Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Chapter 33 - Who's Craftier?

"Daddy, I want to be famous too, but famous for being successful, not famous like Harmony which she pretty much needs to show her ass everywhere to get attention."

This time Colin raised his eyebrow surprised at how Anna was talking about her best friend. He always thought Anna was more supportive of Harmony. Now he saw Anna was holding onto Harmony for public awareness as she was splashed all over Anna's web pages.

"I am excited about the island Daddy. The ideas running through my head won't allow me to even sleep. I don't even want to travel right now, but this trip will allow me to digest all that has happened. I'll go to my shows that I have been an attendee at for the last four years, and tell people what I am doing, bragging rights if you will. It will also be good to go without Harmony because I think we just need a little break from each other since we are going to spend every waking moment together for the next several years. I also know that I will be too nervous to want to do anything dumb without her on the trip with me. With Harmony, I get too relaxed and do stupid things." Anna stated as if she were in a meeting at age thirty.

Colin cringed as he remembered a few incidences where Nate had to retrieve the girls for being gone without supervision. The had managed to get caught in the middle of or was the cause of a couple of brawls in bars they weren't old enough to be in. Keeping it out of the papers was the hardest as he didn't want the town they loved tainted by his daughter's misbehavior. He had been so angry that he took away all their credit cards and cancelled their regular monthly beauty treatments. It affected Harmony more than it did Anna but that was also good to keep Anna in line.

Anna continued without missing a beat, "I want to prove my worth as an adult through trust. You must trust me, even if you obviously don't think you can. I will be so careful, especially since I am with Stacy. Her parents are strict from what I gather, and she looks at me as if I were a celebrity because she follows and buys stuff from my website. I saw the shoes she was wearing last night. They are from my last autumn season collection. These girls are excited about my magazine and want to be a part of it. It is like free advertisements. More models, equals more variety, which is more exposure." Anna said with stars in her eyes.

"These girls are serious and want to be famous for their own right. They don't even drink." Anna said as if surprised. Colin did feel a bit surprised as well because he thought all teenagers experienced alcohol during high school at least, even if it were a private school they went to.

"Well that is a relief." Colin said cautiously. "How does Harmony feel about all of this?"

Anna looked uncomfortable again, and Colin knew there was more. He just wasn't sure how much more he could take.

"Well I don't know because I am going to tell her I am on a trip with you. This will be an opportunity on my own to meet a few new people in the industry without her personality up front. I already feel bad I have to lie to Harmony, but I need to concentrate and not get distracted by her. She is my sister and is really fun to be with on a trip, but this is business where I am President. It's going to piss her off, but I will deal with it when I get back, besides what is she going to do, not move with us? She is already telling everyone it is partly "Her" island. Since she is so busy right now, I am hoping to just avoid her until I come back." Anna said then shrugged.

"I will send her a message telling her I am with you, so she doesn't come to the house as she will think Nate will bring Kayleen up while we are gone. You know she wouldn't want to be around that witch." Anna said making Colin smile for the first time since she dropped this bomb.

"This will also allow Harmony to focus on getting her stuff done so we know she will be on time. She'll be more forgiving if I say I am going with you, but that is another risk I am taking." Anna rushed and looked comfortable apparently over delivering the worst of the information. She couldn't eat anymore and pushed her plate away. Colin could only finish a third of his plate.