The Sisters

by Kate Forster

  ‘Then Letty, you need to show them the design ideas and the direction and tell them why you think it will work.’

  ‘Yep, I have all that here. I need help in working out the order,’ she said, rifling through one of the bags.

  ‘Great. And then Chris and I will take them through the direction for the stores and the new approach to customer service. Including the new loyalty card and members program.’

  ‘How long do we each have to talk?’ asked Grace.

  ‘About fifteen minutes,’ said Carlotta, checking the agenda Chris had given her.

  As the evening wore on, they presented to one another, giving notes and support. It was the best night they had had in a long time together and as Carlotta and Violetta said goodbye to Grace, they spontaneously hugged each other.

  ‘Thanks, Grace,’ said Violetta. ‘I think getting Calypso will make all the difference.’

  Carlotta squeezed her youngest sister. ‘You are amazing,’ she said.

  Grace beamed. ‘I have to thank my bike courier.’

  The sisters laughed as they left.

  Grace went inside her apartment again, looked at the mess her sisters had created and realised she had never felt happier. Now all she had to do was get through the presentation tomorrow and hope her mother would regain consciousness. She picked up her mobile phone and looked at it. No messages from Frank. Then she dialled his number.

  ‘Hi.’

  ‘Hi yourself. How did the homework go?’ he asked.

  ‘Great, it was really helpful,’ she said, pausing. She had never invited a man over to her apartment before. Was it too forward? Then she remembered her and Frank in the hotel room in LA. She blushed and began to feel butterflies again. ‘What are you doing now?’ she asked shyly.

  ‘Waiting.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘For you to invite me over.’

  ‘Well then, hop on your bike and pedal over my friend,’ she laughed. Why was it so easy with Frank and so hard with other men, she wondered.

  Frank arrived in about twenty minutes. He must live closer than she realised. ‘Is your apartment nearby?’ she asked as she buzzed him in.

  ‘Yeah, kinda,’ he said vaguely and he pulled her into his arms. ‘I missed you.’

  ‘How can you miss someone who you saw five hours ago,’ she laughed, not wanting to admit she had missed him also.

  Frank looked around the apartment as he hugged her. ‘Nice crib.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘I like it here.’

  ‘You have great taste,’ he said, looking at the wall of paintings above the sofa.

  ‘I know, especially in couriers.’

  Grace pulled his face down towards her and kissed him. She took his hand and led him to the bedroom and pushed him onto the bed. ‘I missed you too,’ she said, her eyes sparkling.

  Frank laughed. ‘Ah, I see, I’m your booty call.’

  Grace looked horrified. ‘No, I thought you were my boyfriend.’

  Frank smiled at her. ‘I’m teasing. Of course I am your boyfriend, as you so quaintly put it,’ he said and pulled her to him. ‘Now come here, lady, and show me how much you love me.’

  Grace tumbled onto him, laughing. For a moment her mother flashed before her eyes and she felt a pang of guilt but then Frank undressed her and all thoughts of Birdie left as she let Frank make love to her slowly and surely, as he learned her body. Then they slept, entangled in each other’s arms and hearts.

  At the hospital early the next morning, Grace visited her mother before her meeting.

  ‘Mom, I met someone. Now before you ask, he’s a bike courier but he's very well connected and I really, really like him. Actually, I love him. His name is Frank. He’s kind and has good taste in photography. We met at Cranfields. He was very persistent and I would never have usually gone out with him but I did and now I can’t wait to see him again. I wish you would wake up, Mommy, so you can meet him. I think you would love him. I have to go. I love you.’

  She leaned over, kissed her mother and swept out of the room, missing the tear that fell from Birdie’s eye.

  20

  The de Santoval sisters stood at the front of the boardroom. The chairs and the spaces around them were filled with executives and bankers. Spencer sat at the front, beaming with pride at their presentation. It had gone seamlessly, and each of them was clear and inspiring in their own way. The star power of Calypso Gable had helped enormously, just as Chris had predicted, and Carlotta saw the board members breathe a sigh of relief at the end of their presentation.

  Spencer stood up. ‘As you can see, the family is still in charge of the company and we have an exciting and profitable direction to head in.’

