Page 99 of Take My Heart
We go down there and shut the door.
‘I don’t want to do this,’ I say, standing in front of Brody.
‘Then don’t. I can’t believe your parents are threatening you like this. Are they always this way?’
I nod. ‘They’re extremely controlling. That’s why I’m always doing what they want. But for the first time in my life, I’m doing what I want and now they’re trying to take it away.’
‘Don’t let them. Tell them to leave. Tell them you’re staying.’
‘If I do, they’ll take everything I have. All my savings. I’ll have to live with them until I save up enough money to get an apartment.’
‘I’ll give you back what you paid me. You can use that.’
‘No. Brody, you’ve already done enough for me. I told you I’d pay you to stay here and I’m not going back on my word.’ I take a breath. ‘I can’t believe they’re doing this. I could see them taking some of my money, but all of it? It’s not right.’
‘How much money are we talking about? A few thousand?’
‘More like 40.’
‘Forty thousand?’ Brody’s eyes get huge. ‘Holy shit, how’d you get that much money?’
‘I make a lot and I didn’t have to pay rent. And I’m a financial planner. I know how to save and how to invest.’
‘Can your parents afford to pay for the lawsuit on their own?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then let them pay for it. Don’t let them take your money.’
‘You’re saying I should leave with them?’
‘No. Shit, I don’t know. I can’t tell you what to do. This is your decision.’
But it’s not one I should have to make. My parents are being bullies, making threats so I’ll do what they want. I can’t keep living this way. I can’t keep doing what they want, making myself miserable.
I walk to the door.
Brody races up to me. ‘Kate, what are you doing?’
‘I’ve made a decision.’
‘What did you decide?’
Instead of answering him, I go back to the living room. My parents are standing by the door.
‘Mom? Dad?’ I walk up to them. ‘You can go.’
‘We’ll be waiting in the car,’ my dad says.
‘No. Dad, I’m not going with you. You can take all my money. Leave me with nothing. I don’t care. I’m tired of you and Mom telling me what to do. I want my freedom.’
My dad scowls at me. ‘I didn’t raise you to be this way.’
‘Dad, that girl you thought you raised wasn’t me. It was the girl I thought you wanted me to be. But I’m not her. And I’m tired of pretending that I am.’
He looks at my mom. ‘I don’t know what the hell she’s talking about.’
‘Let her be,’ my mom says. ‘She’ll realize her mistake once she’s had time to think it over.’
