Oh finally another chapter. I hope you will like this one. 

Chapter 22

„How did Laura died?" I asked her hoping she would finally tell me. It was still a mystery to me and I couldn't ask Nicholas as he clearly didn't wanted to talk about it.

„He still didn't told you?" Chloe asked me curious.

„No he didn't." I replied and she furrowed.

„Well it wasn't really easy for him. He saw her die right in front of him." She said sadly considering how to continue.

„You know they were on a vacation. The three of them. Nicholas was always taking Laura and Sofia with him when he was on a business trip for longer than four days and this time they wanted to prolong it for two weeks to make it their vacation. Nicholas went for a business dinner that night. And he is kicking himself for that. And he will regret that for the rest of his life. Because Laura and Sofia stayed at the rented house when..."

„I am ready." Sofia interrupted our talk walking out of the office followed by Nicholas and the principal.

Gosh I really wanted to hear this and I finally got one of them talking. When there will be another chance to hear it?

„Great." Chloe replied to her.

„Thank you for coming with me today." Sofia said to us with a smile but I saw she was nervous.

„I am really glad I did." I replied to her and hugged her. „Good luck. And don't be nervous. You will for sure make a great friends here." I told her and then she got a hug from Chloe.

„Bonne chance!" Chloe repeated in French then Nicholas kissed her forehead and she left with the principal into the hall. He was looking after her as it was her first ever day in school. I took his hand. „Don't worry. She will do great." I told him and he smiled at me.

„I know she will." He replied smiling at me. „When do you have to be at work?" he asked me and I looked at my watch.

„I have hour and thirty minutes free." I replied and he smiled looking at Chloe.

„We are going to check on the hotel. Do you wanna see it? It is actually on the way to the studios." He added.

„Sure. Why not?" I replied. Whatever that will make my mind busy from thinking about my memories.

„Leo will join us. His plane landed thirty minutes ago. It was delayed. He also wanted to be here." She said to me.

„Is he going to stay in LA longer this time?" I asked her. „I wanted to discuss some of the paintings with him." I said.

„I actually don't know how long he will be staying. He has pretty busy schedule lately." She replied.

We went back to Nicholas's home to get my car as I would go straight to work from there as well he was about to go to his. I followed him in my car into the downtown where we stopped infront of a huge building. Chloe was already waiting for us outside.

„Wow. I didn't know it would be this big." I said when I walked to her.

„Well it is certainly bigger then our hotels in Europe. But we expect a bigger clientele here. Especially when there are a lot of huge film industry events in Los Angeles. Everyone wants to be accomodated in the center of LA." She smiled.

„I already heard some rumors that it is going to be the best hotel in the city." I stated.

„Hopefully it will." She replied proudly.

„She is working very hard to make it happen." Nicholas said taking my hand.

„Shall we go inside?" he asked me. „Sure." I replied.

We entered the building where the reception would be. There were a lot of construction workers putting a tile floor already. The walls were already painted by creamy gold color.

„I didn't know you were already this far with it." I said surprised. I thought it was for now only a construction.

„We have already finished some of the top floor rooms. The only thing missing there is a furniture. Do you wanna see them?" she asked me excitedly.

„Of course." I replied. We went up to the seventh floor. She showed us all the rooms which were almost finished and explained us how they will look furnished. She is even counting to put Leo's paintings into each room.

„I must say it already looks amazing." I said when we came back to the reception.

„Thank you." Chloe said smiling.

„Do you wanna show her also the restaurant?" Nicholas asked Chloe.

„Follow me." She replied and led us to a hall with a big golden door. After opening it there was a huge space with ceiling made from light wood with crufted leaves and twigs with gold from which the light was iluminating the room. It all was centering to the the middle of the restaurant where a big pillar was placed clearly representing it as the tree.

„Wow. That is incredible." I said looking around.

„This was actually a second idea. But it turned out pretty nice." Chloe said.

„I think it is great too." Nicholas smiled. „We wanted Leo to paint the ceiling but with his succesfull collection he wouldn't have time for that. Then Chloe came out with this idea which I think was brilliant." He explained smiling at his sister with pride.

„Thank you. You see around the pillar there will be a bar of course." She explained to me.

„By the way. When you are talking about the bar. I was calling with James. He promised me he will send us his wine for the opening night." Nicholas said to Chloe.

„Oh really? That's great. Didn't you asked him if he could supply us with at least few of the bottles not only for the opening night?" She asked him.

„I did but he can't. He doesn't have such a huge production. You know he is selling it only in his restaurant." He replied.

„That's a pitty. It would be a big seller here. You know the wine from the Duke's own winery. People from LA would love that." She replied and I looked at Nicholas questionably.

