“Mother, stop. I’m not sick. I’m normal and so is me liking girls. How can you talk to me like that?”
“You aren’t normal. I knew it from the second we adopted you. You’re a disgrace to my name and I wish I wouldn’t have adopted you. You lowlifes deserve nothing like the life I provided you. You’re such an ungrateful brat.” She spat acidly that made me take a step back subconsciously.
“You’re crossing a line here. I said stop it!” Justin yelled at her but she paid him no attention. Ethan who was standing next to Heather grabbed her mother’s hand and shook it off of her.
“Aunty, please stop. You’re being too harsh on her. What you’re saying is very offensive and so I’d like it if you didn’t say anything anymore.” Ethan said, struggling to keep the polite tone in his voice.
“You! Weren’t you dating Heather? Are you the one who gave her the disease?”
“No, I wasn’t dating Heather. It was just to ensure that you didn’t marry her off to someone against her will. And if someone has a disease among us, it’s most definitely you.” Ethan retorted and Patricia turned bright red in anger.
“What is wrong with you people?!” She roared, looking at everyone around her.
Accidentally I whispered “what a bitch” out loud. I was really just meaning to mouth the words but I think I forgot the part where I wasn’t supposed to get any sound out while saying it.
Her head snapped in my direction and that honestly scared me. She slowly walked until she was right in front of me.
“Well if it isn’t the little runaway brat. I almost forgot you were friends with Heather. You and Amelia. You two girls have done something to Heather that has caused her be like this.”? accused.
“Don’t talk about my daughter like that!” Charlotte yelled at her.
“Honestly Charlotte, how can you allow your daughter to turn out like this? She has no respect for the elders! And you’re defending a girl like her? These three girls are a bunch of good for nothing pieces of trash.”
“Those are my sisters you’re talking about! Treat them nicely or get the fuck out!” Tristan shouted at her.
I looked at Heather for help. She was already looking at me and gave me a slight nod which told me that I had to get into character right now. If I were to act like the previous Julie, I would stammer the whole time and apologize to her, maybe fall to her feet and beg for forgiveness but no, I was required to be Juliet here. And Juliet doesn’t bow down to anyone, no matter who ever the person may be. That was the one thing Juliet taught me even when she wasn’t here.
“I believe that respect should be given to people who deserve it. Age doesn’t matter. If you give respect, you earn respect. Just because you are older than me doesn’t mean I’m obliged to treat you with respect.”
For a moment I thought she was going to hit me but then she stopped herself, probably because my mother was here and if she did that, Charlotte would probably have her head for it. I wondered how such good people like my parents were friends with someone like her. Even more astonishing for me was why Justin had married her.
She again stomped over to Heather. “I see you’ve infected everyone here, you pest.”
And then she hit her right across the face. We were all shocked at what just happened. The sound echoed in the halls telling us just how powerful that slap was. Amelia was quick to react as she pulled Heather from the floor with Ethan helping her.
“Aunty, what the fuck?!” Amelia screeched, holding onto Heather who was frozen in her spot.
Even before we recovered from what just happened, we heard another loud slap and saw Patricia holding her cheek with Justin looking angrily at her.
“Get out of here,” he said to her.
“Honey, how could you do this to me?”
“Just like how you so easily did that to my daughter.”
“Justin, I’m your wife!”
“And she’s our daughter, Patricia! Have you forgotten that? You long ago crossed a line you shouldn’t have and I can’t tolerate your behavior anymore.”
“I was just thinking about her welfare. She’s sick, Justin. We need to take her to the doctor.”
“Stop saying that. Her liking girls is a part of her. It’s not a disease. We should accept her for what she is. I really didn’t expect this from you. You really disappointed me. You were nothing like this when we were younger! How did you turn out to be such a money hungry selfish woman? I-I’m not sure if I love you anymore.”
“What’re you saying? You love me. Are you saying all these things because of this girl?” She asked, gesturing to Heather.
“No, it’s because you are not the same person I fell in love with. You’ve changed and for the worse. I’ve endured this too long. Heather has endured this for way too long. You never treated her like your daughter, never gave her motherly affection. You never even liked her. You always found faults in her and criticized her and made her feel like she wasn’t good enough no matter how hard she tried. I tried to let it go every time because I thought you still weren’t comfortable with adopting a child and that I was hoping you’d come around soon but you never did. I’m sick of this. I’m sick of you. I don’t like you treating her like trash. You don’t have any right to treat her like that. And now today you’ve done something unforgivable. I want to put a stop of everyone’s suffering.” He paused to catch his breath and the suspense built up. “I want a divorce.”
Patricia gasped. “Honey, no! Don’t do this to us. I’m sorry. You can’t do that. I love you and I’m still the same person.”
“If that’s true then I must have been really blinded by love to not notice the devil in you.”
Patricia was panicking. “You can’t do that. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”
Justin shook his head. “It’s too late for that. Now go. You don’t deserve to be in Heather’s presence anymore. My lawyer will contact you tomorrow for the divorce proceedings.”
She still didn’t move but one look from Justin had her shuffling towards the door. On her way, she glared at Heather for what felt like the millionth time that day.
“You took away everything from me. My money, my respect and now my husband. Just what more do you want from me?!”
Heather shook her head, her face red from her constant crying. “I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.”
“Is that what people who come from poor backgrounds do? Steal everything from the people who have everything?” She sneered at her.
Justin was instantly at her side. “You don’t have to apologize for anything,” he said to Heather and then turned to his wife, well soon-to-be ex-wife. “And I believe I told you to leave.”
Patricia huffed but moved towards the door until she was out and we could hear her car driving away.
Once she was gone, Justin turned to Heather and wiped away her tears before engulfing her in a hug. “It’s okay, Heather. You did nothing wrong. I’m proud of you.”
“D-dad… you don’t have to divorce her because of me. You love her. I-I can’t let you be unhappy like that. All because of me. You should just disown me. That way it will be easy for you and mother.”
“Heather, what nonsense. Yes, I loved Patricia but she has changed and I loved the girl who I had met in high school and not the woman she is right now. I think this was bound to happen soon anyway. And don’t ever say that. I will never disown you no matter what you do.”
“But will you okay in the future? Without mother.” She looked up into his eyes.
“I’ll survive.” He said softly. “You don’t worry anymore, okay? I love you the way you are, my little princess.” He stroked her hair.
Heather smiled through her tears and we all breathed a sigh of relief.
“You must be tired. I think you should take some rest,” Ethan told her.
Heather nodded. “I’m actually a little sleepy now.”
“I’ll prepare a guest room for you. You can live here for as much time as you want.” Charlotte said.
“Thank you.” She choked out.
Heather was taken to her new room which she’d be staying in for a few days and everyone else slowly dispersed to their own business.
Justin said he had to run to the company for a meeting and that he’d come by in the evening for dinner and to meet Heather.
I sighed and sat down on the couch. Well this was an eventful start to my day.
I heard a low whistle from beside me. “Well that’s one less happy couple in the world,” Vince said, putting his arm around me.
“This isn’t funny, Vince.” I rebuked him.
“Oh, sorry. I just don’t know how to react in serious situations… so… hehe.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why are you even here? You’re only just like my fake ex-boyfriend. Nowhere related to anyone concerned with what happened today.”
“Sweetheart, don’t forget that I was your real ex-boyfriend from two years ago. So I’m actually your fake-ex-real-ex-boyfriend.”
“Just answer the question.”
“Well to answer your question, I saw Heather’s post and knew there would be some drama and so I came for the tea.” He said, raising his hand to show me the steaming cup of tea that Samara poured for him for the third time.