Charise walked down the path to the cemetery, flanked by her father and S. Ophelia, Cy, Nathaniel, and Valo carefully positioned themselves to block the worst of the photographers and reporters from bothering Charise.

“Preston, what’s your reaction to your ex-wife’s death?” a reporter called out.

“Charise, how do you feel, knowing you’re about to inherit so much from your estranged mother?” another called out.

“Leave them alone,” Valo snapped. “These people are mourning, and you… you people are like vultures. Can’t you leave them alone?”

“I didn’t even get this much attention when I married Vicky last year,” Preston muttered.

“Seriously,” Charise agreed. “I hate having to deal with these types of people when S makes the news with a new play or award. This… this is just over the top.”

“Your friend there is pretty scary,” Preston remarked, nodding toward Valo, who was still haranguing the reporters.

“More Ophelia’s friend than mine. She has a low tolerance for stupidity.”


“So, you know how it all breaks down,” Mr. Gaines said. He was still as old as ever, and it seemed as if he would never die. “The only change is that given Mr. Veneto’s death, his share of the Verona family money will go to his widow.”

“What?” Valo gasped, astonished. “I’m sorry, but I can’t… the taxes…”

“The taxes will be taken directly from your share,” Mr. Gaines explained. To Charise, he said, “I’m very sorry for your loss. I didn’t expect to outlive your mother, considering I’ve been her lawyer since she started working in show business. You might find it hard to believe, dear, but she did have her good points. Not too many, but they were there, and she wanted to make sure her children her taken care of.” He sighed. “She was so upset after Cassandra’s death, you know. She’d just found her daughter, and then, taken away, just like that.” He patted her shoulder. “Take care of yourself and your family.”

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Gaines,” Charise replied.


“How’d things go?” Tacita asked. “I mean, I saw the thing on the gossip show, but you know how they blow things out of proportion. Was Valo really cursing out those reporters?”

“Yeah,” Charise responded. “And she got Grant’s share of the Verona family money.”

“Seriously?” Tacita gasped incredulously. “But she’s already sitting on a good bit of cash from her books and tours--”

“--And the money she inherited from her uncle. And she barely spends any on herself.”

“Well, I guess it’s because she was raised kind of poor. Taught her to stretch a buck. It’s a good skill to have.”

“Yeah, it is. People like you and me, we don’t always learn skills like that. I have to admit, I envy the fact that she has so much of her life under control, that she can take care of herself under pretty much any circumstance. I wish I learned to be like that.”


Tacita sat at the bar and sipped at her drink, her nose wrinkling slightly in response to the bitter flavor. Slowly, she swallowed, feeling the bitter liquid make its way painfully down her throat. She set the drink down, waiting to see if her body would rebel and declare this to be one drink too many. No sign of this came, so Tacita picked up her drink and began sipping again. The male voice behind her nearly made her spit her drink out.

“Well, well, do my eyes deceive me, or is that the lovely Tacita?” he asked.

Scowling, Tacita responded, without looking at the speaker, “Unfortunately, it is.”


He sat beside her and remarked, “You’re looking well.”

Tacita glared at him. “Drop the formalities, Mark,” she growled. “What do you want?”

Mark lowered his voice. “When will you let me see my daughter?”

Tacita began to rise from her seat. “When you start acting like a father,” she replied.

“You sure haven’t been acting like much of a mother.”

“I’m there for her, more or less. You weren’t even there to hold my hand while I was giving birth to Lisa. You don’t deserve to have any part in her life. Don’t ask me again. In fact, don’t even approach me in public again. As far as I’m concerned, Mark, you’re dead. You are dead to me. Got it?”

“But, Tacita--”

“Bite me. Go find someone who’ll listen to your lies. I stopped a long time ago.”