Part 13



I look through the window to see a small white delivery truck parked outside. Finally it is here, I was starting to think that they wouldn’t come. My brother follows me to the door where the delivery man is waiting for me.

”Miss Williams?” he asks me.

”Yes, that’s me.”

”I have a flower delivery to you from a Mr J. A. Will you sign here please?”

I sign my name where he wants me to and a few delivery men starts to unload the truck. I gasp when I see the white beautiful roses in large bouquets. They are tied with red large ribbons. They are absolutely breathtaking. This is so like him to send me flowers like these. Darlene is often called The White Rose. The delivery man gives me a white envelope.

”There are two dozens of them. Just tell the men where you want them and they will arrange it for you.”

”Thank you,” I smile to him and takes out the card inside it.

Hi Darling!

I am sorry I can’t be there with you on your big day.

I wish you all the best and I hope you will have a lovely evening.

The picture is from when we last saw each other.

I hope I can make it to your wedding instead.

Love Jamie



It is hand written and signed by Jamie himself. I take the picture from behind the note and see me and Jamie smiling back at me. We look happy and totally gorgeous together and I can remember when we took it. It was at a restaurant and Anna had taken the picture. I feel my heart tighten because I miss him. That’s when I notice that my brother is looking over my shoulder and I realise that he saw everything. I put them back into the envelope and press it tight to my chest. I turn around anxiously to see his shocked expression.

”Martin…” I start nervously. ”I can explain. Can we talk about it later? When there is less people around.”

He just nods and walks away scratching his head.

Shit! This was not the way I wanted him to find out. I’m screwed. Totally…

”Miss?” a voice interrupts me.

It is the delivery men who made it inside and they are holding the flowers and are waiting for orders.

”Yes, follow me.” I tell them and instruct them how to place the flowers. They look lovely and I sigh with relief when the delivery men are finished and leaves.

A small pain of fright spreads in my heart and I just smile to all guests and keep walking and looking for my brother. Anne and her friends joins the room and a lot of guests starts to compliment them. Anne waves me over.

”Martin just went to his room looking really pale. Will you see if he is okay?”

”Of course,” I answer guilty. It is my fault he is feeling… How is he feeling? Hurt? Betrayed? I am the worst sister! I should have told them earlier like Matt wanted me too and now it is just becoming to be a big mess.

”Molly!” I hear a screech. It is Mrs Gregory. ”You said you didn’t order any flowers!” she blames me disappointedly.

”I didn’t, these are from a friend wishing me and Matt good luck.”

”Do you honestly think I will believe that?”

”Whatever, Mrs Gregory. I need to see my brother.”

I walk off to his room before another person grabs me. I knock gently on his door and open it to find him laying in his bed, hiding his face with his arm. I close the door and make my way up to him and I take a seat in the armchair in front of the window.

”Martin?” I say softly.

”Go away.” he mutters.

”I’m sorry.”

”What are you sorry for? I am obviously not worth anything to you.”

It hurts to hear something like that and I flinch at his comment.

”That is not true!” I deny with a broken voice. ”You are my little brother, you will always be.”

He is quiet and I feel so bad and almost panicking.

”I didn’t…” What am I supposed to say to make him feel better? ”My life is quite crazy. I just wanted one piece that is normal. That is you, dad, Bree and Anne. It is just us, a family and nothing else.”

”You’ve never really been a part of it. You were never home and now I know why. We wondered why you never came, you didn’t tell us good reasons and we just thought you didn’t care about us.”

”I care, I promise Martin I care!” I can’t stop the tears running down my cheeks. ”I didn’t want to complicate your lives. I wanted to save you from the spotlight, all paparazzi and…”

”From having a world famous sister?” he interrupts me. ”I rather have Darlene as a sister than the sister I had for the last eight years!” He sits up in his bed and look angrily into my eyes. ”I don’t mind having all the trouble that comes with it, sharing is what makes us a family Molly and you obviously don’t know anything about it!”

I break out in a heartbreaking cry. It is true. I never thought about what they wanted, I was too busy trying to protect them from the truth. As the tears are flooding out from my eyes I feel a tissue being pressed to my cheek and I look up to see Martin holding it. I calm down a bit and take the tissue from him.

”You did it on your own, Darlene,” he says with wonder in his voice. ”You are a really strong person and it is amazing that you pulled it off this far.”

”It is really tough to be a world star,” I agree shakily. I pick up the envelope I dropped on the floor earlier to take out the picture. I hand it over to him. ”Welcome to my life Martin.”

