“No, you are not.”
“Yes, I am.”
“You are not.”
“I am, too.”
“If you stay here with that man, I will never speak to you again.”
“The same way you never spoke to Grandma after your fight with her?”
“Why do you think I never spoke to Saffron again?” She nods toward Cash. “It’s all his fault.”
Cash opens his mouth to speak but I stop him with a shake of my head. Raven is my mother. She’s my burden to dealwith. He doesn’t deal with her. Not if she can’t learn to speak to him in a civilized manner.
“You fought with Grandma over Cash?”
Mom lets out a long-suffering sigh as if I’m the one who’s being irrational and not her. “Saffron thought I was overstepping for telling Cash to break up with you.”
“You didn’t simply tell Cash to break up with me. You blackmailed him.”
“It wasn’t blackmail.”
“What do you call it when you demand someone perform an act or else you’ll hurt someone they love? I call it blackmail.”
“You always were such a dramatic child.”
I was no such thing. I wasn’t allowed to be in her house. I had to be quiet and get good grades or else. Mom was always good at the ‘or else’ threat.
Wear this outfit or else…
Take this class or else…
Stop being friends with her or else…
And just like that.
I’m done.
I am done kowtowing to a woman who uses her love like a weapon. I am done trying to make her happy. I am done putting her first.
I am done trying to earn her love. I shouldn’t have to earn my mother’s love. It should be a given. Unconditional because I’m her child.
“Please leave.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I point to the front door. “You should go now.”
“I’m not going anywhere alone.”
“Who do you think is going with you? Not me.”
“This is ridiculous.” She picks up her purse. “I’m warning you if you don’t come with me now, I will never speak to you again.”
“It’s a hardship, but I think I can survive.”
I will no longer allow her to attach threats and blackmail to her love. Love should be given free without any strings attached.