

Suddenly, he turned his attention to Camille.

Isn't that right, beautiful? A small but happy family.

— Let's go, Camille.

— Camille? Aren't you going to introduce me to your little girlfriend? I only met Josie... — he nudged her — this boy gave me a hell of a scare, I always thought he didn't like girls, he never dated anyone, he just lived behind that skinny dancer.

— Son… — his mother said — let's look to the future, we all make mistakes.

— We just don't have to repeat them, do we, Mom? — Especially you who got hit by that scoundrel.

Camille realized that the entire restaurant was looking at them at that moment.

— Honey, I think we'd better go.

— It 's your choice, mother, if you go back with him, you won't have a penny from me anymore.

Mark hugged Camille and left.

— Are you all right, honey?

— It's not okay, you've seen with your own eyes the bastard that is my father.

— Maybe he's changed.

— You don't know him, I do. I could see in his eyes that nothing had changed, he just wanted money.

Suddenly, they heard a stone hit the glass in the room and someone screaming.

— Mark!!! Open that damn door.

— It's my father.

'What will you do?' Think carefully before committing any atrocity.

Wordlessly, Mark opened the door and his father stormed in, but before he could get used to the floor, he slipped and fell onto the coffee table, crashing under his weight.

— Satisfied now, you old drunk?

Noah tried to get up, but it took him a few moments to recover and as soon as he got up, Mark saw the pool of blood that was on his white carpet.

— Then?

Camille returned with a clean towel and placed it over her severed arm.

— She looks more like my daughter than you do.

— I'll leave you alone.

— You can stay, the last thing I want is to be alone with that worm.

Camille sat beside him.

— Why can't you forgive me?

— It's because he never got spanked when he had his drinking bouts.

— I've changed, son...

— And?

— Can't you give me a second chance?

— It's funny you say that, when I was beaten, I never had a second chance, when he left, we had to live with Grandpa, all these years, he never came to see me, he didn't even call me. What's on your mind to think that just coming back would welcome you with open arms?

— We all deserve a chance to recant.

— All right, get a job, stop drinking, take good care of my mother, go get treated in some church, after about ten years I can think about your case.

— Help your old man get up, go... now you're all cool in life, with a big house, beautiful woman, famous... I was very proud when I saw you on television.

— I knew you wanted money, you bastard, out of my house!!!

DESPITE THE SUCCESS, Mark's life remained simple, he studied music on the beach, played his concerts, went to see Camille's film recordings, it was almost a vicious circle. His friendship with Josie and Anthony also took a toll, in the first few months he even made an effort to go to their house, but they were always out. Over time, he didn't go there anymore, didn't call and realized that the cooling was reciprocal.

Camille was so hypnotic and unique that it was not difficult to fall madly in love, she did everything possible and impossible to please him, she was always by his side, supported him in everything he did, gave interesting ideas for new songs and worked hard.

For Mark, that was what mattered, having a companion by his side and sharing every moment.

Good and bad... coincidentally, he'd only had good times with her.

Because of Josie and Anthony's wedding, Camille felt like getting married in the church too, only they wanted something much simpler, they would invite a few friends and have the ceremony on the private beach of their mansion.

As expected, the ceremony did not change the couple's routine at all, Mark continued to write big hits, and remarkable soundtracks one after the other, he was called by many:

The John Lennon of violins.

CAMILLE TURNED A little strange lately, asking meaningless questions, until the day she decided to tell the truth.

She was pregnant, but Mark wasn't the father.