When the wind of change blows, some build walls while others build windmills.

―Chinese Proverb

Will you remember me in ten years?

I read the back of the photograph and held it to my chest.

Will you remember me in ten years?

I looked at the photo again, rereading the words that weren't meant for me and wiped a tear that threatened to smudge it. "Oh Dad," I whispered. "How could anyone ever forget you?"

His photographs were all that I had left. I would never again hear his voice or laugh along with him just because his laughter was that infectious or get the chance to make fun of the lines on his face whenever he smiled. Oh, what I wouldn't give to see his smiling face again just for a second.

"Camille? Can I come in?"

The voice belonged to my best friend, April. With a heavy sigh, I tucked the photo under my pillow and lay back down before the door opened.

"Hey," she said softly. I felt the bed dip and then she was gently rubbing my back. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my dad just died."

She attempted to hug me but since I was lying facedown, she only managed to cover my back. "Have you eaten today?" she asked, wisely choosing to ignore my response.

"Only my feelings." Aka my weight in chocolate and ice cream. A combination that was supposed to reduce my sadness. I didn't work, of course. I was feeling just as awful as I did yesterday and the day before that, and the day before that.

"At least you ate something. How about hygiene? Have you taken a bath since yesterday?"

I shook my head and she sighed. "Cam, you need to at least do that."

I rolled onto my back and peered at her. Concern creased her brow. "Am I not allowed to marinate in my sadness?"

"Marinate, yes. But doing so without taking a shower first? No."

I pulled my blanket to my chin and ducked under, only to have it ripped off of me. "Shower first," April reminded me.

"Is it safe for me to enter?"

I turned my attention to the door where Jason, my only other friend and April's boyfriend stood with his hand in the air, ready to knock.

"Thank God you're here," I said, fixing myself upright.

"Happy to be here." He kissed my forehead and hugged April. "Hey, babe."

I gagged a little when he kissed her and reached for my cell to avoid their make out scene that was no doubt coming.

I popped in my headphone as Drink a beer, by Luke Bryan started playing and smiled despite the circumstances. My father hated country music but somehow this song seemed so fitting given the state of affairs of our lives at the moment.

"...so I'm gonna sit right here, on the edge of this pier and watch the sunset disappear, and drink a beer. Funny how the good ones go too soon but the good Lord knows the reasons why y.." The music suddenly stopped, opening my eyes to investigate, I found April holding the plug of my headphone.

I raised my brow. "Explain yourself."

"You have visitors," she said, motioning toward my bedroom door where two women stood looking at me expectantly.

"What are they doing up here?" I whispered to April, wondering who they were and what gave them the right to just enter someone else's home without permission. Surely that was still considered rude, not to mention illegal.

"I'm sorry to just barge in, but is it possible for us to have a word with you?" The woman who said that had taken a step into the room ahead of her companion.

"And you are?"

She gestured to my friends. "I'd rather speak to you in private, please."

I raised my brow. "What's this about?"

She glanced at the woman standing beside her before turning back to me. "Ms. Matthews, this really is something that should be discussed privately."

Always the more levelheaded one of the three of us, Jason offered to show them to the living room while I sorted myself out. "It can't hurt to listen," he said before leaving.

"Maybe they were your Dad's friends," April suggested.

I got out of bed and grabbed my bathrobe. "Unlikely," I said before I wrapped it around my pajama clad body.

"Well, I guess that egghead might be right. It can't hurt to listen."

***

A short while later I joined the two strangers in the living room. I'd showered and was dressed in my gym shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt. I pulled my hair in a ponytail as I approached them.

The first woman stood and extended her hand. "Camille, I'm Kate Hills and this is Tori Prescott."

I shook her hand. "Nice to meet you." I took a seat and waited for her to start speaking.

