Page 51 of The Benefits of Love (As I Am 2)

Dad blew out air while Mom glared at me.

“She’sadedicated and responsible young woman. Her plans aren’taphase and she’ll be doing them with or without your approval.” Ihesitated with the last sentence, then thoughtFuck itand said it anyway, “All she needs from you is ashow of support and love.”

“You’re going to tell us how to raise her?” Mom spat out. “That’srich, coming from someone who doesn’thave children. Who only cares about making money like it’sher goal in life.”

Iignored the venom and contempt, ignored it all for Olivia. “I’mnot telling youwhatto do, I’monly saying that in afew months, she’ll be free to do as she will. Why are you so hell-bent on driving her away faster?”

Dad approached me further, his brow lowering on his forehead. “We will not approve of her not even considering higher education, where she should be investing her efforts.”

“She never said she isn’tconsidering it.” Some days Ithanked their genetics and example for making me the stubborn woman who did things exactly her way. This wasn’tone of them. “She has an opportunity to save up money and heaven forbid to enjoy the perks of her job. If it doesn’twork out, it’son her to decide what to do next. It’scalled responsibility and growing up.”

Mom scoffed. “You’re trying to justify your own poor choices, that’swhat this is.”

And this somehow turned out to be about me again.Wonderful.

“Ididn’tmake apoor choice, Mom.” Ilooked down, then up again. “You didn’twant me to paint? Fine. It was nothing but aclass Iattended. School also opened my eyes to photography, so you can’tbe mad about that. Most parents would even consider me asuccess.”

“We’re not most parents,” Dad raised his voice, waving afinger at me. “And she’snever visiting you again, you can be sure of that.”

As soon as Dad finished his sentence, Iheard the stairs creak behind me, one after the other.

Zach placed awarm, strong palm on the small of my back. “Idisagree. If anything, Laura is the best influence Olivia could have ever asked for.”

“And you are?” Dad glowered at him.

“I’mZachary Sheppard. Laura’sfriend.” His familiar warm fingers flexed on my back as he trained his eyes on my parents. His tone, though, that one Ihadn’trecognized at all. “Iwould’ve said it’snice to meet you, but with the way you’ve been talking to her, it really isn’t.”

Heat rushed up my face and Ichewed on my cheek. Itilted my head to him, and found his perpetual smile gone. In its place he wore asevere frown, breathing fire at the direction of my dad.

“That goes both ways,” Dad retorted with his own shade of insolence. “Now that we’re clear on that, you can return to wherever it is you came from.”

Zach huffed alaugh, void of any humor. The sound sent chills down my spine.

“Idon’tcare about your opinion, and once I’mdone with what Ihave to say, Laura and Iwill be leaving anyway.”

Dad raised asardonic eyebrow.

“Your daughter”—Zach emphasized the word, as if reminding my dad of who Iwas—“built her own business; she’sbrilliant, hardworking, and just an amazing person all around.”

He turned to me for the first time, rubbing my back gently. “Kind of shocks me, Laura, considering these were the people who raised you.”

Adark shade of red colored my father’scheeks, fuming. “Excuse me?”

“Yes, right, to get to my point.” The glimpse of warmth Zach had for me disappeared when he returned to them. “If you can’tbe proud of her, of what she’sachieved, then there’sobviously something wrong with you, not with her.”

Atear slipped down my cheek. After so many years of dealing with them on my own, of repetitive insults Ihad to swallow down, of the endless and constant fights, Ihad someone in my corner. Zach faced them head-on, refusing to let them have the last word or talk down to me.

There, on my parents’ porch, Zachary Francis Sheppard became my hero.

“Laura is better than snapping photos,” Dad huffed, thinking that if he repeated this again it’dbe any more true. His speech was full of contempt.

Mom kept to herself, staring at us and pouting her lower lip in disgust. “She has abrilliant mind that she refuses to use.”

Iopened my mouth to reply, but my attorney wasn’tdone with them. “With all due respect, Idon’tsee either of you running abusiness. When you do, give me acall, tell me if you’re using your intelligence or not.”

From the corner of my eye, Isaw amovement in the kitchen. Olivia was eavesdropping on us, grinning with her full set of teeth on display and raising two thumbs up. Seeing her this entertained, lessened some of the guilt I’dbeen harboring about leaving.

“Now I’mdone. After you, Laura.” Zach gestured with an open hand toward the stairs, and we were gone.

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