He hugs me and it makes me feel a little bit better, a little less pain pressuring on my heart.

”I am happy to be a part of it, even if I am still upset over…” He loses his words and look at me in the picture. He shakes his head. ”How can we be so blind? It is unbelievable.”

”People only see what they want to see.”

”You are right about that.” He still has an angry voice but I can’t blame him. ”You should clean yourself up, you look like a mess.”

I laugh.

”You are right. Anne is worried about you. Don’t be angry all evening just because I am a bad sister okay?”

”I promise,” he says with a sigh. ”Now hurry before my future brother in law comes looking for you.” He looks at the picture and shakes his head. ”You and Jamie Allen, unbelievable!”

I go back to my room without being seen and lock myself up in my bathroom. I wash my face in cold water till my eyes stops stinging and reapply my make-up really fast. Then I’m ready to join the party again. This is my evening after all so I can’t go missing. Matt is laughing carefree with his friends, unknowingly about what happened. I walk up to him and he embraces me. They bring me into the conversation and I soon find myself laughing again. Matt is kind enough to help me pick food from the buffet and we sit down to eat it. Everyone seems to enjoy the buffet and I am thrilled that the evening after all is coming along well. Whenever my eyes fall on Martin I feel a huge pang of guilt, but I can see that he is trying to be his usual self and I am thankful for that.

The negative part is the gossip behind our backs and the real reason why they came, to find out why Matt scandally sold his part of Ilvy Medicals. They know better than to ask the question right out, and they rather come to their own nasty conclusions. It feels like being thrown out to the sharks even if I am used to be around a lot of people I don’t know and the attention. I did not invite many friends. Most of all our guests are invited by the Gregory family. I don’t know if I regret that now, Martin knows the truth and I really want some of my famous friends to be here with me. Why did I make everything so complicated?

I see Martin walk away on his own and I hurry after him. I find him alone in one of the lounge rooms. I close the door and sit down next to him in the black leather sofa.

”You again,” he states.

”Yeah, I’m sorry for being a stalker sister.”

”I’ll live. I just need some time to breath. No offence but I hate these gatherings. Dad always force us to go and you are lucky to have missed them all.”

”Yes, well Mrs Gregory didn’t want anything less than this.”

”You let her walk all over you. You are too nice, it’s annoying.”

”I’m sorry if you’re not having fun.”

”Are you kidding? This is the most fun I ever had on these kind of occasions.” Martin smiles and I reach out to give him a hug. He hugs me back and it makes me feel better.

”I’m going to tell everyone tonight after all guests have left. I can’t go on lying anymore.” I tell him.

”No Molly, you can’t!” he says shocked. ”They will also be upset and this is a time in your life that you will need everyone’s support. Promise me you’ll wait?”

”I promise,” I breath out and let my heart calm down a bit. ”I am so nervous and scared. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
”I know sis. I’m proud of you.”

”You are?”

”As a person, not as our sister. You have to work more on that part.”

”I promise to be a better sister from now on.”

”Just promise to be a good mom. I wish she was here tonight so she could see you. She’d be proud too.”

”Thanks Martin. We better go out there again so we don’t miss the next part of the agenda.”

He helps me up and we walk back to the party. The short break from it made me feel better and I walk up to Eric and his sister who is sitting by a table talking to my sister and her friends.

”I see you all found each other.” I announce myself.

”Hi Madam!” Eric smiles so I can see all his perfect white teeth. ”I was just complimenting the dancers.”

”Yes you did very well.” I tell them. ”Thank you so much for coming today.”

”It is our pleasure,” one of the girls says kindly.

”I wish I could dance that well. Anna tried to learn me but I am not nearly as good as she is. Did you talk with Anna?”

They shake their heads.

”How did you manage to find this guy?” Anne asks me and pointing at Eric. ”He’s really funny!”

”Actually I found her,” Eric tells her. ”She was crying in the middle of the mall because she couldn’t find any Christmas gifts so I helped her. I am a terrible gift shopper so you will have to blame me for what you get.”

”Thanks Mister!” I slap his shoulder gently. ”Just tell them everything, there’s no point hiding anything embarrassing.”

”That doesn’t sound like Molly,” Anne says. ”She always find wonderful gifts for us.”

”It is obviously the hormones,” Eric answer her with a wink and they both start laughing.

Aww they look so cute together and they seem interested in each other too. I pat Eric’s shoulder and whisper good luck into his ear so he looks at me surprisingly.

”Penny, how are you doing?” I ask Eric’s sister.

