Page 90 of Why Cheese?
“Daughter?” my mother thunders and I drop my head.
Turning away from Brie and Cheddy I fall into her wake. “Yes, mom.”
“Excellent.” She moves to pat my cheek but stops. “Lucky for you I bought more cream with me. It’s back at my hotel. You’ll be staying with me.”
“But I have a room up—”
“You’ll be staying with me.” The fire crackles and I sigh.
“Yes, mom.”
If she had taken the time to check into her room and unpack, she must not have been that worried that I was dead.
I tamp down that cruel gremlin thought by scratching my arm.Everything’s great. My mom’s just looking out for me. She loves me.
With my chin to my chest, I start to gather up the trash left on the counter.
“Leave that.” My mother slaps it away so the cups and wrappers hit the floor. “They’re supposed to clean up, not you. We should turn in. After this stressful day, I need a proper bath.” She shakes out her hair and combs the dyed chocolate locks with a warning. I start to shuffle after her, accepting my lot.
“Vi?” Cheddy calls my name and I freeze.
“Violette?” Brie asks, passing the broom to his other hand.
What can I say to them?They’ve been through so much and…and I can’t even protect them from my mother. I shiver as her eyes land on me, judging me for every tiny mistake.
“Clean up,” a callous voice inside of me orders. Cheddy’s eyes fall and Brie huddles into his collar. “Please. We’ll…talk tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Brie says. “I’ll tell the…delivery crew about that.”
I nod, grateful that Brie understands. I don’t want to do this, but what choice do I have?
“Violette!” My mother’s sharp tongue cuts through me. I redouble my steps and chase after her.
She shoves open the door with a carefree toss of her hair. “Honestly, the incompetence you have working for you,” she starts in before the door even closes. “You should fire them all and hire a new crew.”
“I…I don’t think I can.”
“Of course,youcan’t.” She wiggles her finger before me like she really is the witch Cheddy fears. Then she dots the tip of my nose. “Which is why I came to help. You’re welcome.”
“Thank you,” I knee-jerk respond. Head bent, tongue held, subservient, and happy is how my mother’s always wanted me. If I tried really hard then I could make her proud, but I keep messing up which only invites her wrath. I should be grateful that she didn’t say anything too outrageous to the guys, especially about them being half-naked.
She’d have an aneurysm if she learned about any of the things I’ve done in the shop. How not just one man has touched my body but three of them at the same sweaty, thrusting time. I’m as dirty as parking lot snow and, deep in my heart, I don’t care.
“It…it didn’t bother you that I was alone at night with four men?”
Why did I say that? I just put the damn thought in her head! She’s going to blow a gasket and send me to a convent.
My mother doesn’t storm in and threaten to have them all hauled to jail for being murder-rapists. She laughs. I gulp and look around, wondering if a cat in a funny costume walked by, but she’s staring at me. “Oh, Violette. Men like that don’t have any interest in a chubby mouse like you.”
The hit cuts deep to the bone.Why do they like me? Do they even like me, or am I just a convenient warm body? A way to keep occupied at night or to stop me from selling their store? What if she’s right?
She’s always right.
What if they never liked me?
“Now lock up,” my mother orders. “We don’t want any drug addicts to smash up your store.”
Dejected, I slip the key into the lock. It turns back and forth five times. Has to be five or else… “Yes, mother.”
