Clementine had become a wild child. Born in America but raised abroad, she now had little regard for the expectations of high society. But her reckless ways eventually catch up with her when she is kicked out of college in New York City and forced t...
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2
When she woke up in the morning, she wanted to believe that everything was fine. Needed to. Before, she would only come home for happy times. Christmas, spring break or summer. And even though it was the time of the winter holidays, there was little joyous about it.
Even her room, has been changed into more of a guest house than her old room and she felt uncomfortable in her own bed, much less her own life.
All her stuff was still in the suitcase and she stumbled to it, trying to find something to wear, realizing she packed kind of in a haze and so did not think this through that well.
It was quite early still, though she could hear the help working in the kitchen. Her parents still called them servants though she hated that too. She wasn't sure what to call them, because she knew them for such a long time now. Ever since they moved to Brazil so her father could take over the South American division of the company business.
She tiptoed into the kitchen and greeted both of them - Ernesto and Laticia.
They offered her Brazilian coffee - one of the things she as happy to get back to - and pancakes. Knowing that Clementine loved them even though they were super American.
Clementine glanced at the fresh newspaper laying on the table, though she thought that there was enough going on in her own life to add enough spice into her day.
She could actually read and write and even kinda speak Portuguese - something not a lot of her friends knew.
She herself never really knew how to describe her situation.
She also hated the word wealthy. Though it was undeniable that that is what she and her family was. She once tried to research her family's net worth online but had to stop because she was afraid she was going to get sick when she saw the first contenders for the numbers she was looking at. It was big.
As she ate silently, preferring the kitchen over the dining room so she could at least have some company. Even if it was Ernesto's and Laticia's. Being able to understand Portugese much better than she could speak it, she was able to catch their conversation. Something about the festival tonight, an annual party, where the locals come to dance their cares away.
She could use one of those.
Are you going? Ernesto asked Laticia, and she just winked at him.
Clementine always had a feeling that the two would be a great couple.
But soon enough they were all interrupted when Clementine's mother walked in.
"Bom dia," she said to the servants, then looking directly at her daughter "Clementine," she walked up and gave her a quick hug.
Clementine was about to say something, she thought important, but her mother kept on.
"I would like you to be here tonight. We have some very important guests coming over tonight. Your father's business partners. Wear something, respectful, l and, you know, behave." Her mother said as if to joke but not really.
Clementine, drinking her coffee, simply nodded.
"Now, I have to run some errands, but remember, your father will want to speak with you," her mother - her name was Joyce - applied some lipstick into a held hand mirror and waved a quick goodbye as she dashed out the door, calling for the driver.
Joyce disliked having to go out alone in the city ever since there has been a string of high profile robberies, and the Robarts family (their own) was no doubt a very viable target.
"Well?" Clementine's father has summoned her to his office in the house, and now was making an appointment with her as if she was one of his employees.
"Well, what?" Clementine knew this wasn't going to help, and she did feel a certain guilt, but she also felt a push back against everything that was happening to her. About to happen to her.
"What do you think? About everything that has happened?" Clementines father - Andreu - was actually born of a rich Brazilian family, but raised practically American in private schools and colleges. He went to Columbia university and fully expected Clementine, his second child, to follow in his footsteps. That's where he met her mother and where he earned a name for himself, giving him the right out of his five brothers to take over the family business.
He was right - Clementine thought - what have I done?
All she had to show for his money at Columbia was a failed relationship and many parties that she barely remembers. All she cared about when she was abroad was the scene. She was so confident of herself in the beginning, but now having the family home ground her she had a new perspective on everything.
"I think," she finally began, trying to answer her father's question, "I don't owe anyone anything." At that, Andreu furrowed his brow, "but I also made a mistake," she added and he seemed to relax for a moment.
"It wasn't my intention to leave school. I like learning, I just...lost control. I think," Clementine wasn't sure if it was possible to describe everything she was feeling.
Her father exhaled a large sigh and put an envelope on the desk between them.
"You know I want you to be happy, but not at the expense of your own education, health, life!" Pointing to the letter, "this is Columbia University telling me that you have been suspended for a semester, and that even though this family is generous donor to the school, they have a responsibility to their own academic institution. Do you know how demeaning that is for this family?"
Clementine blinked. It hurt having it all so out in the open like this.
"You always said you wanted freedom. I gave it to you. But you abused it. With freedom comes responsibility, Clementine, and if you can't handle that then maybe it is time you learned your lesson."
"I," Clementine tried to start but Andreu interrupted her.
"Let me finish. Your mother and I know you have nowhere to go. And don't think that we will be sponsoring anything else anytime soon. You are most welcome to stay here until next fall, but we will be doing things differently now," he said sternly, as if that was that. "Now, I know as hard as it may be to believe the world does not actually spin around you. We have lives here too, and I have work to do. We'll discuss this again, but later." Andreu began to shuffle the papers on his desk as if to signify the conversation was over.
"Oh and Clementine?" Clementine got up to leave slowly, and when she was at the door, her father piped in a last time. "There is an important dinner happening tonight. I want you to be there."
"Sure," she said as she slipped out the door, holding back the tears that were long overdue.
