Addicted To Greed (18 page)
Authors: Catherine Putsche
Living at home with her mother and new ste
p father wasn’t
exactly a bundle of laughs, as they both seemed so wrapped up
in themselves and their new business venture, Ella, Chase, and
she somehow got shoved to one side, although they were
tolerated until there was an argument between them sometimes
over the smallest things. Her step father, Charles would always
take charge, leaving her mother aside, or on her command she
will never know the reason for this. Ella usually got the third
degree first, she the second and Chase last. Charles would
demand to know what all the fuss was about, sending them all
off to their separate bedrooms, trying to restore peace once again
and warned all three of them that if they were going to create
more fuss that he´d enforce punishment, no pocket money, been
grounded of forbidding them from allowing their friends over.
Depending on the mood Charles was in often predicted his own
punishment, he simply couldn’t deal with the three of them, he
had had his two perfect children who had fled the nest five years
before her mother met him. Destiny recalled when her mother
first introduced them to Charles, he did all he could to win them
over, taking the three of them out each weekend, making a fuss
over them, winning them over with his generosity, kindness, and
patience. In the early days Destiny remembered Charles often
pleading with their mother to give them a break as they were
only kids while turning a blind eye to their misendeavors.
Destiny remembered Chase seem to taking advantage of this by,
been the only boy, as he knew he could sweet talk Charles into
staying out later with his friends as he confided in Charles that
their mother was far too overprotective with him, as a man
himself Charles seemed to identify with Chase the most after all
he had raised two fine boys of his own and prided himself with
this on a daily basis. Chase was definitely the apple of his eye,
Charles simply had no time for two teenage girls in whom he
couldn’t control and both Ella and Destiny often wondered why
Charles had taken them on in the first place, was it another sly
maneuver to win their mother over? Or was it just all an act of
pretense? Destiny recalled that her mother created the
impression that she was happy and contented with Charles
shows of affection and pleased that a man had paid her any
attention since her father petitioned for divorce on the grounds
of inconceivable differences between them. Destiny
remembered so much of her childhood; her mother had been in a
deep depression that lasted until she met Charles several years
later. She remembered how her mother would confine in Ella
the most informing her all about what was happening with their
father and his new life, how heartbroken she was for Ella, she
and Chase. Little did they both know Destiny overheard most of
their secret conversations, she knew her father wasn’t ever
coming home cause his chosen career and his new love interest
prevented him from doing so, what she didn’t understand was
how their mother didn’t see it coming, she herself had months
before it happened but she was considered by her mother and
elder sister to be too young to understand such things and they
both continued with their sweet little white lies to prevent Chase
and her from knowing the real truth. She couldn’t help feeling a
deep dislike and a bitter sense of loyalty on how her mother and
older sister were going about things when she was younger.
Chase was growing so fast and never once stopped asking where
his father was and why he was never at home and how Ella and
her mother would avoid such questions with their methods of
distraction that seemed to work in the short term. Destiny would
never forget the day Chase came home from school really upset
as one of his friends had said he had seen his father on television
with a women half his years and it was rumored all around
school that his father wasn’t coming home as he had set up a
new home in the states with this mysterious women. Chase
didn’t confide in his mother or Ella but fell in to Destiny’s arms
sobbing uncontrollably. Although this didn’t come as a shock to
Destiny she still remembered feeling upset and wounded but
tried her best to conceal it from Chase. She cuddled Chase’s
delicate trembling shoulders and tried her best to console and
reassure Chase that what his friends were saying maybe untrue,
but if it was true than living with three women who adored him
wasn’t so bad. Destiny recalled Chase standing up wiping his
tears with his long sleeve sweater and whispered, “Destiny I
love living with you, mum and Ella, I just wanna know the truth
about dad, I miss him so much, but I don’t know if he misses
me!”
Destiny could feel herself fighting the tears back, she replied,
“Of course he misses you Chase and loves you too, sometimes
adults are so confusing, it’s really hard for them to understand
what’s going on, let alone the likes of us, but try not to be too
upset by it. I love you and will always be here for you no matter
what, you’ve got me for life little bro, never forget it!”
Destiny knew by the expression on Chases face she said
something he approved of and she gave him a long squeeze
before heading into the dining room, to confront their mother,
Jeannie.
Jeannie was in the process of dishing up new potatoes seasoned
with parsley and butter, along with fine green beans, she had
made chicken casserole one of Chase’s favorites.
Chase noticed and for a few moments he couldn’t hide his
excitement.
Destiny was happy her little brother could take his mind of
things for a moment or two, but a few seconds later he then
folded his arms in anticipation remembering he wanted answers.
When Jeannie finally sat down to serve Chases plate, he raised
his hand in the air and asked, “Mummy, why hasn’t daddy come
home for such a long time now?”
“Chase, I have cooked your favorite dinner tonight, please try
and eat the chicken and veggies before they get cold.”
Destiny couldn’t help but interrupt, she felt quite confident that
Ella wasn’t there to tell them more fables and stand up for their
mother. Ella was apparently running late and wouldn’t be back
until eight, which meant that their mother had no back up
tonight and it was the only time they had to take advantage of
the situation.
also refusing to eat.
“Some boys have been teasing Chase at school about daddy
saying he’s got a new girlfriend over in the states, is this true?”
Jeannie’s face
dropped towards the floor as she started to fumble
with her cutlery, wearing a deep concerned expression. She
raised her head in their direction wondering what excuse she
could make this time.
A few silent moments followed. Destiny and Chase waited
patiently for some kind of explanation.