  One of the bankers checked his notes. ‘In regards to the owner ship of Pajaro, the daughters are the rightful heirs should Cordelia de Santoval be unable to resume her duties at Pajaro. Leon de Santoval is still missing according to this information. Is that correct?’

  As the sisters looked to Spencer for his answer, the boardroom door opened. Carlotta looked to see who had entered but the room was too full of people for her to get a clear view. She hadn’t expected such a crowd but thankfully she and her sisters had managed to cope with the intense pressure.

  Spencer nodded. ‘Yes, the daughters are running the company in place of Birdie while she recovers. They have the fifty-one per cent share, while Leon de Santoval has forty-nine. Information has come to hand of Leon’s location and I am planning to fly to visit him this week to get his percentage signed over. Then Carlotta, Violetta and Graciela will have full ownership,’ he said more confidently than he felt.

  ‘I wouldn’t waste your time,’ said a voice from the back of the room.

  Everyone turned around to see who was speaking. Carlotta nearly passed out. John Berconi was standing next to Matthew, her father’s lover’s son. She looked at her sisters. Violetta’s mouth had dropped open and Grace was as white as the shirt she was wearing.

  ‘And you are?’ asked Spencer.

  ‘John Berconi of Berconi Luxe. As of yesterday evening, the forty-nine per cent of Pajaro was sold to me by Matthew Sanger.’

  Matthew stepped forward.

  ‘And how does Matthew Sanger have this forty-nine per cent of Pajaro in his name?’

  Matthew looked at the sisters and smiled, clearly enjoying his moment in the spotlight. ‘My father gave them to me.’

  Around the room started a murmur that grew into a dull roar. Nicholas Canturi banged his hands on the table.

  ‘Your father? Why did he have them?’

  ‘My real father. Leon de Santoval.’ He looked pleased with himself and smiled at Grace. ‘Hello, sis, pleased to see me?’ he asked.

  The room broke into chaos. Violetta and Carlotta clutched each other’s hands. Turning to clasp Grace’s hand, they saw she was stumbling from the room.

  Violetta and Carlotta followed her, with Chris rushing behind them.

  They piled into Chris’s office and Grace collapsed on the sofa.

  ‘I feel sick,’ she muttered.

  ‘What the fuck is going on?’ asked Violetta.

  Carlotta was pacing the carpet, wringing her hands. ‘It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault,’ she said.

  Chris stood helplessly, holding a glass of water for Grace who now had her head between her legs.

  Grace looked up at Violetta. ‘I think I’m going to throw up,’ she said.

  Chris rushed to get his waste paper bin. Violetta and Carlotta looked at each other. Surely this was an extreme reaction, thought Violetta. The news was shocking and Grace has always been sensitive but still, it seemed strange to both sisters.

  There was a knock at the door of the office. Chris went outside for a moment then came back in. ‘We have to go and talk to Berconi,’ he said to Spencer.

  ‘I’m coming,’ said Carlotta.

  ‘Me too,’ said Violetta.

  They both looked at Grace. They couldn’t leave her by herself. She was ret
ching into the wastepaper basket.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ they heard Grace say.

  Carlotta rushed over. ‘Why are you sorry? I’m sorry I ever slept with the man. Now he knows about Mom and how bad things are here. It’s my fault,’ she cried, tears streaming down her face.

  Violetta and Grace were shocked. Carlotta and Berconi?

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Carlotta rubbed Violetta’s hands.

  ‘It’s OK, really, I have messed up more than you ever have.’ They smiled at each other.

  ‘Come on, Gracie,’ said Violetta gently, as she helped her sister to her feet. ‘We have to be united against them.’

  Carlotta ran back to the boardroom to get Grace’s bag and saw Matthew leaning nonchalantly against the wall in the corridor.

  She ignored him as she swept past.

  ‘Hey, Carly,’ he said, using the name she hated.

  She held up her hand as she walked past him. He could wait. Right now it was about her sisters. She would deal with him later, when she was ready and not before.

  *

  John Berconi and Matthew walked into Chris’s office with Carlotta who stood behind Chris at his desk.

  ‘So, we need to discuss a few things,’ said Chris, getting down to business.

  ‘Perhaps,’ said John, sitting opposite Chris at the table.

