Spellbound [BWWM Original Fiction]

Charmed - 5.

I decided to call Aunt Michelle back later that evening. She'd been blowing up my phone since my arrival Stateside. I have a feeling Uncle Don and Aunt Gaby reached out to her, but I wasn't ready to talk about the reason for my hasty departure at the time.

I briefly mention the fallout between Brice and me, not wanting to get into the messy details and explain that I needed space and a change in environment. Michelle is understanding and I manage to steer the conversation to my parents' old apartment which needs to be updated and exterminated.

We briefly discussed my estate, and she mentioned that I also have a trust that will be made available when I turn 25. I'm speechless. I knew we were well off, but we never discussed money and Gogo liked to behave as if I was going to bankrupt her whenever I asked for money to go shopping or on a trip. Even Michelle could be stingy at times asking for a budget and quotes before releasing any funds.

For some reason, I held off on telling her about the bag of money I found hidden in the vents because I didn't know where my dad had got it from or what it was for. Subconsciously, I felt the need to protect him or rather his memory. I wonder if maybe it was the reason why they were killed that night. At the end of our call, we set a date to meet up and I promise to stay in touch.

After tallying the contents, the total came to $750k. There was no way we could board a plane with that much cash. Initially, I'd wanted to help my friend out because Char was like a sister to me. But after our two-day drive across the country from NYC to Vegas, I was having second thoughts.

We'd arrived mid-afternoon on the third day of our great trek, checked in, and passed out. By the time I woke up, I was starving. I took a shower in the luxurious apartment suite that had been booked under Char's name and thought about how I was going to convince her to abandon this mission she was on. I still didn't have my license so she'd spent 12 to 14 hours a day behind the wheel. It was going to be a tough sell.

I'm dressed in comfy sweats and make my way to my bestie's room as I wrack my brain for a convincing argument.

"Char," I knock on her door. "Are you up yet?" I let myself in. "Do you want to order take out or go down– " My sentence is cut short when she emerges from the bathroom in a form-fitting, long black dress. She's straightened her hair and looks like she's wearing make-up. "Why do you look like that?"

"What's wrong with the way I look?" she counters, smoothing down her dress.

"Nothing! It's just that you don't usually put much effort into how you look unless it's a special occasion or something. So, I guess the better question is, where are you going looking like that?"

"I'm going out to dinner."

"Okay... care to share what's so special about this dinner? I don't think I brought a dress that can live up to that." I gesture at her frame.

"I'm going alone." She sits down on the bench placed at the end of the bed to put on a pair of black strappy heels. "I got another invitation a couple of hours ago."

She stands up, now a good 3 inches taller, and walks to her bedside table to retrieve a green envelope which she hands to me. I pull out the thick black card. A single line looks handwritten in cursive with gold ink.

Be ready and waiting in the lobby by 9.30 PM for dinner at 10 PM sharp.

I check the time and it's a little after 9. I thought I would be able to speak to her and share my concerns over a good meal but that doesn't look like it's going to happen. I stuff the card back and throw the envelope on the bed.

"I don't think you should go."

"Soleil, I don't have much time– "

"No, listen to me. I have a bad feeling about this. You don't know who these people are or what they want. One minute, they're asking you to answer questions via a webpage and the next they have you hacking into a bank. They can't be too hard-pressed for cash if they're providing you first-class tickets and putting you up in plush hotels!" I throw up my hands exasperated.