”I am doing great!” is her answer. ”I can’t believe you have a rock star here, I am just trying to figure out a way to talk to him.”

”Oh, you mean Shawn?”

”Yes of course!” she says with a blush. He’s the most gorgeous man in here.”

That makes me laugh really loud.

”Just go and talk to him, he won’t bite you know.” I tease her. ”No offence but my Matt is the most gorgeous man in here.”

”I don’t have the guts,” she admits. ” Can’t you introduce me?”

”I can, I expect him to approach me tonight and when he does I hope you have your eyes open so you can save me from him.”

”What do you mean? Don’t you like Shawn Steel?” Anne asks confused.

”He’s not my favourite person. Don’t let me disturb you anymore! I have a lot of more things to do.” I wave them goodbye as I walk off to dad and Bree. Dad kisses me cheek.

”How is my favourite girl doing?”

”You call everyone your favourite girl.” I scold him.

”No I don’t!” he denies.

”Yes you do,” Bree agrees with me.

”But you are all my favourite girls.”

Bree and I shake our heads smiling to each other.

I walk up to the microphone and look over the crowd. Another person would have been nervous maybe or thrilled to be the centre of attention. I am on the other hand in my right element on a stage. It is my life, who I am and what I naturally must do for the rest of my life, whatever happens. I smile wholeheartedly and notice that all the nurses are in the room waiting for me to start. It is just sad I’m not up here to sing because I really miss it.

”Everyone,” I start saying to get their attention. ”I hope you all are having a good evening and that you like the food. I can’t let this opportunity go to waste now that all of the top society families are here tonight. We all have families and people we love just as I and Matt soon will become parents. Having a family is a gift given from heaven, they are often taken for granted or trying to control each other. I hope my child will be healthy and live a long life. That is something we never can be certain of. In the end it doesn’t matter how much money we own if we can’t cure the ones we love. Sometimes we just have to treasure the time we have left with them because we never know when it is going to end.”

I stop talking to watch over the crowd. They are listening with interest wondering what my conclusion is. I keep smiling the way Rick told me will open the door to everyone’s hearts. It is a talent that I appreciate a lot because it also opened a lot of doors to my singing.

”Many of you here tonight barely know me and are wondering what I do with my time. I will tell you one of the things I devoted my life for. Tonight none of you can have missed the nurses who is here with us. They are my honoured guests from the local Children’s Hospital and they are here to collect donations from you to their Last Wish Fund. Every dying child have a dream they want to fulfil and we all will make sure their dreams will come true so they can go to rest peacefully. No donation is too small or too high, only your own conscious sets the limit. I will start my donation with three thousand, the nurses will go around the room and collect. They accept cash and checks. Thank you for your attention and please ask the nurses any questions you might have.”

I step down from the stage to leave my check in one of the collecting boxes. I hear a strong applause around me and I feel warm at heart for their understanding. I leave the room to look after the children who was left unattended for a few minutes. They are playing peacefully and unaware what’s happening in the other room. They are eleven children and up to seven years old.

”Are you having fun in here?” I ask them and they give me a positive response.

One of the younger girls come up to me and puts her head to the side. She can’t be older than three.

”Lene?” she says.

I melt away by her cuteness though I feel a bit stunned over the fact that this little girl recognised me so easily when all the adults didn’t. Children always look differently at things though, it is like they can see beyond the facades the grown ups so desperately tries to hold up.

”Lene, play?” she asks me again and grabs my hand and takes me to the sofa where my old guitar is waiting for me. It was one of my most precious belongings once, it is still in good shape but obviously used a lot. I sit down and start preparing my guitar so it will sound right.

”My baby likes when I sing,” I tell the little girl. ”What is your name?”

”Fee,” she answers me shyly sucking her thumb.

”Fee?” It must be some kind of nickname. ”What do you want me to play?”

”Noise, I love noise.”

Her eyes are big, waiting for me to start playing. She must be one of my youngest fans, Noise is one of my most appreciated songs. It is happy and energizing. I start playing the guitar letting my voice entertain my young audience. The children drops everything at their hands and start dancing around to my music. I don’t feel like Darlene or Molly at this moment, I feel like myself. I am not putting up and act or trying to hide. We are just enjoying the moment and despite their free entry and my simple performance I must say that I have more fun here than I had the last few years on stage. I don’t need a large arena to be happy, this is good enough too. I keep singing and the girls and boys keep dancing while the other guest are missing all this because they are in the party hall and the sound from this room doesn’t reach that far.