„James is our friend from London. He has his own restaurant, probably the best in London and he produces a great wine. But only for his restaurants purposes. And he also happens to be a Duke." He explained.

„Hmm. Interesting." I replied surprised how much I still don't know about him. Or his friends.

„Oh. Here you are." We heard and turned to look at the entrance where Leo was standing.

„I found them." He yelled behind him and started to walk to us.

„Sorry I am so late. The traffic was terrible." He said hugging Chloe and then Nicholas.

„Angie. I didn't know you would be here." He looked at me little nervous.

„Hi Leo. I am actually on my way to work." I replied.

„Well I didn't came alone." He said rubbing his neck nervously looking at Nicholas when two women just entered the room.

„Oh my God." Chloe squeaked and run to greet them at the entrance. She hugged both of them. I felt Nicholas to stiffen when he saw them. I looked at him and he went suddenly nervous.

„I can't believe you are here." Chloe said excitedly to the women.

„Well we wanted to surprise Sofia and be with her at her first day at school but the plane was delayed so we missed it." The older one explained.

„She will be excited when she will see you." Chloe exclaimed.

„I can't wait to see her. I feel like I haven't saw her for ages." She replied.

„Wow it really looks great here. With this pace I guess you will be opening really soon." The younger one said when she looked around.

"Oh my God. Do I see a ring on that finger?" Chloe asked the younger one taking her hand.

"Yes. Oliver asked me to marry him two weeks ago." She replied excitedly.

"Congratulations!" Chloe said.

"He wanted to come too but he had some business in London. We didn't set the date for the wedding yet. But I hope you all will make it to the wedding." She said and looked at Nicholas who recovered and walked to them.

"We wouldn't missed it." Chloe replied.

"Congratulations Alice." Nicholas said and hugged her.

"Thank you." She replied smiling at him.

„Camile. What a surprise." He said to the older one putting a kiss on her cheek.

„Well I would be waiting probably for ages to see Sofia again if I didn't came to see her here. Especially now that she started school here too." She said to him reproachfully.

„I am sorry. I know I promised to visit before the school starts." he replied to her.

„Yes you did. And didn't kept that promise." The younger said to him looking at him sternly.

„I know Alice. I was busy." He replied and her eyes landed on me. From the distance I saw her furrow when she saw me.

„I didn't know you had a company." She said looking at me.

„Oh." Nicholas said nervous. Was he so nervous to introduce me to them? Was he embaraced of me? And who were these women? They came closer and Nicholas nervously took my hand.

„Camile, Alice this is Angie Cooper." He said and I saw the nervous looks Leo and Chloe exchanged.

I saw the two women were starring at me shocked. They were taken aback like they saw a ghost.

„Angie this is Camile and this is Alice." Nicholas said pointing at the two of them. They were both brunettes with long hair. I would guess mother and daughter by the face lines although they had a different eyes. Both of them were very pretty. The older lady, Camile was very beautifull and elegant. I would guess she had to be very beautifull also when she was younger and with her long and slim figure she could clearly be a model back in the days. But in her face I saw some familiarity. Like I knew her from somewhere. I don't know why. Maybe she really was a model and I saw her in some magazine before. Her face was full of love and sadness at the same time when she was looking at me.

"Camile is Sofias grandmother and my mother in law." Nicholas explained and I immediately understood. All of Nicholas's family was looking at me like on a ghost when they saw me for the first time. It makes scence that the mother of his dead wife would look at me the same way. But the question is did Nicholas told them about me?

"And Alice is her daughter and my sister in law." He added

"Nice to meet you." I said to them but the two of them were just starring at me bewildered. Camiles beautiful blue eyes watered with tears.

"Oh I am sorry." She said quickly wiping her tears away. The familiarity of her face was giving me chills. Where did I saw her before? A magazine or TV?

"Angie Cooper." Alice said looking at me. "I am sorry. Nice to meet you." She said and handed her hand to me to shake it.

"I saw you two in the newspapers. But I didn't expected you to be here." She said surprised.

"I am sorry my dear. You just look so much like my ..." Camile said but didn't finished and looked at Nicholas.

"It is nice to meet you too." She added and shook my hand holding it for longer than it is usual starring at me questionabely. Her hand so warm and welcoming. I was observing her face too. Where did I saw her? I must have saw her somewhere. Her presence was so calming and warming. Why is she so familiar? 

  ©rory256 2016 All Rights Reserved  

I choose Brooke Shields as Camile and Jenna Dewan Tatum as Alice. I hope you like this choice. I put their picture at  the end so I don't spoil it at the beginning.

Also I hope you liked this chapter. If you did so please VOTE and I am really curious what you think about it so let me know in the COMMNENTS.