On cold autumn aftermoons

We were all sitting in the living room as my father asked. Family meeting. It didn't used to be very common, but it did happen from time to time, usually to scold. With three single female daughters in the house, it wasn't always smooth sailing. We both had different personalities and fought for attention all the time. So sometimes my dad would just “crack out” and scream to clear up the mess. But that day everything was fine... There hadn't been any arguments. Not that I've seen. I was facing my father, Pedro Miller. My mother sat next to him.

I wasn't sure whether or not she knew what that conversation was about. Michelle was lying in an armchair with her legs up. My older sister always wanted exclusivity and the good life and that bothered me a little. Martina sat next to me, in her cheerful way and not caring too much about what was happening, focused on her cell phone.

- Martina, put down your cell phone.

She looked at our father and did as he asked, even against her will. Our father was not an angry or authoritarian man, but he still had our respect. He always fought to give us everything we had. The Miller family was poor, though not in need, but it was tight-knit. And we always had the basics from our father's work. My mother was always left with the task of taking care of the daughters, since we were a bit of work when we were little. And Noriah wasn't a good place to get a job, especially for women. The kingdom was in decay and the end of the monarchy was only a matter of time. My father didn't like the queen, but he didn't get involved in the rebel movements either, and he didn't want us to participate in any way either. He was afraid that something might happen to us.

- Well, what demands our attention so much? I don't remember anything going wrong today. - Michelle said thoughtfully.

- Yes... It was all quiet. - said Martina. – By the way, I just got home from school… There wasn't even time to fight.

I started to laugh. In this case, it was always me and Martina against Michelle.

- The news is important... The best we've ever had in our entire lives.

I got curious and made myself better on the couch. What would have happened?

- What happened? asked my mother. - I'm starting to get worried.

So my mother didn't know what was going on either. My father continued:

- It's been a while since a distant uncle of the Millers was very sick... And he passed away last week.

- What uncle is this? I asked. – We don't know him?

- Not really. As I said, he is a distant relative.

"And…" Michelle asked. – What do we have to do with the uncle we never saw?

- Your relative? Who exactly are we talking about? asked Martha, my mother.

- Lewis Miller, my relative. - He explained. – He was rich… Millionaire, actually.

- Does that mean we're in mourning? asked Martina. – That's not fair… We didn't even know him.

- No... That doesn't mean we're in mourning... On the contrary. - he said. – We need to commemorate the death of Lewis Miller because he left the entire legacy to me.

We all looked at our father confused by his words. I asked:

- Like this?

- That's what you heard: the Millers are the newest millionaires in Noriah South.

- This can only be a joke. - Michelle said getting up from the couch.

- You didn't say anything about it, dear. - My mother said, trying to absorb the news.

- We are rich, millionaires... And this is not a joke.

- Can I scream? Jump? asked Martina.

"Yes…" he said smiling.

It didn't take more than a second for everyone to start jumping and screaming. I continued to sit, trying to understand it all and look for an explanation.

Martina took my hand and looked into my eyes:

- It's true, Meg... No need to be thoughtful. Our father would not lie to us that.

I did a few jumps, but it still felt like a dream. We lived a life deprived of so many things that were the benefits of so few that it didn't seem to be true. As I said, we never went hungry, but nothing was easy for us. I was in private school, but I was on a scholarship. Michelle had dropped out of college because my dad couldn't afford it. So she was hopping from job to job, earning a pittance for each one she passed. Martina, as she wasn't very hard-working and focused on her studies, had stayed in public school, because she hadn't gotten the scholarship where I was studying. And she didn't even care much about it. My little sister had only one goal in life: to live it like there was no tomorrow. Michelle, for her part, always wanted to move up in life and be more than we were. So she focused on finding a rich husband. However, at 24 years old, that still hadn't happened. So she collected suitors over the years. And I envied her, because there were some very handsome men who would give anything for her. But if they didn't have enough money, they were turned away.

- We are rich... This can only be a dream. shouted Michelle.

The celebration was short-lived. Although we were happy, it was all very surreal.

