My name is Cameron Charles Thomas the Sixth but everyone calls me Cam. I was only 18 years old when my parents informed me my grandfather Cameron Charles Thomas V. was dying. I had only met him a few times since he lived on the West Coast and had divorced my Grandma many years before I was born.
My father, John Thomas, said Grandpa Cameron wanted to see him and I as soon as possible. Airline tickets showed up and my dad and I headed to Seattle. Neither of us knew what he wanted to see us about. Maybe it was just to say goodbye. I knew my mom never spoke of him and always changed the subject when we mentioned his name. Even if she was invited to go see him I doubted if she would go. For some reason she just didn't like him.
I got my appearance from my Grandpa. Both of us had blonde hair and a handsome face. Everyone in the family had told me I was his spitting image. I guess it skipped my Dad for some reason. My dad was short and had dark hair. If I didn't know for sure he was my dad I would be suspicious.
Grandpa Cameron was pretty well off and had a beautiful house by a large lake. As we pulled up to his large mansion I saw a number of expensive cars. Grandpa always had a new car and a new young beautiful woman around him. How he got the gorgeous ones we never knew?
His latest blonde, Lisa, met us at the door. She was another one of his typical blonde bombshells. She was wearing a sundress that bearing covered her ass and was so low in front we could see all the way down to her nipples. At least that was what I imagined.
"You must be Cameron Thomas the Sixth," she said as she threw her arms around me. I was pretty big for my age and had worked out the past year so I felt good hugging this sexy creature.
"Yep, that's me," I said before she kissed me on the lips. Strange place to kiss someone you just met I thought. She put her hand out for my dad to shake. He just didn't have it with the women I thought.
"Mr. C is waiting for you upstairs," she said. "He is not doing very well and has been sleeping most of the time."
We followed her up the stairs, which was really an eye opener, since we could see her tiny pink panties under her short dress. The panties were wedged between her cheeks, which were a fine color of bright pink. I looked over at my dad who was looking down. Not me, my head bent lower to check out her mound between her legs. As we got to the top of the stairs she turned quickly to catch me looking up her dress. Instead of giving me a hard time she just winked at me and smiled.
Grandpa's door was made of heavy wood that squeaked as Lisa pushed it open. We walked into his huge bedroom to see him lying under a bundle of covers.
"Mr. C," Lisa said softly. "Your family is here"
I watched as his eyes slowly opened. He zeroed quickly on my face. "Cameron. You came to see me." He didn't acknowledge my dad.
"Hello Grandpa" I said as I moved to his wrinkled hands. His huge hands pulled me to him.
"Hello dad," I heard my dad say as I continued to get a big hung from Grandpa.
"Hello son. How are you doing?"
"Looks like I'm doing better than you. I should be asking how you are doing."
"Oh, I'm fine. Just a little weak with this cold."
I looked at Lisa who was shaking her head. I took that to mean he didn't really have a cold.
"The doctor tells me I don't have much time. I have some matters to take care of before I leave this world. I would like to talk to Cameron alone."
"You don't want me here?" My dad asked with a hurt look on his face.
"I'll talk to you later but now I want to talk to my grandson."
Lisa took dad's arm and guided him from the room. I sat down next to Gramps as he told me a story I'll never forget.
"Many, many years ago a man named Cameron Thomas sailed the world looking for treasure. He spent many years searching for gold and riches in all corners of the earth. He was a good-looking man whom never had time for a family. He always figured his happiness would come when he found his pot of gold. While searching the ruins of an ancient city in the Egyptian desert he found a small metal box with ancient words scratched on the top. The box was tightly sealed and could not be opened. He took the box to a local scholar who translated the words etched on the box. He wrote them down so he wouldn't forget. "The treasure will bring pleasure to the name that discovers it's secret. Use it wisely or sadness will come your way." He asked the man if there were any directions on how to open the box. The man said no. What good was a treasure if he could not get it out of the box? He wondered.
"He took the box to an metal smith but he could not open it either. He thought about sawing or cutting the box but was afraid he would destroy the treasure inside. Finally he put it on the shelf and thought about his next adventure. As he packed for his next trip he threw the box in his bag with hopes he could figure out how to open it. During the voyage something happened that suddenly opened the box. Our ancestor removed the contents and found his treasure he had always wanted. He followed the words of advice that was written on the box and lived an exciting life." Grandpa stopped and took a big breath.
"The box and its contents have been passed down through our family's namesake. I was separated from your Grandma when your father was born so he missed getting my name. Thank god your mother decided to name you Cameron Charles Thomas the Sixth otherwise the treasure would have stopped with me." Grandpa coughed and continued.
"I don't have any more need for the treasure so I'm giving it to you. You must promise a dying man that you will never tell the secret of the box or of the power of the treasure." His eyes locked onto mine as he reached his hand out to shake mine.
"Grandpa, I don't know if I can do this." I said softly. "I'm only 18. What if I can't open the box?"
"There has not been a Cameron yet who could not discover the secret although my father told me Cameron the Third took almost a year. You must not tell anyone not even your parents."
"Promise me." He said as he gripped my hand tightly in his.
"I promise." I said shaking in my sneakers.
I watched as he moved slowly off the bed and walked with his cane to a large picture of himself of his earlier years. He swung the picture out from the wall and turned the combination on a wall safe. I heard the final click and watched as he pulled the safe open. His wrinkled hand pulled out a small tarnished metal box. As he placed it in my hand he kissed my forehead.
"Enjoy it son. You have in your hand what every man wishes for."
"Will you give me any hints on how to open the box?" I asked softly looking down to see no seams in the metal.
"HA, HA, HA." He laughed loudly. "That would take the fun out of it." He coughed again and started to fall. I quickly grabbed his arm and lead him back to the bed.