  ‘What did you sell to Berconi for? Perhaps we can buy it from you?’ asked Chris.

  ‘I bought it for $15 million,’ John told him. ‘We are finalising the papers and the transfer of the money tomorrow.’

  ‘Jesus, Berconi, it’s worth twenty times that,’ said Chris, shocked that Matthew would take such a low price.

  ‘You told me it was worth nothing,’ said Matthew, his voice breaking.

  ‘I lied,’ said John, fixing his French cuffs.

  Matthew stood dumbfounded as Carlotta scoffed at him.

  ‘So what do you want?’ asked Chris.

  ‘I want to run the company. I will buy out the daughters and take over. It’s a good offer,’ Berconi said.

  ‘Fuck off,’ said Carlotta.

  John rolled his eyes at her and turned his attention to Chris. ‘If you don’t sell to me then I will make life so difficult for Pajaro, you won’t even be able to hem a fucking tablecloth.’

  Chris looked at him with pure hatred. ‘What’s your offer?’

  ‘One hundred million and the girls take all Leon’s debt.’

  ‘No way.’

  ‘I will move a no confidence motion against them and take it to the board. I only need their support and these women are out on their asses,’ Berconi said. ‘Who do you think they will vote for? Three wannabe career girls or me?’

  Chris fought an urge to punch him but Carlotta wasn’t as successful. She rushed over and slapped him, her nails scratching into his face.

  John laughed at her. ‘You little bitch, you never told me you liked it rough.’

  Chris turned to Carlotta and shrugged. ‘I’m sorry, you can fire me,’ he said. Then he swept around and punched John so hard he tipped backwards out of his chair and onto the floor.

  Matthew stood cowering against the wall and Chris walked over to him. ‘If you think you can get away with this then you have another thing coming.’ He walked over to his desk, picked up a card and dialled the number on it.

  ‘Detective? Chris Koch at Pajaro. I have some information for you on Leon de Santoval. You might want to come down here.’ He hung up and looked at Matthew. ‘Stick around, there’re some nice cops who want to talk to you.’

  He looked at John, sprawled on the floor. ‘Get up, you bag of shit, and get the fuck out of my office.’

  John stood up. ‘You’re fired,’ he shouted.

  ‘I overrule,’ said Carlotta. ‘I’m sure my sisters will agree with me on this.’

  John stood up and adjusted his black suit.

  ‘You will be hearing from my lawyers,’ he shouted.

  ‘Whatever,’ shouted Carlotta at his back.

  ‘That’s mature,’ said Chris, trying not to laugh. ‘You sound like Alexia.’

  ‘I know, I couldn’t think of anything else to say,’ Carlotta said sheepishly.

  Violetta turned to Matthew. ‘What the fuck is this bullshit about Leon being your father?’

  ‘He is,’ said Matthew. ‘I swear.’ He looked nervous.

  Carlotta looked closely at his face. Although it pained her, there was a slight resemblance to Leon. His dark eyes and his lack of chin, but he had his mother’s fairer skin.

  ‘I want a DNA test,’ she said to Chris and Spencer, who had remained unusually silent throughout the confrontation.

  ‘Fine, do it. I’ll do whatever you want,’ said Matthew, cocky again.

  Carlotta looked at him with disgust and then spoke to Spencer. ‘Can you organise this?’

  Spencer nodded. ‘Of course. Give me your details, Matthew, so I can set up a time.’

  As Matthew gave Spencer his card, Violetta stood watching. ‘You sold it for nothing, Matthew. Why? Fifteen million is nothing to what it was worth. You’re more of a fool than I thought.’

  Matthew sneered at her, feeling brave now Berconi had left. ‘You and your slut sisters are fools,’ he said, as he walked towards the door. ‘You have no idea what you are into here, and if I were you I would leave while you can.’

  As he turned to leave he spun around and looked at Carlotta. ‘By the way, your father sends his regards,’ he said, and closed the door just as Carlotta threw a stapler at it.

  ‘I hate him. I really fucking hate him,’ Carlotta shrieked.

  ‘I think we should get something of Leon’s to test his DNA also,’ said Spencer.

  ‘OK, I’ll get something from the apartment. What should I get, do you think?’ she asked him.

