We snapped to attention. It wasn’t often she lost control, but when she did, we proceeded with caution. She took a moment to compose herself before continuing in her ice-cold tone.
“You are both adults and are free to make your own decisions, even if that means carrying on with your dead-ends.”
My sister and I exchanged glances. Had we… won?
“However—”
My heart sank.
“If you two are not on that plane tomorrow, then your father and I will assume you have chosen a no-frills lifestyle, which you will enjoy on your own dime. You see, we will not support such foolishness.” Mother’s eyes flicked between us. “Do you both understand what being cut off from your blood supply entails?”
Melanie slouched back, defiant. I sat frozen, bracing.
“It means,” she continued, “no more credit cards. No more shopping trips to Rodeo Drive or Bloomingdale’s. No more five-star vacations and summers lounging on the beach.”
She leaned forward and dropped her voice to an almost gleeful whisper. “Gone. All of it. You’ll be scrabbling around for gas money and splitting cheeseburgers at McDonald’s. Forget manicures, forget new dresses, forget concerts or trips to the theater. Your whole life will shrink to whatever crumbs your penniless dream men can scatter at your feet.”
“You wouldn’t,” Melanie dared.
Our mother smiled like an assassin. “Watch me.”
The room fell silent. I looked to my father for some sort of reassurance. But he refused to meet my eye, deferring to Mother on this one. A united front; the most dangerous kind. Whether they would follow through with the threat was another matter. Were they really willing to lose both their daughters? Likewise, was I willing to lose my family? I fought back the tears. Why did everything have to be so complicated? In the real world, you met someone you liked, you got married, and your families blended their worlds. But Mother was making it clear that it would never happen.
“So that’s it?” I said, my voice shaky but edged. “You get to decide my future? Ship me across the country and think I’ll just forget him?”
“I don’t care if you forget him, Michelle. I care that you never see him again. You might think shacking up with your beach bum is romantic, but I assure you, once you have lived on their side of the tracks, there will be no coming back. No invitations, no society events, no family friends eager to help. You will be yesterday’s scandal. Forgotten and discarded.”
It was then I understood what she was really taking from me—not money or things, but the undo button. Every mistake I’d ever made had come with one, but this wouldn’t, and if I chose wrong now, there would be no rewind or soft landing waiting for me if it all fell apart.
That realization terrified me. I bowed my head and said nothing.
“Excellent.” She smoothed her skirt. “Michelle, clean that filth off you. You ladies have two hours to make yourselves presentable. We’re all expected at the yacht club for brunch and the regatta. Tomorrow you will be on that plane. If not, you’ll discover very quickly how useless charm is when bills come due.”
Melanieand I were dismissed with little more than the wave of her hand. Neither of us spoke as we made our way up the stairs. We’d been threatened with disownment before, as it was in Chapter One of theRich Parent Handbook. But it had never been laid out with such finality. This wasn’t just a threat; it was a promise. And I wasn’t so sure, no matter how I felt about Scott, if I could survive a life without the cushion. Trust me, I knew how shallow that made me sound.
Only when we were clear of earshot did Melanie grab my arm and steer me out onto the balcony, away from spying ears. Her nails dug in.
“Thanks a lot. Way to ruin my life.”
“You’re as guilty as I am,” I fired back. “Maybe even more. I’ve had one guy. You can’t count yours on one hand.”
“Are you calling me a tramp?” Melanie hissed, her rapidly deteriorating expression warning me to tread lightly.
“I’m saying we’re equally to blame.”
“No, Michelle.” Her whisper was pure venom. “It’s not even close. I was being discreet, sneaking my boy in the back door of society events. You were traipsing through the slums with your loser.”
“He’s not a loser.” My voice was flat and deadly calm. It was then I saw in Melanie my mother’s image. She had the same cool judgment, the same habit of marking people as beneath her. And honestly, that had probably been me too six weeks ago. “You don’t know anything about him. He has more integrity than any guy in our social circle.”
“Whatever you say, Michelle. Maybe next time don’t be skinny-dipping—and everything else—with the dude in full view of the neighbor.”
My head whipped around. “Who told you that?”
“The neighbor. My god, Michelle. Are you that clueless? He saw it all. Didn’t report it last night because he was probably beating off to the two of you, but when he spotted you asleep on the deck this morning? That’s when he got Daddy involved. And now I’m going to be punished for your stupidity.”
“You’re the one who told me to run.”
Her eyes popped wide open. “From Prince!” her voice peaked. “Not into the arms of some working-class bum.”
