by Debbie Civil
Chapter 12
Peter walks out of the bathroom and yawns. After Grace and Malcolm came home, they joined us in front of the television. After we saw the news wasn’t going to change, we ate. Danny and Dominic spent time in their room. They didn’t even come down for dinner. Peter brought them some food. I think that they sequestered themselves to avoid conflict. After dinner, we played monopoly because that game takes forever to end. No one was surprised when Carmen won. Now, it’s 2 in the morning, and I’m fighting to keep my eyes open. The best part about sweat pants is that they make good pajamas. I don’t even bother changing. I slide in between the sheets and watch Peter as he changes into a t-shirt and shorts. I guess he’s trying to remain respectful. He slides into bed beside me, and I roll over so that my face presses up against his shoulder. He smells like soap, laundry detergent and lotion. He wraps his arms around my back, and I sigh. It’s wonderful to be with him. If we could be like this forever, I would be the happiest woman alive. Sleep comes easily.
“Chelsea, wake up.” His voice startles me awake. I jolt upright and stare at the door. My father is standing there, his face filled with anger. Peter is sleeping like the dead, and I put a finger over my lips to silence Dad. But he doesn’t take the warning.
“So you’ve come here to be an even bigger slut?” His words ignite something primal in me. I get out of bed, and the anger is real. How dare he disrespect our love in this way?
“No. I haven’t been with anyone, so stop calling me a slut.” He stares at my clothes and seems to relax a bit. It’s not that I’m naked.
“Chelsea, you can’t share a bed with Peter. It’s inappropriate,” he says calmly. I frown at the man and wonder why he has the right to tell me what is right or wrong when he married his cousin. But, I refrain from talking back because those words would only cause an argument, and that would wake Peter up.
“It’s fine. We sleep better together,” I whisper. Dad frowns.
“You need to come back to Gately with us. Your psychiatry appointment is tomorrow. Maybe Doctor Gomez could prescribe something for you for sleep.” I sigh, dreading the dependency on sleeping pills that my body will gain.
“Maybe,” I hedge, not wanting to tell him that I despise taking medication.
“Your mother’s downstairs. Jake made it clear that we aren’t allowed to stay overnight. Since it’s his house, I will honor his wishes.” The fact that Jake has told my parents that they aren’t welcomed doesn’t surprise me. He’s just so anti-authority.
“Fine, but I’m not going with you,” I say as I slip on my flip-flops. He frowns at me.
“Chelsea, you don’t have a choice. You aren’t safe here,” Dad says as I follow him down the hall.
“Dad, I do have a choice. I’m an adult.”
“Chelsea, this is a special circumstance,” he argues in a cool tone. I stop at the top of the stairs and glare at his back. What’s wrong with this man and who is he to tell me what to do? I’m about to tell him that I’m not going anywhere when he turns around and sighs.
“Chelsea, look, your mother is in the living room. We will talk this over.”
“Can I brush my teeth?” I ask, remembering my morning breath. Dad nods, and I tip-toe back in the room. Peter is spread eagle on the bed. His position makes me chuckle and I can’t resist kissing the top of his head. After going into the bathroom, I brush my teeth and wash my face. My hair is a rat’s nest. I brush it out and put my hair up in a bun. I quietly exit the room and immediately wish that I could be asleep beside Peter. Dad isn’t waiting at the top of the stairs, which is a good thing. Had it been mom who had gotten me, she would've sat on the toilet seat cover and told me that I was taking too long. I walk down the stairs and begin to hear raised voices.
“Uncle Ian, she’s happy here,” Carmen protests.
“Why is this any of your business?” My father snaps. “Carmen, go back to bed. I remember how my cousin instigated a fight between Adam and a married man to get Adam off of our backs, then run into the living room. Carmen is sitting on the couch, staring at the man. “Go on. This is something you have no part in,” my mother says gently. I walk in and sit beside my cousin.
“She stays.” I snap and my parents stare at me. They look as if I’m a whole new person.
“Chelsea, pack your bags. We have to get on the road,” Mom orders.
“No,” I respond. Jake strolls in with a mug of coffee in his hands.
“So, it’s settled. She stays.”
“No, she doesn’t stay. Chelsea is my daughter, and she’s doing as I say,” my father yells.
“Where’s Grandmother?” I ask, confused. I expected her to be here.
“I don’t need my mother meddling in family business. She has no right to tell me if I should or shouldn’t stay away from my daughter,” the man snaps.