- Tomorrow morning your mother and I will need to leave for Noriah North. - warned my father. – We resolve legal issues.

- Will we be alone? I don't have time to take care of Megan and Martina.

- You do have time, dear. said my mother. - I know that you will know how to make good use of this inheritance when it is in our hands. So you need to collaborate.

- Since when do we need to be taken care of by you, Michelle?

- Your sister is of legal age and is responsible for you, yes. - said my father.

Michelle sat scowling on the couch, dissatisfied. It certainly wasn't for me but for Martina. Our youngest sister gave work even to my parents, imagine for her.

- I'm more responsible than Michelle. - I claimed.

- Girls, are you rich and yet you're wasting time with unnecessary fights? asked Martha.

In the end she was right. That discussion was unnecessary in the face of the bombshell news we had just received.

When we went to bed, we talked about it. Martina and I slept in the same room. Michelle was alone in another. That's why I was more attached to Martina. It was a life sharing a room and our dreams.

- What will change in our life? – I found myself asking while looking at the ceiling, in the dim light we used to sleep. I was afraid of sleeping in the dark, so I always used something that would brighten the room at night.

- Everything? asked Martina, laughing.

I laughed.

- I don't know what's better, Meg, if we get rich or alone over the weekend.

- Are you serious, that's what you think?

Martina lifted her head from the pillow and looked at me.

- I'll stay away from here, believe me.

- Like this?

- I'm going to Dex's house.

- Martina, you're crazy.

- I think you should do the same... Have fun.

- Why would I live like there's no tomorrow because our parents are going to seek an inheritance in another country?

She laughed and lay down again:

- Meg, stop being so sure...

- I did not understand.

- Understood yes.

- Please, Martina... This has nothing to do with it.

- Meg, do you like someone?

I thought for a while and said:

- Like, like... No. But there's a boy that interests me.

- Who? she asked curiously. - You always deny it... Say you don't like anyone... Are you going to confess today?

- It's not confessing... I don't like him. I just said that he interests me.

- So he's a lucky boy... Because Megan Miller at 17 was never interested in any real boy.

- Lie, Martina.

She laughed:

- Speak up... Who is it?

- Axel Collins.

She quickly raised her head and said:

- Axel? Did you say Axel Collins?

- Yea...

- He is perfect. Every girl's dream.

I laughed:

- That's why I said he only interests me, nothing more.

- He studies at the same school as you, doesn't he?

- Yea.

- He is beautiful, perfect, rich, he is in all the newspapers, magazines and social networks. I don't see you with him.

- Why not? Do you think your sister doesn't deserve a handsome man? – I joked.

- Of course not, Meg... You're beautiful. But he doesn't like to draw attention. Axel must pay to get attention. He is Noriah's most sought after playboy after Prince Dereck.

- I didn't say I want to marry him, Martina. I just think he's... cute.

- Cute? Axel doesn't look cute at all. But if you want I can ask Dex to get you a friend of his for the weekend.

- I don't want an arranged date. I do not need this.

- Of course you do. How long have you not kissed?

- Some months. - I admitted.

- It's time to kiss... And lose your virginity.

- I can't believe I'm talking about this with my 15 year old sister. I think it's time to close this matter.

- Do you really think so? Better to discuss it with me than with Michelle, who can only think about herself.

- And you think more about me than yourself. I'm fine with not kissing for a while and still being a virgin.

- Are you going to tell me now that you're waiting for the prince, Meg? Dereck is more impossible than Axel and Magnus... Well, I think he's getting married soon. Besides, it's old for you.

I laughed. I turned to the side and closed my eyes. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Martina was empty-headed.

- Are you really going to leave me talking to myself?

- Yes... - I said.

- What are you waiting for to enjoy the pleasures of life, Meg?

- The right time? The right man?

- That doesn't exist... Neither man nor time.

- Martina, leave me.

- If you change your mind, let me know. Dex has some beautiful friends.

She didn't see my bored face with her speech. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, thinking about what it would be like to be rich overnight.