“You’re just like your mother, you know that?”
Now, usually, I would have taken that as a compliment because my mom was absolutely amazing. She was the type of woman who went above and beyond for her family, baking homemade cookies for Christmas with Mia and I by her side, making sure my dad had a packed lunch every day to take to work.
She was a stellar human being, which is why it was so unfair that she was taken from this earth so soon. She made it a better place. Or maybe she just made my world a better place. Either way, she was incredible.
“Thank you,” I droned, acting as if I was bored with the conversation.
“You think you can come back to Oak Hill and take things that aren’t yours? You’re just like her.” Her face twisted with disgust. “Despicable.”
Chills broke out along my arms. I moved my hands to my lap so she wouldn’t see how badly I was clenching my fists. I didn’t care if she wanted to talk about me. I didn’t. I’d grown a pretty thick skin over the years, but bring up my mom, and I would rip her fucking head off.
I kept my voice even, although my mind was going a thousand miles a second. “I’m not quite sure what you’re referring to. Did I accidently take your parking spot? Or the wrong bag of potatoes at the store? Did you already claim them?”
She rolled her eyes so hard that I half-expected them to come out. “You’re just like your father in that sense, trying to make people laugh when nothing is funny.”
“Okay, now that’s enough,” I uttered, feeling blood rush through my veins.
“Did you know that your mother…” I held my breath, watching Mrs. Connor’s face look as if she had a bajillion Lemonheads in her mouth. “Did you know she took your father away… from me?”
I raised an eyebrow. The way she said “me” sounded as if she thought she was the mother fucking Pope.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I retorted, still clenching my fists.
She crossed her legs, anger pulsating off her body. “Your father and I, we were best friends in college. We were best friends in high school, actually, but more so in college, and the second your mother walked up to him in her stupid cheerleading outfit… he was gone.”
My heart stuttered in my chest, just for a second, but it did. I knew my parents met in college. I’d heard the story over and over again when Mia and I would ask my dad to tell us about it before bed, but conveniently, this part of the story had been left out.
I wasn’t quite sure what to say to Mrs. Connors, so I didn’t say anything. I was supposed to be acting professional. This was a new job and it was one I couldn’t afford to leave. Literally. I had bills to pay and Mia’s school. The scholarship only paid for half of her tuition; the other part was on my shoulders.
Sure, I could get a new job somewhere else
but this was the only bank in Oak Hill. I wasn’t leaving again, no matter what.
I wouldn’t leave him again. I wouldn’t.
“So imagine my reaction when I’d heard that you took Breanna’s boyfriend away from her. How dare you?”
Mrs. Connor’s voice rose a little at the end and I quickly averted my attention to my glass door, hoping someone, anyone, would hear the commotion going on. Why didn’t I record this? I should have known she would come in here being her usual psycho self.
“I didn’t take Dawson away from Breanna. They broke up on mutual terms, Mrs. Connors, and I would like to explain to you that this is a personal issue and right now, I am at work, so if you could like to discuss your accounts with me, that is fine, but otherwise I’d like you to leave my office.”
She cackled, her entire body shaking with an evil laughter that made my teeth ache. “Listen here, this is what’s going to happen. You will end it with Dawson and you will give him back to Breanna. Down here, in Oak Hill, we don’t give up what’s ours. Not anymore, we don’t. I was played once by your family, I won’t fall for it again.”
My mouth fell open and I had to hold back a laugh. “Are you threatening me because Breanna and Dawson broke up, and now he’s with me? Because from what I learned, Breanna is just fine.”
She scoffed. “She doesn’t know what she wants; give her a few weeks and she’ll realize what a mistake she’s made by agreeing to this ridiculous breakup. Breanna needs someone to take care of her, and Dawson did… that is, until you came back into the picture.” Mrs. Connors let out a sigh. “The second you throw him away, he’ll come back for Breanna. You just watch.”
I was stunned. The whole forming sentences skill was long gone. You’d think that she was the who had been broken up with, not Breanna.
“That’s not going to happen, Mrs. Connors. Please leave my office or I’ll call security.”
She laughed again, leaning forward slightly so I had a clear view to her glare.
“Here’s the thing, darling. You either end it with him and give him back to Breanna, or you can say goodbye to your sister’s scholarship.”
That had me pausing and she realized it by the smile that broke out on her face.
“Oh yes, that’s right. Didn’t you know? I’m head of the scholarship committee at St. Joseph’s, and guess whose pocket I’m in?”