Lennon
I can’t stop thinking about last night with Camari. Not just the hot kisses, and sexy touches, but how she freaked out when I saw her topless. I tried to re-assure her, but I know I wasn’t completely successful. I don’t know what to do, so I call the one person I’ve always gone to when I’ve needed answers to the hard questions, and arrange a lunch date.
“Hi Mom,” I tell her, walking into Rise & Shine, where she’s waiting for me.
“Hey, Sweetie.”
We hug, and let the hostess lead us to our table. Once the pajama clad waitress takes our order, we catch up a little. When we’ve been served our food, I get to the reason I called her here today.
“I’m seeing someone.”
A forkful of red velvet pancakes stops midway to my mom’s mouth. “As in dating?”
“Yes.”
“I’m happy, of course, but surprised,” she admits, setting the fork down.
“It just kind of happened.”
“Tell me about her.”
“She’s my next-door neighbor, and just graduated from college, although she’s around my age, I think. Her parents helped with her house since she paid her way through school. I think she’s Greek, and she’s way classier than me, although she went out for wings with my friends last night, and fit right in.”
“You don’t know how old she is, or her background?”
“No. I don’t really care, so it hasn’t come up.”
“Something’s come up, or you wouldn’t have asked me to meet you.”
“There’s two things, actually,” I say, taking a drink of my coffee. “She’s possibly going to work at Corrigan & Co., and she has some serious body issues I don’t know how to deal with.”
My mom reaches across the table, and takes my hand. “I wish you would give up this hatred you have for the Corrigan family. I don’t know where it came from, because your father and I have never had anything bad to say about them, and from everything I’ve seen and heard, they are helping our community.”
“I just think there’s something none of us see,” I tell her, because I believe that, but also because I’ve never admitted I eavesdropped on her conversation with my dad all those years ago, and I’m not ready to do it now.
“If Camari goes to work there, how are you going to handle that?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“Okay. We’ll come back to that if, and when, it happens. Tell me about the body issues.”
“She’s thin. Like, crazy thin. When we first met, she was eating just salads, and I know she works out a lot. She’s been eating burgers and wings lately, and she seems happy about it, but last night, I...well, I took her shirt off, and she freaked out.”
My mom and I have always had a cool relationship, where I can talk about stuff like this and not be weirded out, but for some reason, talking about Camari with her makes me feel like I’m betraying a confidence. I need help, though, so I push my discomfort away.
“Maybe she wasn’t ready.”
“I thought that at first, but then she talked about not being sexy because her breasts are small.”
“Has she seen the women you normally sleep with?”
“I don’t have a type, Mom,” I argue, but we both know that hasn’t been true in the past.
“I thought we were being honest here.”
“Fine. I’ve maybe been partial to stacked blondes.”
“Which would make someone who’s not a well-endowed blonde feel a little insecure.”
“Probably, but I think there’s more to it than that, and I don’t know what to do. I told her I thought she was sexy, and beautiful, but it feels like it’s not enough.”
“Keep telling her that, and try not to ogle any other women in her presence.”
“That only happened once, and it hasn’t happened again.”
“Once is enough to bruise an ego. You said she was ‘classy’ so what if she was looking at men in suits when she was out with you.”
“I get it. I only want to look at her anyway.”
“Good. Bring her to dinner soon.”
“I will.”
We finish our food without talking about the Corrigans again, which is a good thing. I don’t know how my parents have been able to get past what Jane Corrigan did, but I just can’t. I know it’s going to put a strain on things with Camari if she gets that job, but I won’t back down until I expose every secret that family is hiding. They hurt people, and the world needs to know.
7
Camari
Because I told Lennon I’m interviewing at C&C, we decided it would be okay for me to come in and meet with the doctor, instead of having her drive offsite. I walk past the front desk, prepared to show the temporary pass the guard at the gate gave me in case I run into Seriyah. I don’t see her before I get on my elevator, so I’m good for now. Well, as good as I can be when I’m going to see someone for help.
I’m a little surprised when the elevator takes me up instead of down. I thought I’d be in the medical wing, but instead, I walk out into a spa-like floor. There are windows all around me, small waterfalls, comfortable looking couches and chairs, green, leafy plants and actual trees. There’s always something new to learn about this building, and I don’t know that I’ll ever keep it all straight.
As I walk forward, walls shift, and I’m forced to walk to my right. I take the hallway that’s been created for me, and sit on one of the couches outside a closed door. There is no one else here, but if I had to guess, I’d say there’s at least one person on the other side of the wall. I’m not exactly comfortable with anyone knowing I’m here, so I appreciate the extreme measures for secrecy.
There are no magazines to look at, but I have lessons to go over on my tablet, so I keep myself busy until the door opens. A woman who resembles a gypsy steps out, and smiles at me.
“You must be Camari.”
“Yes.”
“I’m Dr. Reed. Please come in.”
I follow her into a room that looks like a cave. A comfortable cave, but still a cave. The walls are made of rock, and the low seats resemble pieces of wood. It’s oddly comforting.