  ‘Well, a toothbrush or a hairbrush should do it, from what I know.’

  ‘OK, I’ll bring it over.’

  Carlotta sat in thought and then stood up quickly. ‘I have to check on Grace,’ she said, as Grace’s weeping face floated before her.

  ‘Call me with any updates,’ she said as she left, dialling Grace’s number.

  *

  Grace didn’t answer any of her calls for the next few hours. She called Violetta instead. ‘Hey, I’m just out getting a few supplies.’

  ‘Where’s Grace?’ asked Carlotta.

  ‘Sleeping.’

  ‘I’m coming over,’ said Carlotta, waving for a cab. ‘I don’t feel right about her.’

  ‘Me neither,’ said Violetta. ‘I was just paying for the groceries when in my mind I saw her crying.’

  ‘I’m on my way,’ said Carlotta, as she got into a cab.

  Violetta met Carlotta outside Grace’s apartment. She was struggling with bags of shopping. ‘She had nothing in her house to eat last night,’ explained Violetta.

  As they stood while Violetta fumbled for the keys, they heard smashing inside the apartment. Panicking, the sisters struggled with the door. Opening the door, they saw Grace throwing everything she could find against the walls. Vases, books, magazines, her precious collection of snuff boxes. She was filled with a rage that her sisters had never seen before. And then Violetta saw the open bottle of vodka on the table.

  Grace turned around and saw them, her eyes glassy, her face red and blotched. ‘Get the fuck out,’ she said to both of them.

  They stood, unsure what to do as they watched as their sister rampaged around her apartment. Grace left the room and came back holding a collection of photo albums. ‘Take these and burn them.’ She threw them on the floor and the photos of Grace and her sisters fell out.

  ‘It’s all a lie,’ she screamed at Violetta.

  ‘Ok,’ said Violetta softly. ‘What’s a lie Gracie?’

  As Grace started to scream over and over again, Carlotta rushed to hold her desperate younger sister.

  ‘Do something!’ she cried to Violetta.

  Violetta grabbed her phone from her bag, ran into the hallway and dialled th
e only number she could think of.

  ‘Jeff, Violetta. I need your help.’

  *

  Jeff stood in the apartment doorway with Violetta and Carlotta. Grace was now in the kitchen, smashing every plate and cup she could find.

  ‘What the hell do I do?’ asked Violetta, tears streaming down her face. This wasn’t the lovely gentle Grace she knew.

  ‘What happened to set it off?’ asked Jeff.

  ‘She had some horrible news about work and some shocking news about our family,’ said Violetta.

  ‘OK, but there must be something more to it.’

  ‘I don’t know, every time I ask she throws something at me,’ Violetta told him.

  Jeff nodded. ‘OK, let me try. You two stay here.’ He walked into the war zone Grace had created.

  After a while the smashing stopped and the sisters sat on the floor of the hallway, listening. Finally the door opened and Jeff put his head out. ‘Violetta, can you help Grace into bed? She’s a bit tired.’

  Violetta jumped to her feet. ‘Of course.’

  She rushed inside. Grace was sitting on the bed forlorn, drunk and barely able to speak.

  ‘I’m sorry, Letty,’ she cried.

  Violetta pulled her into her arms. ‘Oh Gracie, it’s OK.’

  She held Grace as she sobbed and Violetta stroked her hair. Finally Grace pulled away and Violetta laid her on the bed and covered her with her quilt. ‘You sleep, OK?’

  Grace reached out and clasped Violetta’s hand. ‘Letty?’

  ‘Yes, sweetie,’ said Violetta, like Birdie used to say when they were sick.

  ‘He raped me.’

  ‘Who?’ asked Violetta, shocked.

  ‘Matthew,’ said Grace tiredly.

  ‘When?’ asked Violetta, horrified.

  ‘When I was in Spain. When I was fourteen. He raped me, he got me drunk and raped me. He’s my brother. I had sex with my own brother.’ She looked at Violetta with an intensity that she had never seen before in any person.

  Violetta took a deep breath. Keep it together, she reminded herself, and kissed Grace on the forehead. ‘We will work it out. We can work anything out. I haven’t met a problem yet that I can’t find an answer to,’ she said.