Chapter 2

Raymond and Jason were both embarrassed, so they changed the subject and started talking about when Raymond and I might get married.

Jason faked a cough and said, "Since the two of you are doing well together, we'll make sure you're taken care of when you join the family. For your financial security, I'll give you three percent of the company's shares. Consider it a small gift."

I declined at once. "There's no need for that. That's far too valuable."

What I really thought was that I would have to be insane to join a family with a mother-in-law like this. Forget three percent, I wouldn't even marry Raymond for thirty percent. Besides, my family had our own company too. Such a small amount of shares weren't that valuable to me.

Brandy caught the word "shares" and started another scene.

"What did you say? You're giving what's mine to that gold digger? All of you lied to Dee Dee!"

She charged around the table and raised her hand. I leaned back, but her nails still scraped my cheek as she swiped down. I could still feel the pain on my cheeks.

Raymond stepped between us. He finally snapped after he was being humiliated like this. "Mom, stop it!"

Brandy exploded the moment Raymond said that. "You yelled at me! You actually yelled at me because of an outsider!"

She grabbed plates on the table and hurled them at us. A ceramic bowl shattered beside my feet, and pieces bounced off my pants.

Jason stepped forward to stop her. A glass struck his temple with a sharp crack with a loud clang. Blood trickled down the side of his face.

I was bewildered.

"This is all your fault! You brought this woman home, and now none of you love me! Poor me! Poor Dee Dee!"

Brandy sobbed so hard she could barely breathe. Then her eyes rolled back, her body went rigid, and she fell backward. It took a long time to calm her down and get her breathing back to normal.

Jason sighed. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Fran."

I shook my head. "It's fine. I... I should go home. Thank you for having me today."

Raymond grabbed my wrist. "Don't go. It's already dark, and you live so far away. Stay here for the night at least."

I looked out the window. It was true that night had fallen, and no cab would come this far into the gated community.

After a brief hesitation, I nodded.

Jason carried Brandy, who had cried herself to sleep, back to the bedroom. Raymond and I sat in the living room with the aftermath of what happened just now still scattered across the floor.

A long silence passed before Raymond finally said something.

"My mom has been like this since I was little." He looked down and rubbed his fingers together. "She's been this way for as long as I can remember. When I was four, I had to learn how to manage her moods. I had to keep her from crying, getting angry, or feeling ignored..."

I frowned. "When you were four?"

"Yeah." Raymond looked up as if the answer were obvious. "But isn't that normal? Children should take care of their mothers. It's only right."

The more he said, the worse it sounded to me.

Only right?

What kind of adult made a four-year-old take care of his mother? She had reversed their roles! The adults had made a child responsible for meeting their emotional needs.

One look at Raymond's face told me he thought all of this was normal, and I felt sorry for him. He had been taught this since childhood. He had no idea what a healthy relationship between a mother and son looked like.

"Listen." I met his eyes. "This relationship is unhealthy. Your mother should have taken care of you, not the other way around. In a healthy relationship, a mother cares for her child, and the child loves her in return."

Raymond froze. His lips moved, but no words came out.

We talked for hours.

From how she was having her meltdowns, how he had to soothe her, and how he gave in every time.