I let my head fall back, resting it against the seat, the monotone voice of my professor the new soundtrack to my fantasies.
Last night, my head finally hit the pillow around three in the morning. My brain automatically thought of Max—of his lips and his sexy swagger. The one he’d probably spent years perfecting.
For the next thirty minutes in class, I continued my fantasy. Although this time I might have let him round a few bases.
/> As if knowing exactly when my class ended, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket.
I pulled it out and groaned. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to my mother. It took a certain amount of stamina to have a conversation with her, and I wasn’t prepared. And lately, I needed to be prepared. For my entire life, Regina and Clayton Parker had been involved in my academic career. Involved was putting it nicely. They controlled it. I’d let them, because the better I did in school, the more attention they paid me. And when you have two parents who are workaholics, you’ll do whatever you need to in order to spend time with them. Besides, when your bedtime stories are articles for the Canadian Journal of Law, there really isn’t any other occupation in your future. Now that I was in the home stretch, Mother has been particularly interested in my studies.
With a deep, calming breath, I answered her call.
Her voice squawked in my ear. “Everly, dear, your grades this semester will make or break your entry into Sutherland, Sutherland, and Marks.”
The law office where I would be articling in a few short months. I interviewed for the job last year, but I knew my success was based on my parents being good friends with Marks.
“I already got the position, Mother.”
“Even the most ironclad contracts have loopholes, dear.” She sighed.
The ever-tricky loophole. I often wondered if my mother had found the loopholes in her marriage contract and how long it would take her to invoke them. Sometimes the way she looked at my father made my heart hurt, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was equally coldhearted.
“I’m studying as much as I can. I even went to office hours three times last week to make sure I understood the subject matter.”
I wasn’t having trouble, per se, but I found contract law tricky. Of course, it was one of the courses I needed to complete my degree with a specialization in corporate mergers and acquisitions. Which was my mother’s specialty.
She was making sure the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. And sometimes it scared the crap out of me.
“If we need to study this weekend, I will make time. I won’t let you ruin everything we’ve worked so hard to accomplish these past three years.”
We? Wasn’t this my life? Wasn’t I the one responsible for what I did and didn’t do?
Apparently my mother hadn’t gotten that memo. It was probably in the trash with the memos that said wives were caring and supportive and mothers loved unconditionally.
Everything you want in life, you should reach out and take it.
“Look, Mom, I don’t have time to talk right now.”
I had to go home and get ready for a date that terrified me.
“Yes. You should get back to the books. Call us when you have a few moments and we can go over your study strategy.”
I wasn’t going to tell her I had no plans to study for the rest of the day. I was taking a much-deserved break.
“No need. I’ve got everything under control.”
I didn’t feel that way. Not by a long shot. The closer I got to graduation, the more I felt like I was floundering.
Before my mother had the chance to throw a few more daggers, I hung up.
When I walked through the front door of my house, I heard moaning. Then grunting. Then the distinct sound of vibration.
The girls knew they weren’t allowed to bring home their dates; it was actually already one of their rules when they moved in.
I dropped my bag on the chair by the door and bypassed the staircase that led to the second floor. In the living room, I found Grace and Sadie hunched over my laptop, their faces flushed, their smiles wide.
“What the hell are you two doing?”
“We’re watching porn.” Sadie looked up with a huge grin spread across her face.