“Destiny, your father
.” Jeannie suddenly stopped in mid
sentence, looking between them both with a serious expression
“Now’s not the time to discuss this, eat your dinner first and
then we can talk!”
They both looked at her with a confused expression and
throughout dinner they hardly touched any. Jeannie sensed they
were not prepared to let this go.
“Your father
s a good man and you both know his work keeps
him away from home, it prevents him from being the hands on
father you both need, however without his continued financial
support we wouldn’t be able to live in such comfort!”
“I don’t understand why daddy can’t
come home for a holiday
and be with us again. I miss him, he doesn’t even bother to call
us anymore, and the last time he called me was on my 11
th
birthday last year. Why doesn’t he come home to be with us
mummy?”
Destiny sensed that Chase was going to cry, so she held his hand
tight, he gave her hand a small squeeze not taking his eyes of
their mother.
Jeannie began distracting herself by clearing the table, when
finally finished; she sat down fumbling with her apron strings
trying to read their little worried expressions. She knew it was
time to be honest and not bear this charade she´d been harboring
for too long now. She managed inhale a deep breath willing her
voice not to break.
“Your father
s decided to start a new life without us all, but he
hasn’t forgotten about you my darlings, he still loves you very
much, but he has decided that he no longer wants to be married
to me as he has met another woman he wants to marry and build
a future with over in America!”
Finally, Jeannie splurged it out after all these long years of
covering up for her husband. She had finally admitted the truth
to her younger siblings, however she tried her hardest to give
them a watered down version of the truth in the hope that they
wouldn’t get too upset, while tying to reassure them it wasn’t
their fault, she was the one at fault.
girlfriend?”
“Yes
, Chase I’m afraid he does and has had for some time. I
was trying to protect you both from the truth as I didn’t want
you both to get hurt and I feared you were both a little too young
to understand, until now. I’ve been waiting for the right
moment to tell you both!”
Jeanie couldn’t help but sob lightly “I am so sorry you both had
to find out like this, your father promised that he would sit you
both down and talk to you about this as it was his decision to
divorce me!”
how can he still love us and why should we still love him?”
Jeannie approached Chase and put both hands on his shoulders,
“He still loves you sweetheart, it’s not your fault why he doesn’t
come home, it’s my fault as he doesn’t love me anymore.”
Destiny could feel the sadness in her
mother’s voice as she
spoke and sensed that she blamed herself for their father’s
choice, as her mother believed it was all her fault when it clearly
wasn’t, her father made the choice. The saddest part of all this
was that Destiny knew that their mother would have forgiven
their father and taken him back if he decided to change his mind,
as her mother was obviously living in the hope he would.
Chase stood up put his arms around their
mother’s shoulders and
whispered, “Well if he doesn’t love you anymore, that makes me
love you more and more mummy!”
Destiny’s
remembered her emotions broke at this point she had
never seen her little brother stand up and be so courageous,
brave, and strong supporting their mother.
They soon found themselves embraced in a huge family hug; it
was so touching, with the flow of tears that followed, not
expecting the emotions that came over the years bottled up. If
anything Destiny thought that the painful truthful revelation
regarding their father’s new secret life brought them all closer
together, a much tighter family unit than ever before and
Destiny soon noticed that her mother began to smile again and
seemed happier than she had done in years.
Chase took the news better than expected; he adored their
mother and doted on her even more so than he had done in the
past before the news of their father broke.
Destiny decided that she wouldn’t worry
as much as she had
been doing about her little brother, he was doing ok, but it didn’t
stop her from keeping a close eye on him from time to time, she
couldn’t help been the over protective big sister. She knew only
too well that Chase had issues about their father as all they did
to some degree, but they dealt with it in their own way. Destiny
had to laugh as Ella did all she could to piss their father off at
any given opportunity, revealing in the sheer delight of been the
eldest as she knew she could wrap him around her little finger at
the best of times. Chase on the other hand did all could to
ignore and blank him, occasionally talking with him at
Christmas and birthdays so their mother didn’t get to upset.
Since that day Destiny noticed that Chase always kept a distance
between himself and father, she wondered if it became his
coping mechanism.
And here she was presently sat in her favorite restaurant several
years later, how time had changed a lot of things. She noticed
her father waving one of his hands towards one of the waiters
tying to get his attention. As soon as the waiter approached she
noticed her father asking impatiently “A bottle of
Moet &
Chandon
for the ladies and a scotch on the rocks for me please!”
He also tipped the waiter one of his neatly folded fifty pound
notes urging the waiter to hurry.
as soon as their glasses were filled, her father raised his glass.
“I’d like to propose a toast to my dear daughter on successfully
passing her levels!”
Both Felicity and Destiny raised their glasses and toasted the
occasion. Destiny thought it to be a good idea to down the glass
in one go, to calm her embarrassment and nerves, she witnessed
Felicity disapproval instantly automatically looking directly at
her father to share her disfavor with, luckily he father hadn’t
noticed, as he seemed to be deep in thought about something.
“Destiny I’ve
been doing a lot of research on the top universities
in England, and I have to say, although I’d have preferred you to
go to Oxford or Cambridge I am also impressed with your
choice of St John’s university, you know it has over a 96.4 pass
rate for the last seven years.”
Destiny
couldn’t believe her ears, she thought her father would
automatically disapprove of her choice, and he would pressurize
her profusely as he did Ella on a number of occasions!
Destiny took this moment to stare directly in to her father’s eyes
secretly delighted that he had done his own research and
accepted her choice.
assuring his daughter of his approval.