Up In The Sky

July 5, 2020. Sunday.

It’s the fifth of the month, which means that it’s time for another family dinner.

We were originally scheduled to fly at nine, but I got stopped by passport control and taken into a holding room, courtesy of the five men that I’d killed two days ago and hence the outstanding warrant in my name. While I was being taken into a grey cell surrounded by cold stone walls, Salome and Scarlet got busy, seeing what strings they could pull.

The security apparatus didn’t like me much. That became apparent as the interrogator they brought in began hammering me on the details surrounding the killing, and then my role in the protests, and then my reason for being in the country. It turns out that although US citizens might be allowed into Colombia without a visa, they aren’t allowed to come in and stir up political trouble.

And my story, that I was just an artist accompanying Salome on her journey, sounded flimsy even to me. Kind of difficult to justify, when I was spotted protesting on the front lines with the rest of them, going so far as to escort Scarlet to the television cameras when the riots broke out.

So it was quite a welcome relief when the call came in saying that the prosecutor’s office decided to drop all charges against me on the grounds of ‘self-defence.’

By noon, our private jet lifts off the tarmac, carrying Salome, Scarlet, Tiffany, and me straight for the airfield by the Najbreit Estate.

“Thanks for saving my ass,” I say, reclining in one the big plush massage chair bolted down to the jet’s floor.

“It was the least I could do, after what you did for me,” Scarlet says, looking up from her phone and smiling at me.

Tiffany looks at me curiously. I glance over to the side. Salome is still in the kitchenette, taking a call, out of earshot.

“Scarlet knows everything,” I tell her. “She knows just as much as you do.”

“So Claude has done to you all those same things he’s done with me?” Tiffany asks Scarlet, raising an eyebrow.

“Tiffany!” Scarlet says, her face blushing. “What are you trying to imply?”

“Oh, just that he’s really good at certain things,” Tiffany shrugs.

Scarlet blushes further.

“I’m quite good at art, for instance,” I say. “I am an artist, after all.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Tiffany nods. “Very good at art.”

“So let’s talk about his art then because that sounds much more interesting to me,” Scarlet quickly says.

“I thought that was what we were talking about,” Tiffany says, an innocent look on her pretty face. “What were you thinking of, Scarlet?”

“His art, too,” Scarlet says, still too quickly. “That’s all.”

“Speaking of art, how was that project that we discussed going, Tiffany?” I ask, earning a relieved look from Scarlet. “You know, the one where you release some tasteful nudes?”

Scarlet glares at me.

“Great question!” Tiffany says, stifling a giggle at Scarlet’s expression. “It’s been on my mind a lot and I really want to get it done, but I haven’t made much progress… it really hard to find a photographer that I can trust. The birthmark is a really big deal for me, and I want somebody who can get everything just right.”

“Oh, this is something that you’re actually considering doing,” Scarlet says, surprised. “I thought you were just having a go at me.”

“Don’t get me wrong, we were doing that,” I laugh.

“But it is something that I find important,” Tiffany says, a more serious expression crossing her face. “There are a lot of girls out there who have issues with their body, and I think showing them that I’ve made peace with myself, for all my flaws, is something important to do.”

“You’ve found a cause!” Scarlet says, delighted. “I always knew you would find something bigger than yourself.”

“Yep,” Tiffany nods, looking content with herself. She sits, thinking for a moment, and then perks up.

“You know what would be good?” she says, looking at Scarlet. “You could join me in the photoshoot!”

“Me?” Scarlet frowns, confused.

“You told me earlier that you didn’t like how people online were responding to the leak of that livestream,” Tiffany says. “The kinds of comments that you’ve been receiving, the nasty stuff, or that you look hot…”

“And by public figures, too!” Scarlet says, indignant. “Did you see what that footballer tweeted? ‘Nice bod, maybe more next time?’ You can’t make this shit up.”

“Exactly,” Tiffany says. “What gives him the right? But there is something that you could do to reclaim your sexuality.”

“I release photos of my nudity on my terms,” Scarlet says, slowly nodding. “I show the world that I’m not bothered by the fact that they’ve seen that footage. I acknowledge it, and then I show them that I’m better… I… I kind of like the idea.”

Tiffany smiles and bounds of her chair to Scarlet’s side, hugging her tightly.

“You’re the best,” she beams at her older sister.

“No, you are,” Scarlet replies. “You’re the one brought up the suggestion.”

“All we need now is a photographer,” Tiffany sighs. “Do you know someone that you can trust?”

“Ahem,” I clear my throat, joining the conversation for the first time in a while. “Have you heard of the great artist Claude Ashworth? I hear that he’s the artist in residence for the Najbreit family this year, and that he’s done a nude photoshoot for the Rothschild family before…”

“I feel silly,” Tiffany laughs, breaking her hug with Scarlet to slide into my massage chair and give me a quick hug too. “Of course we should use you!”

“I was getting worried about the photographer too, but I’d feel more than comfortable with Claude behind the lens,” Scarlet smiles. “Now, all we need to do is get Father’s permission…”