"I know that this is a painful time for you," she said, pausing to deliver a sympathetic smile. "But, unfortunately, I can no longer delay this meeting. I'm the social worker assigned to your case. As per your father's request, you are appointed to the care of your mother, effective imm―"

"Wait a minute," I interrupted her. "Did you say mother? Because last I heard my mother was dead."

"That's not true," the lady Kate introduced as Tori said, speaking for the first time.

I looked at her, willing my stare to remain blank even as I saw my own sadness reflected in this stranger's eyes. When it became too weird staring at her, I turned to Kate. "Are you absolutely sure that we can't do this another day? I'm not emotionally fit to deal with this right now."

Sure, it was probably silly to put off discussing what exactly the near future held for me, but the idea of revisiting the ghost that is my "mother" gave me chills and not the good kind.

I guess I knew that it was unrealistic to hope that I would just be left alone since I was only sixteen and still a minor, but I never expected that the subject of many disagreements between my dad and I, this phantom of a woman we had not spoken about once I was old enough to know better than to ask questions, would be the one that I'd be forced upon.

Kate typed something into her phone before looking at me. "We have a short window of time here, Camille."

I raised my brow. "Okay?"

She tapped her phone and stood. "The most that I can give you is another day. I'll be back on Friday."

"Well, I'm sorry if my father's death is an inconvenience to you," I growled. My anger surprised me a little actually but it didn't phase the social worker.

"That's not what I meant. See you Friday," was her response before giving me a pat on the shoulder.

Her partner seemed torn but after her initial hesitation, she followed her out the door. I scowled at their backs and slammed it for good measure.

¤¤

"I wonder what she looks like," April mumbled. She was lying cross-way on my bed flipping through a magazine.

"I could be moving and that's what you're thinking about? Gee, I can really feel the love," I muttered, looking at my reflection in the full length mirror on the wall.

Truth is, I've been wondering the same thing. Would she have my unbelievably unmanageable hair or will it be soft and tame? Did I get my eyes from her? My laugh? My butt?

"I'm hungry, let's go get pizza," April declared, already bored of her magazine. She tossed it beside her and reclined on her elbows.

I shook my head although I knew I'd give in if she pushed the issue.

"C'mon Camille, you've barely eaten anything in days, and besides you could really use the fresh air," she said with a pout.

"I've got fresh air right here," I told her while opening a window.

"Not what I meant." She bounced up and opened my closet, tossing my favorite hooded jacket over her shoulder. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can return."

I sighed and shrugged into the hoodie. April clapped her hands in glee and practically ran from the room and down the stairs. I followed after her, failing to match her enthusiasm.

When we walked into the restaurant, I pulled my hoodie tighter around me and kept my head down. I knew leaving the safety of my bed was a bad idea. "Everyone's looking at me," I nudged April.

"Don't be silly, they're not looking at you, they're looking at the girl next to you," she replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.

I rolled my eyes and quickly found us a seat at the very back.

"Hey girls, what can I get y'all tonight?" Lynn, our favorite waitress asked.

"We'll have a large meat lovers please, and tell Jim its okay to be extra generous with the chicken," April answered.

Lynn laughed, while I stifled a groan. "And to drink?"

"Two cokes," I answered this time.

Throughout dinner April kept trying to makes jokes. The key word here is trying. She did, however, manage to make me choke, causing my drink to resurface through my nose. Much to my annoyance and her amusement.

"You're not funny," I told her, wiping my face with a napkin.

"You're right. I'm hilarious."

"Can we just go?" I muttered.

She looked dejected but nodded anyway. "I thought that being around people might help ease your sadness."

I put my arm around her as we walked to the door. "What did I tell you about thinking?"

She thumped me and I cracked up. "Love you," I said, smiling earnestly.

"I know," she replied, earning herself a slap on the arm.

When we got back to the house I locked myself in my room. I wanted nothing more than to have a warm shower and crawl into bed. Our little outing had completely drained me, and I was not looking forward to dealing with the social worker on Friday. If anything, the thought only depressed me further.

Photo on the side: Ana Villafane as Camille☺