The Debt Between Us

Aubrey I stood frozen as I watched my parents being lowered into the cold earth. Is this really happening? Is this all a bad dream, and could I wake up at any moment? I pinched myself and felt the harsh reality sink in. My heart aches so deeply that it feels like it will shatter. Tears pricked at my eyes as I watched the loves of my life leave me. Will I be able to ever get over this pain? My mind takes me back to the day before the accident. We all ate dinner together, shared jokes and laughed. If I had known that would be the last time, I would have hugged them tighter or laughed harder with them. Just as I was about to fall to my knees, I felt a hand on my shoulders. I looked up to see my best friend, Lucy. She gives me a sad smile, “I got you, Aubrey,” And with that, I crash into her and sob uncontrollably while she gently strokes my hair. The funeral reception goes smoothly. I go around greeting people and thanking them for coming. I don't even recognize most of them; they are all my father's business associates. Tim, my father's secretary, approached me. “How are you holding up?” Tim asks. “I'm trying,” I replied, shrugging. I have known Tim since I was a child. He has always been so loyal to my father. “Look,” he began, shifting nervously. “I didn't want to bring this up now, but I don't have a choice,” he says, looking disturbed. “What's wrong?” I’m staring him in the eyes. “Your father’s company is at risk of going bankrupt.” “What?!” my voice comes out as a scream, drawing the attention of people around us. Tim quickly guides me to a quieter place. “What do you mean, my father's company is going bankrupt?” “Your father owes a lot of debts, Aubrey, and these companies are coming after his company. They need their money.” “How much are we talking about here?” “5 million dollars”, he said. I grip the table next to me for support. I can't believe what I'm hearing. “How did that happen?” "Your dad invested heavily in a foreign company, and it turned out to be a scam. He went around taking loans from companies to keep the company going and to provide for you and your mom." He didn't expect it to get this bad,” he says, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Is there anything we can do?” “One of the companies we owe wants to meet first thing tomorrow morning. They say they have a deal you might like.” “Okay, I’ll be there by 9 am.” He nods his head and leaves me to be. I unlocked the front door and stepped into the house. It was awfully quiet, no one was there, just me. I walk to the kitchen, pour myself a glass of water, and then head upstairs. I crash into my bed, memories of my parents flooding my mind, and soon enough, I fall asleep. I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. I turn it off, I don’t give myself time to think I get up from bed and dive straight into the shower. As I showered, I thought about how today could play out. I hope there is something I can do to save my father’s company. It would pain me to see it go bankrupt. I step out of the shower and begin to apply lotion to my body. I hear the sound of a notification “Hope the funeral went well. Xoxo,Owen." I rolled my eyes and deleted the message without a second thought. What a way to start my day. I try not to think about Owen or the pain he caused me. “Alexa, play alien superstar” I go through my closet while dancing to ‘Alien Superstar’ by Beyoncé. I'm aiming for a professional look. I chose a pencil black skirt and an emerald green silk shirt. I quickly pulled my hair into a high ponytail and applied a little makeup to my face. I try to conceal the dark circles and the fact that I’ve been crying for weeks now. I put on my clothes and paired them with black heels and a black bag. Looking at myself in the standing mirror, I must admit, I do look good. I grab my shades and car keys and head downstairs. “Good morning, Aubrey,” James greets. James has been our gardener since I was a child. He is just like family. “Good morning James,” I said, giving him a small smile. “How are you holding up,” he says, looking at me like I’m about to break. “I’m hanging in there,” I say, giving him a smile. “No need to worry about me,” I tell him. “Well, I'm always here for you.” “Thank you, James.” I get into my car and start the engine. I pulled up to the parking lot of the company, took out my bag and put on my shades. As I get into the lobby, Helen the receptionist greets me with a huge smile. I give her a smile and head for the elevator. My father's workers are always so nice to me, and I'm sure working with them will not be an issue. As I get to the top floor, I head into my father's office, which is now my office. A wave of sadness hits me as I remember seeing him behind this desk. I try to push it aside, but just as I am trying to put myself together, Tim walks in. As if he’s sensing my struggle, he gives me a small smile and says “Come on, they're waiting in the conference room. You got this Aubrey.” I drop my bag and take off my shades. Breathing deeply, I followed Tim to the conference room. As the doors to the conference room open, I head for the seat at the top of the table. Just as I sit down, my attention is drawn to a man who sits like he owns the world. Confidence and authority seem to radiate off him. His charcoal gray suit jacket hugged his broad shoulders, accentuating his toned arms as he leaned back in his chair. His crisp white dress shirt is slightly unbuttoned at the collar, revealing a bit of skin, his piercing blue eyes lock onto mine, studying me as I do the same to him. I hear Tim clear his throat and regain my composure. “Can we start?” I nod, bracing myself. This meeting could change everything.