Chapter Twenty Six

"Keddy!" I whispered to myself. What was he looking for? My eyes followed him until he was out of sight. And then I had deleted thoughts of him and headed to my new room. He probably didn't even know that people were inside this house, he probably didn't know that I had used his house address to secure the phone I now owned, he definitely didn't know that I would kill him if I got close enough. He was the one following me when I had pulled the false face and arms off. And now, he was loitering in the track road that led to our house.
I got into bed, and brought my phone out. I had so much to set up, before enjoying my new phone. When I told Nancy how I escaped at the phone shop, she sighed in disappointment. According to her, if my father didn't pay for the phone, it would be locked. And then it would become useless to me.
"How long before that happens?" I was desperate to know.
"A few weeks, I think. I never took this kind of risk. When I stole mine, I squeezed it into my pocket without getting caught, and don't ask me how I didn't get caught." How did she escape the multiple security checkpoints? My questions remained unasked.
"What do you suggest I do?" I asked again.
"Enjoy it while it lasts." She helped me set it up, and in a few minutes, I was on Instagram, chatting with Shully. She made a post and had tagged me as missing. People were sharing the post, and making crazy promises to anyone who could find me.
"Relax, I'm safe." That was my first message to her. She viewed it immediately, seemed like she was in my inbox.
"Camilla" she sent it with a shocked emoji.
"Please take down that post." I responded swiftly.
She did as I asked, and was back in my inbox in no time. A lot of people had messaged me as well, they wanted to know why I hadn't been active for weeks. Those who say Shully's post wanted to know what was going on, some even accused me of hacking.
I kept calm, and ignored every message except Shully's.
Shully called me almost immideately.
"Oh Cammie, are you really the one?"
"Yes Shenanigans, I'm the one." That was my name for her when we were in high school.
"I have missed you so much, Cammie. So so much! Tell me, what's the matter? What is going on? Didn't we agree you'll come back, why didn't you Cammie? You are risking your life in that crazy city, please don't stay there with all those criminals. I did my research and I discovered that they are all insane."
She could have rattled on, but I had interrupted her. "Shully, be calm. I'm safe, I'm fine, I'm healthy."
"Oh really? So, you are still at Keddy's?"
"Actually, no! I'm part of a mafia gang now. And don't freak out, I know I made the right decision. My phone is still at Keddy's, I don't know what might have become of it. The phone we are using to talk right now was stolen this afternoon."
"You are using stolen materials?" Shully sighed in disappointment. "You should have told them you aren't interested in the phone."
"Actually, I stole it myself." I waited for her to scream out in disappointment, but she didn't. She kept calm, and said nothing.
"Are you mad at me?" I finally asked when she wasn't willing to say anything, but she hung up on me. That was quite unlike her, she was good with communication. When she feels like something doesn't favour her, she speaks out. But this time, she just hung up. Maybe her mom had walked into the room, I guessed.
I went back to her Inbox, but she had blocked me. What was going on? I was unable to understand.
On Whatsapp, and every other space we shared, Shully had blocked me. I tried calling her back, but it seemed she also blocked that.
I love Shully so sincerely, I was grieved. Nancy caught me in my depressed state.
"What's going on, you don't look happy as always, Cammie?"
"I'm fine." I turned to face the window, in my own side of the bed.
"Sure?"
"I said I'm fine."
I heard her walk to the bathroom in our bedroom, and I heard water running. I can't fathom what she did in there, but she was back in a little while.
"You are making dinner, I suggest you get started. We love eating earlier than seven pm, and you have to ask everyone what they want to eat."
She interrupted my grieving moments, her words snapped me out of my sadness.
"What do you mean ask everyone what they'll want to eat?"
"You'll see." She banged the door after she left.
This wasn't the end of my misery, it was just the beginning.
I rushed to the living room, and I saw all the sisters lazily sprawled on the the couch or rug.
"What are we having for dinner?" It was almost six pm, and if I was going to do what they wanted, I had better begun.
"I will take rice pudding." I have never made that, what was she saying?
"Bake me some pancakes."
"I guess I'll have pancakes too."
"Same here!" All four of them made their requests. Why was Kate asking for rice pudding? She seemed to have a problem with me, from the first time she set her eyes on me, and asking for something different was proof.
"Uhhm, Sophia… I can't make rice pudding. Do you mind eating pancakes just like the rest of us?"
She sighed. "Okay, lazy pants. I guess I was craving for pancakes anyway. But you had better learnt how to make these things because some days, I will get what I want." She paused to catch her breath and then continued. "I'll probably have pizza tomorrow, so you had better started making plans for that. I prefer mine ordered from delish manuscho. It's down the street." She got back to her phone as soon as she said that, texting while I was on my way to the kitchen, about to make pancakes. How the hell did she expect me to order pizza, I had no money on me! Well, that was problem for another day. I had better get started with making dinner. Tomorrow, I'll think of a way to order pizza.
I got into the kitchen, and since I already knew my way around, I was done with the dish in less than an hour.
I served the meal, and they gathered round the dining table, I joined them.
Vivian had the first bite. "There's no two ways about it, Camila. You cook well, better than Kate." She glanced at Sophia to see her facial reaction, a smile carved out on her face.
Sophia didn't return the smile, she seemed angered. "She cooks better than me, I have to say. She cooks lies way better than us all too."
Vivian was lost, just like I was. Everyone stared at her, we were unaware of what she was trying to do.
"What do you mean?" I wasn't going to watch someone ruin my name, I asked in irritation.
"Is there something we need to know?" She said this with a light smirk. "Camila, why are you quiet? Is there something you aren't telling us?"
I was still floating. "Something like what?"
"What's your relationship with Pedro?" The question came unexpectedly to me, and to the rest of the girls in the kitchen. Their facial expressions suggested so.
"I…" A loud knock on the door interrupted me. I stood to get the door, they all followed from a distance.
"Hello," I opened the door and my eyes met with a stranger. "How may we help you?"
"Get out of my way, I'd love to see the queen of this gang."
I didn't know the Mafia sisters had a queen, but if there was anyone who deserved to be the queen, it was me.
"That would be me!" Vivian took over from me, and stood facing the man. "How may we help you?" She seemed really tough facing the huge man that stood in front of her. He was wearing dark glasses, I couldn't guess the color of his eyes. He had black full beards, wavy black hair and was dressed in red shirts and jean pants.
"I have an operation for you. I do hope you do it well, because my pay is worth it."
"Come inside, Mr…"
"Mr Jackson!" He extended his hands for a shake, and Vivian did the same.
She showed him to the living room, and they settled on the couch. The rest of us went back to the dining room.
"Camilla, I know Pedro is your father." Kate's voice resonated behind me. It was a whisper, and I prayed no one else heard her. Eleanor and Nancy stared at the both of us.
"Okay, now you know… what's next?"
"Well, Vivian hates lies. I mean, we all tell lies. But it's also against the rules that we tell each other the truth. That's why we are sisters."
"Okay, What do you want from me?"
"Two things Camila. You have to either tell Vivian the truth and face her wrath, or live by my own rules."