Until Kelly by Vera Quinn
Chapter Twenty-Five
Trask
I got word from the Mayson’s that I could speak to my parents. I have been staying at the house that Kelly and I shared so I haven’t seen either of my parents. I have made sure to avoid them. I don’t think I could hold my temper.
I did contact the ranch attorney about the rights I have involving the ranch. He was a wealth of information. Not only do I have my rights to what my father signed over to me when I became a legal partner, but I now know I inherit the rest of the ranch soon. It’s time to turn the tables. My parent’s need to learn that I am not a naïve fool that they can control any longer.
I will pick the woman that I will spend the rest of my life with. I will make the critical decisions pertaining to the ranch from this day forward without interference from my dad. I am my own man, and I won’t be under their thumbs any longer.
I walk into the house that I grew up in with purpose. I enter the sitting room that my mother uses to entertain her friends during the day. She’s sitting there looking through a magazine and she looks up at me. “Follow me,” I tell her. I am to the point.
“Hello to you too, Son. It’s so nice of you to grace me with your presence since I haven’t seen you the last two weeks,” my mother starts.
“Cut the crap, Mom. Follow me or I will pick you up and carry you.” My mom sets her magazine down and stands up.
“You will not speak to me in that disrespectful tone. What has that girl done to you that you think that you can speak to me this way?” My mom can’t stop the hate in her. I take a step toward her. “Fine, where are we going?” I don’t answer. I walk to my dad’s study and open the door without knocking. My dad is sitting behind his desk with a bourbon in his hand in the middle of the afternoon.
“Have you heard of knocking? Where have your manners gone?” Dad starts. Mom follows me into the room. I look at her and ignore my dad.
“Sit,” I tell her. Mom must see the look in my eyes.
“Why are you speaking to your mother in that tone? What the hell has gotten into you?” Donald goes on.
“Shut up.” I say in a strong voice, looking at my dad. He looks at me. “Just listen to me and you better listen good.” They both stare at me, but they keep their mouths shut.
“I am a grown-ass man, and I don’t need my mommy or daddy butting into my love life. I don’t need or want you sticking your noses in my business period. I am going to run this ranch the way I want. I am going to marry who I want and if you butt in again, I will cut you both out of my life.” They both sit with their mouths open but don’t saying anything.
“We run this ranch together and I think it is within my rights as your father to express my opinion on who you date and who you bring into our family,” my dad tells me.
“You and I will run this ranch in name only for less than two years and then it reverts to my name by Grandfather’s will. I work this ranch and make sure everything runs smoothly. I doubt that you know one name of any of the men that I have hired in the last year. The only thing that you are interested in is the bottom line. I keep us making money and that has been happening the last ten years. So, keep watching that bottom line until your time is up. I will be making all the decisions unless you want to get out of bed before the sun rises and not get home until after dark because that is my normal schedule!” I yell at my dad. “You have zero input about who I choose to be in my life.”
“We are only trying to guide you, