Saving You Losing Me

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

CLARA

A s soon as Atom drops me home, I prepare for battle because we made no secret of the fact I arrived home on a motorbike. However, it’s only Vikki who’s home and her eyes are wide as she greets me at the door.

“Is that?”

“My boyfriend?” I grin. “Yes.”

The horror on her face makes me laugh out loud.

“Your parents will–”

I shrug. “Who cares? Let’s say I’m entering my rebellious phase and leave it at that. They’ll come around.”

I notice a huge bouquet on the hall table with a note attached.

“What are these?”

I’ve had several deliveries due to my birthday, and she shrugs. “They just arrived addressed to you.”

I rip open the card.

Happy birthday, gorgeous lady. I’m looking forward to our ‘date’ tomorrow.

Michael.

Fuck! I completely forgot about that and what does he mean ‘date’ even if it is in inverted commas?

“Problem, ma’am.”

“It’s Clara, remember, and yes, this is a definite problem.”

I stare at her in horror.

“My mom’s preferred choice is collecting me in the morning to show him around town. What am I going to do?”

“Show him around town.” Vikki laughs. “And talk about your boyfriend the entire time. He’ll get the message and back off, and your parents won’t discover why.”

“You’re a cunning woman Vikki and I like that quality in a person.”

We giggle and when I hear the key in the front door, I sigh.

“Mom’s home.”

There is no time to bolt to my room before she enters with an armful of designer shopping bags.

“Ah, Vikki. Be an angel and take these to my closet and after fix me a coffee. I’m exhausted.”

She turns to me and sees the flowers.

“Oh, they’re beautiful. Who sent them?”

I hand her the card and her eyes shine as she reads the words.

“That’s wonderful darling. I could tell he was interested in you and if you play this right, we could be announcing your engagement before you leave for college. Your future would be guaranteed.”

“Um, about that, mom.”

She groans. “Tell me over coffee. From the look of you, I’m not going to enjoy this conversation.”

I follow her into the kitchen and we take our seats at the table while we wait for Vikki to return and mom removes a cigarette from her silver case and lights it.

“Don’t tell your father.” She snaps as she takes a drag. “God knows I need this, but he believes I gave up years ago.”

“Surely he can smell it.” I wrinkle my nose and she shrugs.

“If he has mentioned it, I’ve blamed it on you as the recklessness of youth and he accepts it’s a phase you will probably go through.”

Wow, mom is something else and yet I seize the moment.

“Talking about secrets, I have one I don’t want to keep to myself.”

Her eyes light with interest.

“I’m listening.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

She says with excitement. “Michael?”

“No.”

She leans forward. “Then who?”

“His name is Atom.”

I enjoy the confusion on her face as she attempts to place the name and I add, “He’s in a motorcycle club and soon to run a new business in town.”

It’s as if I announced my engagement to the devil as she screams, her hands flying to her face in horror and I’m interested to watch the lit cigarette end hovering close to her eye.

“A motorcycle club! Have you lost your mind?”

Vikki enters the room at this point and mom yells, “Did she tell you about this, Vikki? That Clara Gladstone, the daughter we invested so much in, has decided to cheapen herself with a gang leader?”

Vikki is startled and I rescue her quickly, “Of course not. You are the first to know.”

Mom is almost hyperventilating, and takes several deep breaths before she can speak.

“That’s good. Thank God even because we can head this scandal off at the pass. Break up with him—immediately—before your father finds out.”

“Or what?”

I lean back in my seat and she gasps, “Or what? Who are you because you’re not the sweet innocent daughter I raised who respects her parents?”

“I’m eighteen now, mom. I can make my own decisions.”

“NO YOU CAN’T!” she shrieks and waves her hand at Vikki. “Pour me a stiff brandy, Vikki. I may faint at any moment.”

Vikki turns away and I say gently, “Listen, mom. You’ve got to allow me to make my own mistakes. If I don’t, how will I ever learn?”

“You don’t have the luxury of mistakes and I am here to stop you making bad decisions and this is an extremely bad one.”

“Not for me. You haven’t even met Atom yet and you are judging him. What is admirable about that?”

“I don’t need to meet him to realize he’s not for you. He probably doesn’t even possess a country club membership, and I doubt he frequents the Rubens Club. More like the dive across town instead. Have some self respect, Clara. Men like that are for common girls, not respectful women who will make a decent hardworking man a good wife one day.”

Vikki hands her the brandy, which she knocks back in super quick time and calms her breathing and says slowly, “So, we will hear no more of this man. You will meet Michael as arranged and charm him as expected. He will be your best bet for a golden future, not a club member with the strangest name I’ve ever heard.”

I make to speak and she holds up her hand. “I do not want to hear it. Now go to your room and think about what you’ve done.”

“I’m not a child anymore, mom. You don’t get to banish me to my room like a naughty child!”

I raise my voice and she shakes her head in deep disappointment.

“Then stop acting like one and grow up. I don’t want to hear another word on the matter.”

She stands and says over her shoulder. “I am going for a lie down. I’ll see you at dinner.”

As the door closes, Vikki joins me at the table and shakes her head sadly. “You were very brave, Clara.”

“I meant what I said.”

“But how? You know how powerful your parents are.”

“The only power they have over me is threatening to cut me off. To pull me from college and sling me out on the streets.”

“That’s a lot of power.”

She sighs. “Is this worth the trouble?”

“Of course.”

She smiles at the rapture on my face and reaches across the table. “Then I wish you well, Clara. And a lot of luck because you’re going to need it.”

“I’m not so sure, Vikki.” I face her with a determined gleam in my eye.

“I’m their daughter which counts for a lot. I will get my way and there is nothing they can do but suck it up. Watch me.”

I lean back in my chair, a plan forming in my mind. I’m so done with being manipulated by my parents and it’s about time they faced up to exactly the kind of daughter they raised.