Altered Genesis Ch. 04

Ricardo didn't answer, he just stood at the door with Dean's clothes like a soldier obeying orders. He then stepped to the side to allow the femme of the house through.

"Dean, you little ingrate! There you are! Get yourself inside!" She turned and went in quickly.

Dean froze with his heart in his mouth and glared at Ricardo. The certainty of what had happened hit him. It was irrevocable, inescapable. His mother had gotten wind that he was nothing more than another conquest of Charlotte Femworth.

Gabby truly gave it to Dean, both barrels. Her eyes flashed in anger, her mouth contorting as she let loose her vituperative temper. After the first storm, Dean stood there taking it because he knew he had no choice, her tone changed. From pure anger, she shifted to a kind of mourning, and this was even worse, because Dean understood his foolishness perfectly; he had felt the same thing.

"Oh, Dean," Gabby lamented. "I had you all set up with a date with Lady Gynodime - she was so interested in you! She could have made you so happy. But now..."

"I don't suppose there's any chance that Justice's daughter wants anything to do with you either? Oh, how stupid! You threw it all away! And for what? All those years growing up in my house, didn't you learn anything?!"

Her tone had swung back to anger. Dean saw nothing for it. He turned to check on his belongings in his room but Gabby stopped him.

"You've humiliated me," she said. "Three months! That's how long the ladies gossiped and mocked me before I finally found out! I'm ruined! Now I'm moving interstate to start over. I have no other choice."

"Just get out! Your things are gone! YOU are gone! I have no son..."

Ricardo was by her side now. She turned into his embrace, crying inconsolably.