CHAPTER 2

ORGANIST: ORGAN BLACK MARKET

Moments later everyone was gone the rest of the morning was pretty relax. Even though making headline news with this massive purchase to live a secluded life as royalty this was a cover-up for her guilt and rage. Her real intention was too avenged her little sister terminating Stephen and Pique: the entire Organ Black Market Operation and forgetting about Ray while mending her broken grieving heart. Canceling their up-coming wedding on social media and resigning from Organist had given her ability to accept she had taken on the challenge to recreate herself as strong professional hit-woman. And that meant renovating the palace into modern-style secret ammunition vault and club.

Grabbing her other phone Caramella strolled down the list of decorators and event companies and smirked, ‘Today is all about evolving into butterfly. It’s time Organist, the world and Ray will know who I am,’ serving three years in the military as a medical assistant had taught her many things: survival skills, endurance and it improved her martial arts.

Typing all the details needed. She paid for an expensive renovation, classified weapons, ammunition and the biggest party promotion: sending invitations nearly every company she worked with, the press and made the up-coming event open to the public.

‘Let’s see who loves to party and who loves to get shot,’ Caramella smiled.

Her smartphone on the glass table outside rang turning her heels she walked in the balcony and picked it up. Before answering she noticed it was a video call from her Italian best friend Amelia. She pressed the answer button the image of Amelia and her American best friend Sandra with her daughters: Abigail and Sam took over her screen.

‘Morning lovelies! Having a great time in Canada?’ Caramella beamed.

Amelia laughed, ‘Clara we miss you! How was Maria’s funeral?’ she does kissy faces as the other giggled. ‘It’s so cold up here. How’s the weather in France?’

‘I miss you too, sis. It was sad but okay. It’s wonderful here just chilly with amazing sunshine as usual,’ Caramella smiled.

‘We can’t wait to come over and visit you with my girls,’ Sandra intervened while braiding Sam’s hair.

‘I can’t wait either, we’re going to shop all the day,’ Caramella quipped with small laugh.

‘Mom it’s too tight,’ Sam whined and tugging onto one of the braids.

Sandra answered, ‘I’ll loosen it up just wait a minute while I get this done.’

‘Beside that how are your parents doing? Cheryl called us. She told us there was a massive earthquake in Portugal recently. Only a few of Santa Rosa’s resorts got damage but they’re okay. Have you called them yet?’ Amelia asked.

Caramella was shocked as she shook her head, ‘No. My sister never called me. My mother didn’t tell me anything this morning before she left for Portugal’ and rushed to her dresser and pick up her third smartphone. She checked it and realised she had a ton of miss calls from parents and siblings.

‘Forty miss calls and messages?’ She blurted out. ‘While I was sobbing and shutting myself off everything something just had to happen,’ she thought and continued, ‘Girls I’ll call you back.’

‘Okay,’ Sandra said worriedly.

‘We’ll be waiting,’ Amelia added with a concern smile.

Caramella nodded, ‘Yeah see you later,’ after bidding goodbye she hung up and speed dial her mother’s number.

Continually ringing for a couple minutes a feminine voice answered, ‘Caramella, sweetheart? What’s wrong?’

It was her mother, Patricia Williamston.

‘Mum? Are you and Dad alright? How much damage did the earthquake leave?’ Caramella asked with concern.

Patricia replied with relief, ‘Yes we are. Not much your father who’s there says we’ll be up and running in no time, darling. I forgot to tell you. But let me be honest for a second. What about you honey are you coping okay? I never got the chance to ask. Your father and I weren’t thrill about your decision when you bought that French palace yet it’s exquisite. But you’re all alone in there. You never consider hiring some maids or butlers?’

‘Glad to hear Dad is alright but Mum, I’m fine. I don’t need all those people in my house I can manage it,’ Caramella told her.

Patricia responded, ‘I don’t like this Caramella. What if something happens to you now like your sister? What if Ray tries to find you? Your relationship with that man wasn’t all daisies and sugar. He was trouble and you knew it.’

‘Nothing will happen to me, Mum,’ Caramella assured her. ‘Ray isn’t in my life anymore isn’t that what you wanted in the first place. He wasn’t as bad as the press made him seem.’

Patricia sighed, ‘Honey, bad guys don’t let go of their property so easily.’

A thought of Stephen and Pique rushed through Caramella’s mind as she frowned.

Her mother continued, ‘Yes, Ray may have cheated on you but your heart might give him a second chance and it will ruin you.’

‘Mum I won’t give him a second chance and I’m not his second- chances trophy. I’m grateful that he cheated with Lena, the wedding is off, you and Dad hopefully can be happy because I’m going to make a statement to the world that I can handle anything,’ Caramella responded about the hung up the call when her mother blurted out.

‘Your father and I sent a surprise for you it will arrive in three days time! Hope you enjoy our gift, sweetheart,’ Patricia chuckled over line and ended the call.

‘What gift?’ Caramella asked but realised her mother cancel the call. ‘What could the surprise be?’ She thought and threw herself against the mattress. ‘Mum thinks Ray is bad news after all she’s always right. He was. Why was I with that fool anyway? He fulls my mind with deceit yet he showed me love and he cared for me unlike the guys I dated before. Now all that’s gone and my sister’s killers are still raging on,’ suddenly tears escape her eyes as she snuffled and swept them way her hands. She sighed, ‘Moving on from the bad boy might take a major miracle to help me forget about him. Taking out Organist’s Stephen, Pique and the entire Organ Black Market Cooperation won’t be a piece cake.’

Closing her teary eyes she remembered the first time she met Ray in Spain. Her parents were celebrating their thirty-fifth anniversary at their Santa Rosa’s Joy Spain Edition Resort which was hosting her older sister’s wedding. Caramella just wanted to escape the publicity, the gloomy weather, distant relatives and everything else that made her uncomfortable. Nearby was a Public Park she decided to take the opportunity to leave early and explore the park. She strolled in admiring the view of the fields and the locals who sat on the benches in deep conversation and laughter. Dusting off an empty bench shaded by a fruit tree she sits down and stretched her arms and legs in exhaustion before yawning.

‘What a day,’ she whined and pocketed a packet of chips she bought from a vendor. ‘Couldn’t they all have their events on separate days?’ She took a bit of the sour cream potato chip before plugging on her earphones and scanning her music playlist played Britney Spears: Oh La, La. Hypnotised the beat Caramella started singing the lyrics until her sight was taken over by a handsome Spanish football player. She impressed chiseled muscle, the sculptured face which remained her of Greek mythology Gods and those green-grayish eyes were serious yet relax as they concentrate on the ball. ‘Who’s that? He seems to be practicing,’ she mumbled.

Dibbling the football to even bouncing it on his head and chest before kneeing it. He had such great rhythm in his feet as he maneuvers the ball.

Caramella shouldn’t help but smile without thinking as she blurted out, ‘Show off! I can do better than that!’

He faced her amused with a smirk revealing a cute dimple and replied, ‘Really? Then show me!’ kicking the ball toward her.

Caramella caught the ball placing it at her feet and started kneeing it before bouncing against her side of her right foot repeatedly. She spans around and caught it still bouncing it before kicking off to him as stopped the impact.

‘You’re pretty good! Where did you learn to do that?’ He asked.

Caramella blushed, ‘Thanks, I played for my college’s girl’s football team. My older brother and my coach taught me how to play football and do these tricks.’

‘They taught you well I’m quite impressed you could pull that off. I’m Ray Martinez and you are football princessa?’ Ray asked.

She laughed and introduced herself, ‘Caramella Williamston nice to meet you’ and sat back down on the bench.

‘Such a pretty name for a beautiful woman,’ Ray flirted sat beside her as she blushed.

Caramella rolled her eyes with a small laugh, ‘I bet you told every single woman you met that, right?’

‘Only the beautiful ones like you,’ Ray smirked. ‘Have we met before? I feel I know you princessa.’

Caramella smiled as she shook her head, ‘I don’t think so. It’s the first time I’ve been here.’

‘You should come more often. Then I would have someone to impress every now and then,’ Ray quipped with a smile. ‘Are you from America or Africa?’

‘Okay,’ Caramella laughed. ‘What? No. I might be an African descendant but I’m from the Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia,’ Caramella explained.

‘An island girl? So it is your first time here in Spain?’ Ray questioned curiously.

‘Yes. Actually my parents are having their anniversary at Santa Rosa’s Joy Resort along with my older sister’s wedding. I couldn’t handle the pressure of being around everyone so I decided to come here for a short break,’ Caramella explained before looking at her wristwatch it was almost three-thirty. ‘It looks like I don’t have much time left I should go,’ she said about getting up.

Ray reached out and grabbed her hand and replied, ‘Wait!’ and got up facing her.

‘What’s wrong?’ Caramella asked as she looked at him with concern.

Ray caressed her cheek and said, ‘Don’t go princessa’ leaning in observing the surprise in her face.

‘Why? Are you going to miss me?’ Caramella asked with a chuckle.

Ray nodded with a smirk, ‘Cuando me miras así. No sabes lo que te haría.’

‘What does that mean? I don’t speak Spanish you know.’ Caramella asked. She only knew a little Spanish.

Ray leant beside her ear and whispered, ‘When you look at me like this. You don’t know what I’d do to you’ and wrapped his arms around her waist.

‘Oh? So that’s what you’re thinking as well,’ Caramella blushed looking away.

Ray turned her face to his and replied, ‘Because you lit a fire in me that need to cool down. Que ya no aguanto: ‘I can’t stand it anymore’ and kissed her lips slowly before pulling off. Her eyes glowed like the sun her cheeks felt warm like summer.