CHAPTER 3: My Pound Of Flesh

Roxy’s POV

Panic. A state of uncontrolled fear, written all over Catherine Bennett’s face. It was familiar but still exhausting.

“Explain it to me Roxy, why you would ditch your Stanford scholarship after a year and settle for Gould, I do not get it.” Catherine Bennett, my helicopter mother, screams at the top of her voice. I was actually scared she would snap a vein.

Someone needs to avenge Lucas and it’s up to me. I didn’t say that out loud though.

I said this instead. “Gould is not bad mom.” I cross one leg over the other and cross both arms over my chest, ready for her 360.

“But it is not Stanford and you had a scholarship, how do you intend to pay for school, huh?”

“I have some money saved up,” Over 5000 bucks from tutoring rich kids at Standford. Bunch of kids who had a lot of money and nothing subsubstantial to do with it. It’s not much but it’s a start. “And I plan on working….. and there are loans.” I say simply.

“You hate working Roxy… you detest it. The only thing you have ever wanted to do is study law at Stanford, this does not make any sense.” She cried.

“Yes but I have had to work at different times in my life anyway, remember Caroline’s cafe and then uncle Ben’s tow service…. so why not now?” I shrug lazily with an unbothered frown.

Her expression shifts from worry to affection, one step after another, I know my mother is about to psychoanalyze me. She sat right next to me, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Is this about Lucas?”

“No.” I feel a repulsive wave, jerking to my feet.

Is it weird that I feel like Lucas’s widow even though we were never married?

I guess loss is loss and pain is pain.

But I am done crying; it’s time to get my pound of flesh.

“It’s okay to break down child, take a moment and break down but don’t make these permanent life changes.”

“Mom, I didn’t come here for your permission,” I tuck my two hands into my rad jeans back pockets. “I already made up my mind.”

She scoffs, holding her mouth in a gape as she scans me with horror. “I will not allow it!” She jumps to her feet.

“I am an adult now mom, you don’t need to allow anything.” I state plainly.

“You have always been as stubborn as your father.” She screams.

“Well I am my father’s daughter.” I am standing unfazed and unbothered while Catherine Bennet moves helter-skelter about our square seating system parlor.

She stops and shoots me a fierce look. “Your father would be so disappointed in you.”

“He’s dead mom, I think your disappointment is all I have to deal with now.”

Her face hangs in a gape of astonishment. “What is wrong with you? Since when do you talk about your father that way?” She’s nearly moved to tears.

“Oh don’t be dramatic mom, death is a part of life, people live and people die. One moment they are here and one moment, they are not, it’s a simple phenomenon of life.” I shrugged nonchalantly.

My father, Patrick Bennett woke up one morning and died of a heart attack, there was no warning, no premeditation, no signs, no symptoms, nothing. He was walking down the stairs and he took a flight clutching unto his heart and just like that he was gone. And now Lucas, one moment, we are shopping for our anniversary dinner and next he’s bleeding on the floor. Death. A simple phenomenon of life. There was no need to get sentimental.

“I will call your great grand Aunt, I think she needs to talk some sense into you.”

Aunty Juliette, terrifying woman that one, relative from my fathers family tree. Every single one from that side of the family, including my dad was terrified of her even though, she can neither walk, nor speak nor even see clearly. It was her eyes, her tiny feline eyes, they had a way of terrifying one’s pants off. On a normal day, I would be afraid of her too but lately I have been feeling oddly fearless and I liked it.

“Oh mom, Aunty Juliette is close to her grave, why bother her with something that is not going to change?”

“Roxette Bennett, you will watch your language in here!” She cried, shooting a sharp finger at me.

“Mom, I am not a child anymore and you need to stop with your helicopter parenting, stop trying to micromanage my life and just let me live.”

“God, You can be so dog headed….”

I cut in raptly. “And so smart and so organized and so mature and so modest…..I have a lot of good qualities mom, I think you should focus on those.”

She gasped, stunned at me. “I see you have decided to ruin your life…..go right ahead and do it. I will not stop you. I sheath my helicopter.” She throws her hands and makes an angry turn.

I start counting quietly. “1…2…3…4….” And Catherine Benet returns exactly like I anticipated, her helicopter in full swing.

Nearly crushing her forehead into mine, she resumes, stomping her feet over and over. “I will not allow you to ruin your life! I will not allow you to make a mistake that you’ll regret for the rest of your life! I will not do it!”

At this point, Catherine Benette knows she cannot change my mind, this is just her desperate cry of helplessness.

“Are you not going to say anything to your sister?” She hauls at Rosy who has been perching by the stairs.

Poor Rosy, has been playing referee between me and mom since Dad died.

“I’m staying out of this one Mom.” Rosy lifts both hands.

“I resume at Gould tomorrow mom,” I say

Her jaw drops with an exasperated sigh. “You both are unbelievable. You are going to change your life forever Roxette Bennett, don't come crying when it all blows up in your face." She flings her hand in resignation and storms off.

"Thank you." I mouth to Rosie.

One step closer to making Sarah McLain pay, one step closer to Aaron West.

One thing was for sure-- this was going to change my life forever.