Sweet Friends

Part 2

Shilo stepped out onto the red carpet in front of the opera house, dazzling in strapless black sequins, and knew immediately that she had dressed well. This funeral would be a formal event. Shilo managed to duck most of the reporters because the Largos arrived right before she did, letting her slip into the opera house without any cameras pointing her way. She thought she heard Amber Sweet calling her name, but she kept moving.

Inside there were so many people—people she didn’t know. And she bet her father never knew them either. There were two identical open coffins on the stage, surrounded by flowers, while the pit orchestra played on, one of Mag’s songs. There was a group of mournful people sitting in the front seats that would normally be reserved for family—some of them looked like they could have been murderers. Of course, so many people in the outside world did. How could Shilo possibly survive in such a place?

People wandered the stage to stare at the coffins, but Shilo wouldn’t go. She already had the images of Mag’s impaled body, of her father dying in her arms. She didn’t need to see them again. As she found an empty seat she fought back tears because she wished Mag were with her instead of her father.

“There you are.” Shilo looked up and saw Amber, yet again, holding a fishnet clad hand out to her. “Come on,” she said. “You’re sitting with us.” There were four chairs set off to the side of the stage where Luigi and Pavi were sitting down, looking as grave as two psychopaths could possibly look. Shilo didn’t want to go near them. “It’s okay,” Amber assured.

With some disgust she saw that Amber was wearing an outfit modeled after the one Mag had been wearing when she died, the full feathered bodice and tight corset, only this was a dress, with a feathered train that dragged along the floor as Shilo followed her up to the chairs. She didn’t trust Amber, but it was a relief to have someone else tell her what to do.

The Largos insisted on turning even a funeral into a show. First Amber sang, and then Pavi spoke about Blind Mag’s career, skewing the situation to make his father seem like a savior instead of a slave driver. “Do you want to say anything?” Amber asked, and Shilo shook her head. What was she going to say?

So Amber rose again and took the stage. “Nathan Wallace might be a monster, I don’t know. He took advantage of his daughter, and of my father’s generosity only to lead to the tragedy taking place on this very stage only a few days ago. But we will not blame him, for I know my father was no Angel, despite all the good he did for this community. That is why I make a solemn vow to Shilo Wallace, and to all of you, that she will always be cared for by my family. GeneCo is the company who cares, and we will not hold dear Shilo’s genetics against her.”

The roar of the crowd was overwhelming, and then it was over, and Shilo disappeared into the wings of the stage. Amber was right behind her. “Your father will be interred in your family mausoleum next to your mother.” Shilo nodded. “The crypt will be reinforced so grave robbers cannot break in.

“Thank you.”

“Would you like to come back to my place?”

Shilo stared at her. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, kid. It’s just politics. But you’ll get as much out of it as I will, that I can
guarantee.”

Shilo knew one thing. She didn’t know how to live alone. Amber Sweet could help her. She might as well use the woman the same way she was being used.

*****

In a world where everything was bleak and grey, the outside of the large, bulky Largo mansion suggested the same but inside was white, so white it blinded her eyes. There was a door man in a tuxedo to let them in, and he took Amber’s shawl and Luigi and Pavi’s jackets—it was so strange to be alone with the three siblings, but no matter how they frightened her, they were the only people in the world that she knew.

“You all live here?” Shilo asked.

“Of course,” Pavi answered in his high-toned voice.

“At least something was divided evenly,” Luigi said, his voice more resigned than angry.

“You’ve read the will?” Shilo asked, suddenly interested. “What did it say?”

“Nothing about you,” Amber snapped. “We’re holding a press conference tomorrow.”

“Apparently there was an older will before yours,” Luigi continued, more willing than his sister to share. “Pop left the company to Amber. We are merely her…servants.”

“I guess not everybody loves the Pavi,” the other brother lamented. “Amber always was the favorite.”

“Well, maybe if the two of you weren’t such freaks,” Amber started, but stopped herself. “Nevermind. We have to look good for the press tomorrow, and you’re going to scare off our important guest.”

“I’m not—“ But Amber walked away, up the stairs, and a maid—naked except for a white apron—came up to her.

“I’ll show you to your room,” she said, and Shilo followed, trying not to look at the woman’s bare ass. The Largos were such strange people.

The room she was lead to had white carpet and a round bed with red silk sheets. She didn’t have a nightgown and her sequined dress had been itching her all night, so she slipped out of her clothes, hanging the dress up in an empty wardrobe and crawling under the cool, slippery sheets completely naked. On a second thought she got up again, and locked the door. She didn’t trust either of the brothers.

Shilo stared up at the ceiling for a long time before she fell asleep.