“Do you know why I’m here?”
“I know what I’ve read in the files Kendrick sent me, but you are the only one who knows why you’re here.”
“I-I have some problems with weight, and my body. I used to be overweight, and then I was underweight, and now…I just…there’s so much.”
“Tell me as little or as much as you want to. You don’t have to get it all out in one session if you’re not comfortable with it.”
“I think it’s better if I do.”
She nods, and listens carefully as I tell her everything. Things I haven’t said out loud in years, if ever. I talk of my past, and my present. I don’t even notice the tears coursing down my cheeks until she hands me some tissues once I’m done.
“You’ve told me what everyone throughout your life has wanted you to look like, but you haven’t said what you want to look like.”
“I’ve always just wanted to please everyone.”
“Including Lennon, although from what you’ve told me, he says you’re beautiful as you are.”
“Yes, he says it.”
“Believing him is not something I can help you with. You have to trust him on your own. What we need to do, is figure out what you want for yourself, and make a plan for how you can achieve it.”
“I want to believe it, and I think part of me does, but I’m scared.”
“Like I said, we’ll come up with a plan, but back to what I said—what do you want to look like?”
I think about myself, the women who dominate the world of entertainment, and my friends, before answering. “I want to be thin, but a little more curvy. I miss the breasts I once had, although I know I won’t have them again if I’m thin.”
“You could have surgery.”
“No,” I tell her, shaking my head. “I’m not against it for others, b
ut it’s not for me.”
“Okay. I totally understand, but I had to throw that out there. Gaining weight will give you some curves back. You’re going to have a meeting with a nutritionist once you’re done here. He’s going to give you a caloric intake amount, and some tips on how to achieve what you want. You will have to gain weight, though. Not just to get your curves, but because we all want you firmly in the middle of a healthy weight for your height.”
“I know, and I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to do it. I want to be part of the Society, and I know I need to be in prime physical condition for that.”
She tilts her head, and frowns at me. “You can’t do this just to be in the Society, Camari. If you’re not trying to get better for you, I’m afraid you’ll continue having problems.”
“I want it for me, too.”
I’m not sure if that’s the truth, although I want it to be. I don’t think she believes me either, but after a moment, she nods again. “I want to see you twice a week, and I’m recommending you see Kendrick at least once a week. The nutritionist will decide how often he thinks you need to meet.”
“Okay.”
I’ve said that a lot, and I feel kind of dumb repeating it so much, but I don’t have anything else to say. I’m going to do this, if not for exactly the right reasons, then at least for reasons I can live with.
Once I leave her, I meet with Thomas, the nutritionist, and am given a caloric intake amount that equals several days of what I used to eat. I won’t deny it freaks me out a little, but I’m committed. To the Society, to getting healthy, to my mission, and if I don’t blow it all, to Lennon, too.
“Hey,” my friend, Kali, says as I walk into the employee cafeteria.
I hug her, and put my bag down while I go grab some food. I choose what I know I need to eat, and join her again. “Where’s everyone else?”
“Science lab. I figured I’d eat early, and look through some fashion magazines before we have Styling later.”
“I should be home helping you.”
My friend is a brilliant scientist, but she has no clue when it comes to fashion. I’m the opposite, although I can get by in our Science lessons.
“You’re doing whatever it is you’re doing, but I won’t deny that I miss you.”
“Camari?”
I stiffen, and turn at the sound of Seriyah’s voice behind me. “Hi.”
“Did you get hired?”
“Yes,” I tell her, going with the cover story Audrey and Reina came up with, and adding a little. “Kalila’s going to be showing me the ropes now that I’m an intern.”
“Hi,” my friend says, not missing a beat.
Seriyah bites her lip, and mumbles a hello to Kali, and a congratulations to me, before going to sit with a group of young women at another table.
“That was weird,” I say.
“She has a crush on Theo. I caught her hitting on him a few days ago.”
“I forgot about that. You know, if you just claimed him, it’d stop that kind of thing.”
“It wouldn’t stop.”
“Okay, maybe not everyone would stop, but some of his fan club would drop off.”
“I’m not claiming him. I’ve been there, done that, and still have the veil, along with the broken heart. So, no.”
She gets up, and I put my hand on her wrist. “Veil?”
“I can’t talk about it right now. I’ll see you soon, okay?”
“We’re going to talk about this.”
“One day maybe. Have a good lunch.”
I watch my friend walk away after giving me a tiny piece of the puzzle we’ve all been trying to solve since we met her and Theo. There was a wedding, or an almost wedding. I’ll let her run right now, but we’re definitely going to talk about this, and soon. I like Theo, but Kali is my girl, and I need to help her however I can. I know the other girls will feel the same way, too.
Lennon
I’ve never been to the Sherriff’s office before, but when you’re summoned by your big boss, you go. Or at least I do.
“Lennon, I’ve heard great things about you,” the man says when I walk into his room.
