Dance for me

“Hello girls. Once again, please accept my condolences. This is a great loss, both for you and for us. I promise you, the murderer will be found and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” the lawyer and friend of the Diaz family began to speak.

“Thank you, Mr. Palmers. I take it you didn’t gather us here just to offer your condolences?”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right, Ms. Kelly. You do realize that your parents didn’t have time to make a will, don’t you?”

“Of course, Mr. Palmers.”

“That’s why the entire inheritance, including the factory, goes to you, Kelly.”

“Why me?”

” You’re twenty years older than Penelope. You’re wiser than she is. She couldn’t run the plant until she was of age anyway. I think Penelope is of the same opinion.”

“Penelope, do you mind?”Mr. Palmers asked her.

She didn’t understand everything now, and she didn’t want to understand. How could one speak of such things now? After all, it hadn’t been long since they’d been buried. And the murderer still hasn’t been founher.

“I don’t think you’re talking about that at all. I don’t care which one of us inherits all of our dead parents property and money. The main thing now is to find the creep who took my parents’ lives. I will personally shoot him until there is not a living thing left on him and his whole body is turned into a sieve.”

“Of course, Penelope, the murderer will be punished.”

” I’ll have peace of mind when I see the results of the investigation in person.”

” Pen, Mr. Palmers isn’t an investigator. You can’t reproach him for anything.”

“I’m not, Kelly. Goodbye, Mr. Palmers” Pen said goodbye and left the office.

But the conversation between Palmers and Kelly went on.

“Kelly, you realize what a big responsibility this is, don’t you? It wasn’t an easy decision for the stockholders of the plant.”

“I understand that.”

” I have faith in you. But what are you gonna do about Pen?”

“I’ll talk to her, and I think she’ll get it right.”

“She’s seventeen years old, but she’s just a child. You ought to take care of her. I think that’s what your parents would want very much.”

“Of course I’ll take care of her.”

“Kelly, you have to sign right here,” I showed her the papers that by signing, she becomes the full owner of the Diaz jewelry factory and all the property.

” Right here?” Kelly wondered, putting her finger on the right piece of paper.

“Yes,” Mr. Palmers replied, and Kelly signed.

“That’s it, it’s all right now,” Mr. Palmers was about to leave, when suddenly Kelly called out to him:

“Mr. Palmers, I’ll take care of Pen, don’t you worry.”

« I believe you,»he replied, and left the office. To him, the Diaz family was a shining example of the perfect family. They had never had any disagreements, Bill and Olivia had always lived soul to soul. Bill had inherited the plant because his family was of county descent. The girls Kelly and Penelope were happy children, not spoiled, as it often happens in families with lots of money. Who killed them? Who would want it? Those were the two questions that plagued Mr. Palmers the most. And he must find out the truth.

***

“Penelope, please come in,” Kelly called her for an important conversation.

“I’m listening to you,” Pen replied as she entered the office and sat down on the couch.

“Pen, you’re a big girl and should understand everything. It’s not easy for all of us. But these are the realities of this world.”

“Realities? Our parents were murdered, you know, murdered? We have to do something! We have to punish their killer. Kelly, they’ve been shot, do you understand? Do you understand?! They were bleeding when I went in the house. It’s a brutal murder. They didn’t deserve to die like that. They had a lot to live for. And they were just taken and killed.”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

“I understand, Pen, we’re all taking this loss very hard. Of course we’ll find their killer and punish him. I promise you that. But you have to understand that it’s time for you to grow up. I want you to live on your own, to understand for yourself what life is all about. You’re learning your dances, but what happens next? What does the future hold for you? It’s not a profession, Pen. Just because your parents encouraged you and gave you the green light, it doesn’t mean it will work for me. I’m against this hobby of yours, and since I’m replacing our parents for you now, at least I’ll try to do that, I urge you to quit dancing, and go for a normal major.”

“Kelly, normal? What’s normal to you? Lawyer, diplomat, prosecutor? Why? It’s nice to have a sister who can be useful, isn’t it? You haven’t thought about me? You don’t care about me at all, but I’m not going to do what you want me to do.”

” Pen, you can’t say that, for I want what’s best for you. Why don’t you believe me? You and I were a lot more friends when we were kids than we are now.”

“Were we? Were we? For some reason, I didn’t think so. Thank you, but don’t. I can handle my own life. I’m not a little girl anymore.”

“You know I’m gonna own everything from now on, right?”

” So? I don’t care about my parents’ money.”

“Yes, but how will you pay for your dance school? You don’t have any money of your own.”

“I’ll find a way. I’ll get a job.”

“And do what? A prostitute? Although nowadays they give a lot of money for virgins, but you know, it’s only for the first time. So, you have to find a normal and rich guy or get a normal profession.”

” Don’t you talk to me like that! You hear me, don’t you dare! You have no right to accuse me of anything and have such a horrible opinion of me.”

” You know what, Pen? Either you give up your dream of becoming a famous dancer and take up your mind and go to Cambridge to study diplomacy or law, or you’ll be penniless. It’s up to you.”

” You have no right. It’s not your house, it’s our parents’ house.”

” It’s already my house. So, I’ll give you time to think about it and make the right decision.”

” I’m not even gonna think about it. I’ve already made up my mind. I’ll leave home if that’s what you want, but I’m not going to change my principles and my dream.”

“If that’s the case. I can’t let you stay on the street. Tomorrow I’ll buy you an apartment and put a sum on your account for the first time, and then you’ll be on your own. But you can always come back if you change your mind.”

” I don’t want anything from you. I don’t want a sister who thinks only of herself. I even get the impression that you are glad that our parents are dead, that you decide everything, that you manage their money, their house. Or should I say, our house together.”

“Pen, are you ill? They were my parents, just as they were yours. I loved them madly. I’m just trying to talk some sense into you. I want you to become someone in life, not get seriously injured during a performance and ruin your whole life.”

” And I will. But without your help and guidance,” Pen confronted her and walked out of the room where the unpleasant conversation had taken place for both of them.