“Dad, Grandmother told you not to come here because reporters may have followed you over here. They’re in Gately, regardless if you see them or not,” I snap.
“We were careful,” Mom says. Chelsea, we have your best interest in mind. Why won’t you let us protect you?”
“Because instead of taking me to Minnesota, you left me with Grandmother. Then, I was kidnapped. We all know how the two of you handled me after that. After that you broke up with my boyfriend. Mom, I’m tired of your micromanagement. What next? Are you going to start chewing my food?” Mom sobs into her hands. Dad looks untouched by my speech.
“Chelsea, I’m your father. You have to obey me or there will be consequences,” he hisses. He’s talking about the institution. My lip quivers.
“Mr. and Mrs. Philips, leave. You aren’t going to threaten her,” Jake says coolly. My father stares at Jake and tries not to shrink back. But the guy is downright hostile looking.
“Jake, you don’t understand. Chelsea needs help. She is very troubled. You…”
“Kate, we don’t need to explain things to Jake. I need to make things clear to my daughter. Either she comes, or Peter’s mother loses her job. Chelsea, a friend of mine works for the Elmview school board. All I have to do is place a call,” my father threatens. I shiver, because Mrs. Jacobs losing her job is the last thing I want. I stand and stretch. Carmen and Jake are both stunned into silence. I don’t think either of them would have thought that my father cared so much. I look at them.
“Thanks for trying. I’ll say goodbye to everyone before I leave,” I tell them before running up the stairs. Peter is still asleep when I come back into the room. I lean over her and shake her shoulders. He wakes up, and I have to jump out of the way to avoid his flailing arms. He finally realizes where he is and smiles up at me. His look of love warms my insides.
“Peter, I have to leave,” I announce. Those words get him moving quick. He runs into the bathroom, and I hear the sink running. When he exits, Peter scoops me up in his arms.
“Where are you going?” he asks against the top of my head.
“My parents. They are downstairs. I have to leave with them. If I don’t, your mother will lose her job.” Peter stiffens.
“Are you serious?” He asks me.
“As a heart attack. I told them that I would go back to Gately. There’s no way that I’m risking your mother’s job,” I tell him. Peter places me on the ground and peers down into my face. His beautiful face is filled with worry.
“I can’t believe your father is doing this. Why is he doing this?” I don’t have an answer for him. I step on my tip-toes and gently brush my lips against his. He sighs into my mouth and wraps his arms around my body. I sigh in happiness as he deepens the kiss. The last couple of days have been wonderful. I will miss Peter. We’ve got to find a way to be together.
“Chelsea,” my mother gasps, as if she’s been shocked beyond belief. Peter gently kisses me and pulls back. I hug him close.
“I love you,” he says softly.
“I love you too,” I respond. I turn to face the woman. She waves at my shirt.
“Change your shirt, Chels
ea. I want you to wear a sun dress. Forget about your clothes. You will look presentable, not homeless.” Her words are clipped. I’m starting to feel suffocated already.
“Mom, I think that…”
“Chelsea, do as I say or else Ian’s friend will receive a call.” I sigh and pull a blue sundress off the hanger of the walk in closet. I change into the dress and dread the fact that I will have to leave Peter’s shirt behind. Something of his would be lovely. This will be a very long separation. I have a sinking feeling that Mom won’t let me out of her sight. I step out, and she frowns at the flip-flops.
“Really?” I ask.
“Fine, I guess that those shoes will have to do. We’re running late.” She grabs my arm and propels me out of the room.
“Wait. I…”
“Chelsea, we have no time to stay. Your father has an appointment this afternoon,” she says. I feel bad that I won’t see Rain or Grace again. But my parents haven’t given me much of a choice. They hurry me out of the front door, and I cringe when I see Bob leaning up against the black limo. He helps us into the limo and takes off. Mom and dad sure are comfortable using Grandmother’s servants. Mom crowds my space, as if I’m going somewhere. She kisses my cheek.
“It’s so nice that you’re coming home, Chelsea. I’ve missed you. I saw the dresses that you bought from Mary Masson and couldn’t believe how beautiful they were. The dress you chose for Eliza’s wedding is beautiful. I can’t believe that you don’t have to get it altered. What good fortune.” Mom keeps on going on and on. Dad seems content to stare out the window, and Bob is whistling. It is as if he loves my misery. The more miles we drive away, the more the separation between Peter and I hurts. I have no idea why the odds have been stacked against us. Why my parents couldn’t just leave us alone. Why do they care about who I date?
