Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34187 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“Matilda, really,” Mom huffed, crossing her arms. “Paul was under a lot of stress with his company merger. You were always so sensitive, needing all his attention.”
Xavier’s hand tightened around mine, but he remained silent, letting me fight my own battle. I appreciated that more than he could know.
“I called you from the emergency room with three broken ribs and a fractured cheekbone,” I said, my voice flat. “You hung up on me and told Dad I was causing trouble and that if I didn’t stop, Paul was sure to divorce me and that would mean you’d be cut off from the monthly allowance he gave you.”
My father cleared his throat, glancing around the parking lot as if searching for witnesses. “We should discuss this in private, Matilda. Not in front of… these people.”
“These people,” I said, gesturing to the bikers surrounding us, “are my family. The only real family I’ve ever had.”
“This is outrageous,” my father muttered. “Get in the car, Matilda. We’ll talk about everything when we get home.”
I decided to change tactics because I was so done with this. “So, you’ve been trying to get hold of me for weeks.” I held my arms out to the side. “Well? Here I am. What’s going on?”
“When we get home, Matilda.” My mother’s face was a mask of disapproval I’d grown very familiar with over my lifetime.
I shrugged. “Suit yourself.” I turned to go, knowing Xavier would follow me.
“Wait!” Mother called out to me, actually grabbing my arm to prevent me from leaving. “Come home with us.”
“Sorry. Not where I want to be. Either talk or I’m leaving. It’s that simple.”
“Fine,” my mother bit out between clenched teeth, her anger showing when I’d bet everything I owned she didn’t intend to wear her emotions so close to the surface. “I heard you’re a famous writer. I wanted to congratulate you.”
“I’m not famous.” Much as I wanted my parents to acknowledge my abilities and talents, I also didn’t want to hear the next phase of the conversation. Because this was the part where they asked me for money.
“That’s not what Beulah told me. She said you won an award or something.”
“No awards.”
“She said you wrote a bestseller.” My mother actually smiled at me and made a little effort to look impressed -- when I knew how she felt about my chosen genre!
“I’ve had some luck.”
“You must do well for yourself. I heard you bought a place, though I thought it was in Indiana.”
“It is.” This was painful in more ways than one. I wasn’t leading them into what they were truly getting at, and my mother was trying every way in the world to force me into asking her what she wanted. Nope. I might not have been in control of my life all the time, but I was in control now.
When the silence stretched on, my father was the one to finally break character. “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” he snapped. “We need the rest of the money you got from Paul’s estate. Since you’re a huge success, you don’t need that money.”
“I’m sorry, but you guys got everything. All I had was some cash I’d managed to get out of my bank accounts before you had them all frozen. Including my personal account.” I wanted to be mad, but really what was the point? They weren’t going to change. I couldn’t live with them any longer.
“That was payment for you living with us after Paul was murdered. That way you didn’t have to work while you were dealing with the murder and then the trial.” She glanced at Xavier and shuddered in disgust. “I’ll never understand why you took this beast’s side over a good man like Paul St. Martin.”
I hit my limit. “Mother. Father. I’m really sorry you made this trip for nothing, but I can’t help you. Please be careful on your way home. Do not call me again.”
Maybe I should feel ashamed to have been mean to my parents. I wasn’t a fan of speaking to my elders like I had, but I’d toned it down considerably from what I wanted to say. Instead, I snagged my helmet where I’d set it down and shoved it on my head. I didn’t wait for Xavier, simply climbed on the bike and waited for him to follow.
My parents called out to me several times, but I ignored them. When our little convoy started back down the interstate, I felt like I was leaving a huge albatross behind me in our wake.
I knew life wouldn’t automatically be perfect, though I thought it was pretty damned perfect at the moment, but I now had people who cared about me. Their love was genuine and not dependent on something I could do for them. And the most amazing love of the bunch was the love I got from Xavier. Time would tell how strong our connection was, but I knew what we had was real. Because I’d experienced fake. What we had together was the real thing. And it shone brightly.