Don’t start Camille, I’m not your friend and we don’t have intimidation

"Hello?" I answer the phone still groggy from sleep, I was sleeping more than usual, I felt tired all the time. And the emptiness had filled me since I got back from Canada and left Drew behind, and it completely destabilized me.

"Good morning Julie," the hairs on the back of my neck shivered when she heard that voice "It’s a beautiful sunny day, don’t you think?" she adds.

"Camille." I whisper and hear her laugh across the line.

"That’s sweet, myself. Could you clear my way in? I’ve been waiting a long time." I feel my heartbeat rising and I look around looking for Jordan and he’s not in his room.

"How... how, did you find me?" I ask still trembling.

"You promised me something sweet, and you haven’t delivered. So, I came to meet you personally and of course, it wasn’t very easy to find you but I got my way." She confesses, take a deep breath and swallow dry.

Where was Jordan? I needed him here with me, how would I deal with that, with Camille? Tears began to flow down my face, and as I looked in the mirror, I was shocked by what I saw in front of me. That reflection was not mine, that person downcast and lifeless even looked like me. I squint hard and try to find a remnant of what I promised myself when I went to the refuge, a little strength when they took me Drew and I looked for him everywhere, I tried to find deep down something that made me wake up and react. I heard Camille’s voice calling me, took a deep breath and counted to three. I swallowed all that pain, all the suffocation and raised my head again, and as I looked again in the mirror, I saw the woman I became two years ago, the woman who had ceased to be a girl and will fight to have her child back, She was right there looking at me with her imposing and penetrating blue eyes, that yes was me and I would face whatever was necessary.

"I will request your entry, wait for me in the room. I will be there in a few minutes." That said, I turn off the call and call the security guard who was in the guardhouse, I ask that you allow her to enter, but stay tuned and alert the others.

I went to the bathroom to take a quick shower, and after finishing I walked to the closet taking a black pants and a sleeve blouse of the same color. I spent a little base to disguise the stains of lost nights under my eyes and when I finished I went down to the floor below. I saw Camille’s red hair fall like waves on her shoulders, she was attentive on her phone, but as soon as she felt my presence, she turned towards me and smiled, showing me her beautiful smile loaded with rows of perfectly white teeth.

"What do you want Camille? You can get right to the point." I say being straight with her, no fuss.

"Hello to you too, sit here please." She hits the couch, takes a deep breath and I sit on the chair on the other side, she giggles and crosses her legs.

"What do you want?" I repeat the question seriously.

"All right, Julie, all right. Since you’re not in the mood for a decent conversation, I’ll tell you what I want," she starts and sees her face harden "A few weeks ago you went to my territory, made me an offer and I agreed. We have reached an agreement, but you have not yet kept your word, while mine was from the beginning and your father imprisoned, is faithful proof of that." his voice came out firm, and right.

"Yes, I understand..." she interrupts me.

"I need you to start selling to me." she says.

"Yes, soon I..." she interrupts me once again.

"No," his voice comes out sharp "I’ve left everything in a nearby shed, sent you an address via torpedo, hope it’s there by nightfall." my mouth opens in complete shock, surprised at what she had said.

"What do you mean? You have no right to come to my house and demand it of me." I stand indignant with her daring and she also stands up, her posture is firm and dominating, I do my best not to show that it hit me, leaving me a little scared.

"I have every right in the world Julie Smith, starting with you not being a woman of your word," she said "Your father may be a scumbag, a rotten man, but he always kept his word on everything he said to me," swallows dry and she approaches me "So now, I hope you take it from him and keep your promise. If you’re afraid of being alone with me, don’t forget to take Jordan too, I love that boy." I felt my face warm to hear her say that about my boyfriend, from the moment she spoke to Jordan when we left Mexico, he had not even told me where he knew her, he always changed the subject, after a while I let it pass, but today when I saw him, He’d have to open his mouth and tell me the whole truth.

"Julie, is everything okay?" I hear Claire’s voice and soon she appears in the hallway, I see that she has gloves in her hands and I suppose she was in the garden, the place she had been spending a lot of time.

"It is all right." I speak and look at Camille who opens even more his smile to see Claire, my blood froze that hour to know that Camille knew her.

"Well, well, if it isn’t my old acquaintance," she says, causing Claire to fold her arms.

"Don’t start Camille, I’m not your friend and we don’t have intimidation, we never had it," my mother says and Camille puts her hand under her chest pretending to be offended.

"I see you got rid of John too, don’t you? She’s even more beautiful, especially now that she has a new being in her belly," she says and looks at Claire from below "Has John gotten rid of this child’s father?" She laughs spitefully and as she looks at Claire, I see her eyes watering making my chest hurt.

"Go away Camille." I speak and she looks at me surprised.

"How?" she asks.

"Go away, I need you to leave now." I speak firmly with her and the redhead breathes deeply.

"How I wanted to be sweet," she says as she harvests her purse "I’ll wait for you in the marked place, if you don’t show up I’ll make your life a living hell." and so she goes away, I throw myself on the couch and take a deep breath, feeling my head throbbing.

I hear someone sniffing and I remember Claire, get up right away and go to my mother, giving her a tight hug and trying to ease some of her pain. My mother had not yet overcome the death of my brother’s father, even if she shows that she is strong and has moved on, I know that she was not well, always when I go to her room to wish her good night,hear her cry and say his name. At that moment, I felt I should get a little closer to Claire and be present, give her the support she always gave me, even when I did not know the truth, even when I did not know that she was my mother.