I haven’t heard great things about him, but I don’t think he’d appreciate me saying that, so I don’t. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“I hear you’ve been looking into some suspicious activity.”
Shit. Just what I was afraid of. “I was already told to stop, so you don’t have to worry about it. I guess I was wrong.”
“I don’t think you are. Reina Corrigan seems to think she runs this town, and can do whatever she wants. I don’t like it, and I don’t like her. She needs to be put in her place, and if her husband won’t do it, I’m more than man enough for the job.”
“Sir?” I ask, because what the hell else am I supposed to say after that? I’ve always believed the Corrigans have too much power, but he sounds obsessed. With Reina.
“I want you to keep digging, and report directly to me. It’s a special project.”
I think about what my mom said, and shake my head. I’m not 100% comfortable with letting everything go, and before I met Camari, I would’ve jumped at this chance. Now, I think I may want the girl even more than I want revenge. Even if I don’t, I’m feeling more than a little uneasy with the man on the other side of the desk.
“I’m sorry, but I have to decline. I’ve already determined I was wrong.”
“Just like that? You all of a sudden think they’re on the up and up? She got to you.”
Yes, she did. Just not the same woman he’s talking about. “I have never even had a conversation with Reina Corrigan.”
“Just be careful, Mr. Chase. That woman is going to go down, and when she does, anyone even remotely connected to her is going down with her.”
I want to tell him it’s not a good idea to threaten people, whether they’re powerful or not, but I don’t. I need my job, and I don’t need a target on my back. I even shake his hand before I leave.
Once I’m out of the building, I make a decision. I can’t believe I’m about to do this, but it seems like the right thing to do, even though it could be career suicide. I just can’t forget what my mom said about having to choose, and if I really do, then it’s Camari I’m choosing.
Twenty minutes later, I’m walking into the Corrigan & Co. lobby. It isn’t something I ever expected to do, but here I am. “I was hoping to see Matt Corrigan,” I tell one of the receptionists.
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Corrigan doesn’t see anyone without an appointment,” she says, smiling at me, but in a way that lets me know she thinks I’m an idiot.
“I didn’t think he did, but this is important.”
She just stares at me, and if I carried my badge with me, I might whip it out just to look a little more legit. The staring contest ends when her phone rings.
“Hello, Mr. Corrigan. Yes, of course, Matt, of course. Oh. Yes, I’ll send him up.” She hangs up, and turns to me. “He’ll see you now.”
She looks as shocked as I feel. I need to see him, but I wasn’t sure I could. Apparently, I can, and am, getting a guest badge, and being directed to an elevator. It takes my straight to the top, and I walk out into another lobby, this time a more intimate one, with an older woman alone at a desk, and no phones buzzing.
“Hello, Mr. Chase. You can go right in.”
She motions to a set of doors that open as I approach. Matt Corrigan isn’t at his desk, but instead standing at a wall of windows, looking out on the city like he’s the king of it. No. I shake my head to clear that thought. I’m trying to commit to Camari, and no matter where she works in this building, this man is her ultimate boss. I have to stop thinking of him as some evil dictator.
“You just going to stand there, Lennon? I was told you had something important to discuss with me.”
His back is still to me, and his tone is full of ice, making me think of a dictator once again. Sadly for him, I don’t get intimidated so easily. “I don’t usually ad
dress someone until I’m looking them in the eye.”
“Touché,” he says, turning to look at me. “Now, what can I do for you. Besides pretending my wife and I are evil and plotting to destroy this city, and the world in general, of course.”
I grimace, because he knows. “Um, yeah. I’ve kind of had it out for you in the past, but I’m not doing that anymore.”
“You’re giving up your crusade, just like that? Excuse me for being skeptical.”
“I’m dating someone, and she might be working here. I don’t want her in the middle of a war I maybe shouldn’t be fighting.”
“Camari is worth ending a war for, but your ‘maybe’ still has me concerned.”
“You know Camari?”
He flinches, but immediately regains his composure. “I know everyone who works—or might work—for my company. She’s only ever shown herself to be a good woman, and I don’t want to see anyone hurt her.”
“It seemed like more than just an employee thing a moment ago, but in everything I’ve learned about you, I believe you love your wife.”
“More than life itself. I’m not cheating on her with Camari, or anyone else. I simply admire the woman, as I do many of the women and men in this building.”
“Fair enough, and for the record, I admire her too. I mean, that’s obvious because I’m here, and trying to get past my anger towards your family.”
“Why are you here?”
“The Sherriff just called me in, and well, he wanted me to help bring you and Reina down.”
He stands up straighter, and nods. “I can’t say I’m surprised, but I appreciate having my suspicions confirmed. Since you’re here in my office, I’m guessing you turned him down.”
“I did.”
“For Camari?”
“And for me. My mom told me I had to let things go, and if I’m being honest, although there’s a lot of unexplained shit going on here, I do believe you and your wife are helping more than hurting.”
“That is always what we strive for. We sometimes end up in places where people are hurt, but that’s only because we’re trying to help.”
Society Girls: Camari Page 6
