After we signed the contract Mr Wilson left the office, John and I stayed to talk.

<<Congratulations John, you did an excellent work! Now we have the contract!>> I said with a feeling of excitement filing up my chest.

<<We did it, you help a lot. You will do great in the company>> he replied and with a soft smile on his face he looked at the paper.

<<Thank you>> I responded and went behind him to look at it too.When I did I saw a small bunch of papers that had never caught my sight before.<<Hey, what are those?>>

<<What?Oh nothing; just some old papers>> he replied. I didn't know why but he was acting very weird. He opened a drawer of the office and took out a bottle of fire whisky and a glass. <<Do you want some?>>

<<No>> I replied not taking my eyes from those papers. <<Are you sure? About the papers; that they are nothing?>> I ask trying to figure out what was on his mind. I went and sat on the chair opposite him to observe his actions.

<<Yeah, why wouldn't I?>> he responded, he was a bit nervous but why? We made the deal, everything is fine; isn't it right?

<<You are acting weird. You know, you can tell me if something is wrong, right?>> I had started to concern, I knew something wasn't right, but I didn't know what or why. John usually talked to me about everything; happy or sad, bad or good, he knew I would listen, I always did.

<<I know Betty, everything is fine>> he faked a smile playfully as he drunk some whisky. I was sure he was hiding his feeling of preoccupation but was it so awful that he couldn't tell me?

<<I don't believe you, you are hiding something>>

<<What? No, I am not, nothing is wrong>> he said to get the idea that something was happening out of my mind, but it had stacked <<Why don't you just tell? I'm going to help you. Just tell me what's going one...>>

<<You need to calm down, there is nothing going wrong>> he said not letting finish my sentence. He didn't have his usual calm look anymore. I couldn't tell if he was mad or worried anymore. He took a deep breath and opened his moth to say something but just then someone knocked on the door.<<Come in>>

The door opened and a woman came in. She had short blonde hair, small bright brown eyes and she was wearing a long lilac dress. I hadn't seen her for four years and she hasn't change at all. I didn't know how i should feel about that should I feel happy or angry? I didn't know. I was angry when she left and I still dislike her for that.

<<Hi John,Betty>> she said looking at us both.

<<Hey Amelie>> John greeted her back.

There was an awkward silence none of us was saying anything a was looking down on the floor. I wanted to disappear, I couldn't handle this silence. I never liked silence, for me it was like everything was dying, like happiness was gone and would never come back. It remained me of funerals, where nobody says anything, just sitting there looking at the corp of someone who was important to you but you know that they aren't there. They have left and you just watch as the body is buried with its coffin. You just sit there; doing nothing but hoping that a miracle may happen and the body will show signs of life, however it never does. The spirit is gone, everything you would do to bring them back it's no use, they are gone forever. I always hated silence.

Thankfully the silence broke when we heard Theodore's voice from the hallway:

<<John,Betty, where have you been? It's time for the birthday cake!>> he said as he rushed into the office room. When he realised that Amelie was there he was shocked, he looked at Amelie then at us. <<What is she doing here?>> he asked rudely.

<<Your manners Theodore!>> John scolded him.

<<No, it's okay John; don't worry about it>> Amelie said with a weak smile on her face. <<Look I know we haven't spoke in a while and that you might hate me but I really appreciated John, that you invited me>>

<<We don't hate you>> said John

<<I do>> Theodore argued. John was about to scold him again but I stopped him.

<<Leave him, you know you can't change his mind>> for the first time in my life I had the same opinion with Theodore, we never agreed on anything but there is a first time for everything.

<<I wanted...>> she tried to speak but I interrupted her.

<<What? You wanted to apologise? Say you are sorry that you left us? That you regret it? An excuse why you couldn't come to our parents funeral?>> I said, I was angry and mind was working uninterruptedly.

<<Betty, you better stop now>> John advised me to do.

It was clear that I had crossed the line. I knew I should have listen to him and had shut my moth at this point but I didn't. There were so many thoughts inside my head and they were very loud to shut them up. <<If you are so sorry as you say, then why didn't you ever called or sent a message or something? Did you even remembered that you had siblings and not only this guy that you left us for? Do you even care about us? I don't thing so>> Everyone was looking at me with their eyes wide open, they all looked like they didn't knew what to say, neither did I. It was the first time that I flew out of handle so bad, I had never done that before.

There it was again, that dead silence. It was killing me inside. I headed to the door.

<<Betty...>> John tried to stop me but I was already out, walking in the hallway.

I was walking fast, I was going to my bedroom I needed time alone to organise my thoughts. Did I do bulshit? Pouring my thoughts like that? I was furious, did she really think that she would make up with just saying sorry? It was so hard not to overthink that dumped into someone.

<<Oh, I'm sorry>> I said looking up to see James looking at me confused

<<Betty? Are you alright?>> he asked me concerned.<<Everyone is looking for you and your brothers. What happened?>>

I didn't know what to say, should I tell him the truth or no? <<Everything is fine. Let's go back to the party>> I said at the end and that was what we did.


The rest of the party went without any other surprises and explosions. The room was almost empty at this time, there were only James, aunt Josephine, Mr Wilson, the Bramstons and Amelie she was talking and laughing with John. I was sitting in a corner drinking wine when Henry and his family approached me.

<<Well we better be going>>said Mr Bramston and shook my hand.<<It was our pleasure to meet you>>

<<It was nice to meet you too sir>> I replied <<Brian, I hope we meet again>> I turned to him and did a handshake. After that he went to the door with his father.

<<Good night honey>> I said to Henry with a light smile on my face.

<<Good night babe>> he responded. Then he kissed my and went with his father and brother.


After some minutes John came to talk to me, I didn't want to talk, I knew what is was about and the last I wanted at that moment was to talk about my attitude.

<<Hey, look I know it's hard for you and honestly, I don't blame you at all>>he sighted. He was again talking with the sound of his voice soft and peaceful. However, I still had a bad feeling that something was going on but I decided to ignore it. <<She indeed left but she stills family. Just give her a chance, for me, please?>>

<<I'll try>> I agreed. He nodded and then out of the sadden he hugged me. It was weird, we weren't used to it but it felt good. As I hugged him back I felt much lighter, every guilt and every regret had suddenly disappeared. All the sadness and darkness had gone away, it felt like peace. When we pulled away he gave a warm smile which I returned.

<<I'll do to my room to finish some things, I'll be right back>> he said and went of.


I stayed in a corner alone until James came and talked to me:

<<Hey, how are you doing?>>

<<I'm fine, sorry about before I was upset>> i apologised to him

<<Don't worry about it. What happened?>> he asked, looking at me with his beautiful green eyes. <<If you don't want to don't tell me>> At first I hesitated but then I told him everything that happened. I told him about how I had been thinking that John was acting weird, about Amelie, I even told him about me flying of the handle. I knew he would listen, I knew he wouldn't judge; he was James after all.

<<Well you had every right to get mad>> he said when I finished. He opened his moth to add something but then Theodore came running into the room his eyes tearing up.

I quickly went to him scared of it might have happened. <<Theodore what is it? What happened?>> I asked as I started to feel terrified.

He was trying to speak but he couldn't he looked shocked and frightened. His eyes were red he was putting a lot of effort on holding back his tears. He finally found words but his voice was cracking as he said:<<John he is not okay. Something happened to him>>