Page 33 of Changing Lanes

I didn’t take the time to read the papers through, I want him to be the one to explain what happened with his father.

I slip into my shoes as fast as I can, knowing I need to get to Brannon before my father does. I reach into the coat pocket for my phone, wanting to text Brannon. It’s not there, damn it. I left it on my nightstand. Running across the courtyard, I trip and fall to the ground. My hands and knees are bloody, it’s nothing compared to what my heart may feel like if I don’t get to Brannon. I wipe the blood off and start for the house again.

Swinging the front door wide, I see my mother standing in my father’s office. She turns to look at me, and the grave expression on her face tells me it’s happened. I run full stride to his room, praying he’s there. I take the stairs two at a time, like that will get me to him faster.

Opening his door, I scan the room for him but he’s not here. As I turn to leave, I see the closet is ajar. Walking over, I pull it open. Nothing. I turn to the dresser and find it’s empty. Brannon’s gone. Running to my room, I waste no time. I start throwing my things in my bag, grabbing what I can and leaving the rest behind. I see my phone on the nightstand and send Brannon a quick text, telling him I’ll meet him at the airport.

Jerking my bags up, I hurry down the stairs, coming face to face with my father. I step to the side, but he blocks my way. I take a step back, glaring at him. Again, I’m looking at him, but he refuses to even look me in the eyes.

“Move,” I demand as I shake with anger.

He crosses his arms over his chest. “No. He’s gone.”

“What did you say? Damn you, what have you done?” Pushing past him, I run toward my mother when she steps out from his office.

She throws her arms around me. “Oh, baby. I’m so sorry.”

“What did he do?” I swallow hard as tears threaten, pleading with her to tell me.

My father walks past us. “I’ll do better than that, I’ll show you.”

“Show me what? If you hurt him or his mom in any way, I’ll never speak to you again!” I scream as my tears fall.

He turns the security monitor around. “Watch. I just showed it to your mother.”

My father turns our security camera to me, clicking play on the video footage. Brannon walks out the front door and toward a cab with his bag in hand. He opens the door, throwing his bag in before turning to the house. He looks up at it, drops his head, shaking it. He then raises his hand, looking at a piece of paper clutched in his grasp. Balling his fist around the paper, he falls into the backseat. The cab leaves with Brannon in it.

“What did you do?” I yell again before turning to my mother. “Did he tell you he threatened him, his home? He threatened me. He told me he would destroy me for being with him. Are you just going to stand there? Will you not even stand up for me?” I look from my mother to my father, seething at them.

“Before you’re too hard on us, you should read this.” He now spins a book around, pushing it toward me.

“What? What is it?” My fist at my side, blind rage fills me.

“Just fucking be an adult and read the goddamn thing.” He shoves the book toward at me.

Taking the book in my hands, I look from the book to my parents’ and back again. My mother’s eyes fill with tears as my father walks to the window, his back to me. I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, trying to clear my vision. I begin to read the black and white paper.

I drop into the chair directly behind me as realization hits; the paper Brannon had in his hand was a check. My father paid him off. Brannon accepted it? There’s no way he took it without good reason. But I saw it with my own eyes, he left with it. He isn’t who I think he is. What’s worse, I know he’s just like my father. Money over love. He never loved me, he was here for the money.

Bile rises in my throat, I begin to get sick at my stomach. My heart races with anger, broken in pain. My palms begin to sweat as I tremble from the loss and rage from the betrayal. I’ve been a damn fool. My father is right. No one can be trusted. Money will win over love every time. I’ll be damned if I ever allow someone to hurt me again. I don’t give a fuck about being loved, I’ll buy it.

Rising to my feet, I lay his checkbook on his desk. I straighten my dress and wipe my face, no one will ever see me cry again. Ever. Trust will never be given, and love will never be found. I’m done. My face flames as I dry it with the back of my hands. Defiant, I turn on my waiting parents’, telling them who I am now.

“I’ve waited for twenty years to have you tell me you love me. Not you’re proud of me or you wanted a fucking son. I want love. Love, goddamn it. I’m not entirely sure what’s happened here, except that I got fucked. You’ve taken the only love I’ve ever known from me with the help of the one person I gave my heart to.

“Now, I’ll be who you want me to be, but by God, I’ll do it my fucking way. Do you both understand? Yeah, smirk now as if you’ve won but by God, know this, you’ll not have a son in law to take over your company. I’ll do it, goddamn it. There will never be another love in my life, so suck it the fuck up, buttercup, you’re stuck with me.

“And know this, you’ve lost me. I will no longer be subject to your disdain. Your contempt for me will end today. The constant derision ends now. If you damn well want a Harrington to take over your fortune and run it with the deplorable ethics everyone has come to know, you will leave me to the task at hand. I am only your daughter in name. Don’t call me. Don’t come to find me.”

Shoving past them, my mother reaches for me, but I jerk away. Picking up my bags by the stairs, I hear her sobs. I don’t care, I’m dead inside. My father spent years making sure I understood I wasn’t what he wanted. Now, I’ve never felt more like him.

I climb into the waiting car, refusing to look back. My resolve breaks when Brannon flashes before me. Fuming, I’m repulsed by his cowardice. How could he take the money? Never did he say they needed it. He always told me he fixed things. Somehow, I always knew I wasn’t worthy of love. My tears fall unrestrained.

The flight back to Virginia passes quickly as my mind never ceases to settle, a swirl of questions that may never be answered. Was our entire time together a setup? Did he seek me out to get money from my family? I can’t believe he would do this. The things we shared had to have meant something to him.

Walking into my apartment, I don’t make it to the couch. I fall to my knees, screaming as the night’s events play before me again. I feel as though my heart is crawling out of me, my pulse races as I gasp for air around my wailing. How could he do this to us?

Grabbing my chest, I struggle for air, trying to calm myself. Nothing’s helping as the tears fall of their own accord. Under my palm, I feel something. The sea turtle. I rip it from my neck, throwing it across the room. I’ll never forgive him.