Inheritance

IV. Shuni, Cely, Ro

IV. Shuni, Cely, Ro

Roman Sinclair Berkshire

~

"And where are you three going?" Mum queries from atop the staircase, engulfed in a red silk robe and her bonnet. Oshun, Celine, and I stand in the foyer, all in nightclub attire, awkwardly staring back at her.

The three of us look at one another, eager for someone to speak. Oshun clears her throat as she holds her clutch purse behind her. "We are going to the club," she answers. "But, no need to worry. Roman here will be the designated driver!"

I give Oshun a sharp look of disappointment as she smiles back.

"Aren't you girls going to be cold?" Mum comments, gesturing to their short and tight dresses. "Shouldn't you two wear something warmer?"

"Mum, I can assure you that the liquor will keep us warm," Celine softly chuckles. Oshun and I turn our heads to her as we await Mum's response regarding her honesty.

"Cely," she sighs, "You never fail to be transparent."

Just then, Dad appears behind her, his hands around her waist, pulling her closer. "Who's taking everyone home? In one piece?" he asks.

I reluctantly raise my hand, wincing at the lie. "I am."

"How come I don't believe that?" asks Dad.

"Dad, I can assure you that Roman will be taking us home in one piece," Oshun stands next to me, her frail hands gripping my arm, nearly tugging it to agree with her. "Isn't that right, baby brother?"

With a wide and nearly fraudulent smile, I nod. "Yep!"

"Roman, can you fend off the predators away from your sisters?"

"Going to the club with no intentions of drinking is one thing," I start, "But fighting off people that Oshun and Cely want to flirt with is too much."

"Roman," Dad's voice is stern, looking at me right in the eyes. "You are to fend. them. off."

I groan, already heading for the door. "They're adults. I cannot control my older sisters."

"Dad," Cely berates, "Do you not trust us?"

"I trust you three, 100%," he replies. "I just don't trust the people around you."

"I'm not having this conversation right now," Oshun mutters under her breath. She sashays towards the door with her heels clacking against the floor, the sound of them bouncing off the walls of the foyer. "Dad, Mum, good night. Don't wait on us. We will get home. Eventually."

Celine waves a little wave to our parents before we all head out the door. With Celine being the last to leave, she shuts the door behind her. The three of us collectively sigh after the semi-stressful conversation.

"Please don't talk to creeps," I murmur, pulling out my wand to apparate us. "Also—designated driver? When have we ever driven to the club?" Oshun and Cely hold onto each other's hands as Oshun is holding mine.

Together, we apparate to the club. A sudden and harsh whoosh engulfed the three of us. The world around us blurred into a dizzying whirlwind as we felt ourselves being caught in a tumultuous vortex of aggressive air. As the spinning subsided, we found ourselves standing in front of the speakeasy, solely intended for witches and wizards only.

Nausea washed over us as our bodies tried to catch up with the sudden displacement through space.

"I can never get used to that," Oshun huffs with her hand over her abdomen. "Is my hair okay?"