Highest Bidder

“Either of you?” I asked. I knew what she meant, but I wanted to hear her say it.

“Well yes, you and your mother. Quite frankly, I don't understand how you both have stayed so long in London when there is so much nasty talk about your family. Please understand, I’m not trying to be rude, I'm just trying to be realistic. You both need a fresh start away from all the drama here and you especially, do not want your mother finding out about how you came in to your … little … umm … nest egg.”

There it was. The other shoe had dropped and it smacked me right in the face. “Are you threatening me?”

“It’s not a threat,” she said. “It’s a friendly warning. Going away will tie up everything neatly and grant everyone peace.”

I turned to her. “And you have the right to do this because?”

The smile instantly wiped off from her face. The gloves were off.

“Because I have a lot at stake. Brent Lucan is the brains behind my company and distractions like you are going to make things very difficult for everybody. You’re just some shiny new toy, so please for the sake of yourself and your mother, go somewhere else and start anew. I’ll help you in any way that you need. Money and any kind of support either of you need. I think you’ll find I am very generous when I get my way.”

“Is Brighton far enough?” I asked, my tone distant and condescending.

“Excuse me?”

“We might as well leave England. Paris seems like quite the place. My mom was raised there. She also had her honeymoon there. Or is that too close? How about a different continent? I’ve heard South Africa is stunning. Along the coast perhaps.”

“You’re funny,” she said icily.

“No, you are. Either that or you’re deluded to think that my life is somehow worth so much less than yours that it can be uprooted and flung to wherever pleases you.” I grabbed the handle of her car door to storm out. She tried to stop me, but I got out, slammed the door shut behind me, and returned home, feeling as if my heart would burst with fury.

I couldn’t even respond to my mother as she called out to me. Or even my phone when Maddie began to call back. I let the call go unanswered but when she kept calling, I picked it up and spoke as calmly as I could.

“Ella says we should go out for a movie,” she said.

“Come on. Let’s go!” Ella screamed from the background.

“I’m sorry, count me out, please. I’m tired. I’ll call you guys tomorrow, okay?” I didn’t need to go to the movies. My life already seemed like one. I ended the call and went in search of my mother.

She was seated in the living room, the television on, but muted. Like she too, was deep in thought. When she noticed me, she smiled and called me over. “You didn’t eat. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I just left some chicken and potatoes in the oven for you.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I sat beside her.

“Why did you go outside?” she asked.

“Uh.” I quickly put together another lie. “I was returning a call I missed earlier for an internship interview.”

“Oh, I thought you found somewhere already?”

“I did, but I’m still reviewing new options.”

“Oh,” she said innocently, making me feel worse for lying to her.

“How’s the store doing?”

A light came on in her eyes. “It’s doing much better. I was seriously considering shutting it down, but I then received some contacts from the charity event and since then, fingers crossed, business has begun to flow. I’ll give it a little more time to see how things go.”

“Give it a lot of time, Mom,” I said softly. “This is what you’ve always wanted to do. Don’t let it go.”

“When did you get so mature?” she asked in wonder.

“Born this way. I inherited it from my mother,” I replied.

She giggled and for a while, we were both at peace with each other. I figured it was as best a time as any now to bring it up. “Mom, do you know Brent Lucan?”

I held my breath as she stilled and then turned to me. “Not really, why are you asking?”

“Uh, someone was talking about him the other day, and I remembered I used to see him when he was younger, when we would go to all those boring social events.”

“Ah,” she said noncommittally.

But I needed more from her. “He runs his own company now, doesn’t he? I even heard that he might be running Judi Mirren’s company for her.” When she didn’t say anything, I went on, “Isn’t that the company that was involved in Dad's case?”

She turned to me and I could see that she was already very upset. “How did you find that out?”

“Is it true?”

She sighed. “I don’t know the details, your father wouldn’t tell me, but I do know that he was very upset with Brent Lucan. It’s all water under the bridge now. Let’s not talk about him, again,” she said. “I don't want to deal with memories from that time anymore.”

I should have left it there, but I had just one more question, “Mom, do you believe dad was innocent?”

Her eyes widened with genuine shock. “What on earth do you mean?”

“Nothing. I was just reviewing the reports about the case—”