Twisted Proposal Read Free Page B

years older than thirty-eight.
    “I want…I talked to him,” she said. Her voice sounded raspy, strained.
                  “Okay.” What was she talking about?
    “He doesn’t believe me. Doesn’t think you’re his. So I threatened him, and he agreed to come.”
    “Who are talking about? You’re not making any sense.  Mom, please,” I pleaded, crying and leaning over the bed.
                  “After he sees,” she continued, ignoring me.
                  I hoped she wasn’t talking about one of her pimp guys she knew from the bar. “Mom, you have to listen to me, please. You’re not making any sense.” But she didn’t answer. She peered around the room like she couldn’t see anything.
                  She sucked in a big breath of air. “I love you.  ...you were the most…important thing...never let…him tell you…different.” She struggled to sit up. I tried to help her, aware of the heart monitor machine beeping.
                  “I won’t. I promise, Mom, don’t leave me, please.” I kissed her forehead. She squeezed my hand so tight, I winced.
              “Go be...doctor. Follow your dreams." She paused. "Love. Love always." Her eyes were like large, tarnished quarters.
                  “I will. I promise.” Her hand fell limp. The machine above her bed squealed, making me jump. I shook her, hoping she would say something or look at me. “Mom, Mom, I’m here. Wake up. Wake up, please! No! Don’t leave me.” She didn’t move.
    Strong arms pulled me out of the room, and a nurse stuck me in the arm with something sharp. Then everything faded away like a bad dream.

Chapter Two
    Reality stung me like a slap in the face. Mom had been talking about Stuart. God, how could I have been so stupid.
    I wished I had a cigarette or even a bottle of cheap vodka to ease the gnawing pain in my head. Picking the chair up off the floor I sat down. After Mom's death, everything happened so fast. I didn’t take the time to make a plan. Wiping away tears that escaped my eyes, I chastised myself for running away to the empty warehouse at the edge of town. The police always patrolled there. It was like I was begging to get caught. There were so many other places…
    I stood and began pacing. Maybe if I just played along, I could get out of here faster. It was worth a shot, so I took a deep breath and sat back down. “I’m ready to talk now,” I said, my voice bouncing off the cement walls. What if no one came back?
    Stuart walked in a few minutes later bearing two fresh cups of coffee. “There’s nothing I can do about the past. It’s water under the bridge. So why don’t we start with a clean slate?”
    When I looked directly at him, he avoided my gaze. This obviously wasn’t his idea. I frowned at the mirror, wishing I knew who was hiding back there. “Whatever. Fine.”
    He propped up his phone again facing him and looked at me. “You're so… different...”
    ”Gee, sorry to disappoint you.”
    “You’re not disappointing me, just different. If I had known you existed, I would have taken you. Everyone knew Eve wasn’t fit to raise a child.”
                  I bet he didn’t even know her. “I think she did a decent job. I mean I’m alive, aren’t I?”
                  “That’s not what I meant. Plus, she chose to lie to you about me.”
    “Look, it doesn’t matter anymore. She’s dead. So I won’t hold it against you if you just walk away and never look back.”
    “That's not going to happen. I’m here until we determine whether or not you’re my daughter. Now you can let me talk or not. I’m through arguing.”
    “Alright then, talk.”
    He rested his forearms on the table. “For starters, I never expected a one-night stand would lead to this.” 
    I cocked my head to the side. From what Mom had told me, she never did anything as reckless as one-night stands.