“Chelsea, when we get back to the mansion, I want your phone,” Dad says.
“I have no idea where it is,” I truthfully say. My father stiffens.
“Are you hiding it from us?” he asks, suspicious.
“No. It’s probably in my purse, which is back at the house,” I say. Dad pulls my purse from under the seat and begins to go through it. I immediately feel violated. After a few minutes of unearthing tubes of lip gloss, repeats, and my wallet, he doesn’t find the phone. He sighs.
“When was the last time you saw your phone?” he asks.
“In my car,” I answer quickly. Dad shakes his head.
“Chelsea, it isn’t there. Where else? Think hard!”
“I don’t know. Why he wants my phone is beyond me. Do they really think that I’m hiding it in order to talk to Peter?
“Honey, you can’t talk to Peter anymore. You know that, right?” Mom asks.
“I don’t know where my phone is,” I snap. Dad pulls out his new iPhone. I figure that it’s new because I’ve never seen it before. He calls my phone. He looks at me as if expecting my ringtone to go off. When it doesn’t, he sighs and presses the end button.
“You need to be more responsible with your things, Chelsea. I don’t understand why you always lose things.” I don’t always lose things, but I keep my mouth shut. At this point, speaking will only give them more things to accuse me of. I sigh and look out the window. We are on the highway and I see the “Welcome to Massachusetts” sign in the distance. I sigh in defeat. How will I even escape the pressure of the media in Massachusetts? This stinks. Since there’s nothing to do, I fall asleep.
“Chelsea,” mom calls. She runs her fingers through my hair, and her touch makes me feel sick. I don’t knock her hand away. Peter’s mom’s job is in jeopardy.
“Hmm?”
“We’re home. Wake up.” I sigh and rub my eyes. Dad has already left the limo, and it’s only the two of us. I think that maybe I can talk her into letting all of this go. Maybe we can make decisions together.
“Mom, why are you being like this?” I ask.
“Chelsea, you need help. I can’t lose you again. You…”
“I love Peter. He isn’t an obsession,” I tell her. She smiles before sadness fills her face.
“And what will happen if you lose him, Chelsea?” I never think about losing Peter. It’s just too painful.
“He isn’t going anywhere,” I say with certainty.
“Chelsea, you are really young. You haven’t experienced life yet. You two will grow apart and you will want to end things. But you won’t because you can never let anything go. When Peter tells you that it’s over, you will hurt yourself because you’re fragile. Chelsea, I’m doing this because I love you. You need to be protected,” she insists. Her words piss me off.
“Mom, Peter won’t abandon me. He loves me. One day, we are going to get married. I’m fine,” I say. She sighs.
“Chelsea, your father needed to punish you for what you did. He also needed to make it clear that neither of you are allowed to see one another. Chelsea, you are rich. You can find a respectable husband, after you get treatment. Peter will only drag you down. So…”
“What did you do?” I demand knowing that it’s bad. This is bad. Mom has got it all wrong. It’s me who isn’t good enough for Peter.
“Chelsea, Peter’s mom got fired a few days ago. He’s being warned that if he doesn’t stay away from you, that his father is next. Then, Malcolm can say goodbye to his job and so on. We will make sure that the Jacobs family won’t find work anywhere. But, if you two stay apart, they will be fine. I…” She doesn’t finish her threat. I leave the limo and run into the house. I need an outlet and swimming feels like the right one. I run into the elevator and press the number three. As soon as the doors open I jog into my room. Someone shoves me from the side and I stumble. The door shuts behind me.
“Chelsea Philips, you look so beautiful,” a man says. I want to scream, but he holds up a hand. His blue eyes lock onto my face and he smiles.
“Who the hell are you?” I ask, walking backwards. He smiles.
“The man you’re going to marry.” Something nasty fills my guts. He wants to marry me? I don’t even know the guy. He looks like he’s thirty, has ash blond hair, and is wearing overalls, a white shirt, and work boots. Who could he be?
“Did Adam send you?” His face darkens with anger. This guy has a negative reaction to Adam. That isn’t good.
“No. That lying monster didn’t send me.”
“My mother will come up here,” I threaten.
“The elevators no longer work. I paid someone handsomely to savage them. By the time they figure it out, we will be long gone. My beautiful Chelsea, it’s so nice to finally see you,” he whispers. I shiver. Before I can even think of fighting, he pulls a piece of red cloth from his pocket and pushes it against my face. I instinctively inhale and everything goes black.