The Stepfather Chronicles Ch. 02

She smiled when she saw my eyes widen.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, out of breath. I heard the whoosh of my furious pulse thundering in my ears.

"Have you ever known me to be an idiot, Melanie?"

"No," I whispered.

"No," she repeated. "Of course not. I've known almost all along. I figured Alex would tire of you, and when he did, he wouldn't object to me conveniently sending you away."

My heart raced. "You let us have sex all that time? Didn't it bother you?"

"Yes." Her smile faded. "I knew, however, that by protesting I'd just drive him closer to you. I know that from experience. You're not the first slut he's cheated on me with, you know."

No, I didn't know. I paled and she looked satisfied.

"You're unique since you're my daughter. I guess that's a reason to feel special." She let out a sigh. "'So I waited--some nights, more impatiently than others--and I thought about the sweet revenge I'd have when it was all over."

She got up and dumped the contents of her coffee in the sink. I watched her back move with her breathing, tears finally sliding down my cheeks. This was the most heartfelt conversation we ever had, and it was one expressing the lack of heart we had for the other.

Mom turned around and leaned against the counter. "What were you thinking? That he'd leave me and run away with you? Do you honestly think Alex would for one second leave the world he's built?" She snorted. "He can't have the controversy that would inevitably come when people heard he was fucking his stepdaughter."

I wiped away a tear angrily. "And you're happy with being his default?"

Mom didn't react. "You're not welcome here anymore. Your father has agreed to take you in. Have your things packed; he'll be here by 3."

My mouth fell open. "Dad?"

"I explained everything to him. Threatened him with a few things. Now it's time for you to screw up his life, and leave mine the fuck alone."

"I'm not going with him."

She shrugged a shoulder. "Then I'll throw you out without a cent. My way is a lot kinder to you, I think."

"Alex will never stay with you," I sobbed. I felt weak crying like this in front of my mother, but I couldn't stop it.

Her grin sent a shudder down my spine. "Darling, you haven't learned one of the most fundamental truths of being a woman. You can tempt a man fairly easily; that's different from being able to keep him. Getting a man to stay can be quite difficult. You have to be smart. Much smarter than you."

She put on her sunglasses and put her purse on her shoulder. "I'll trust that you won't fuck up anything else on your way out."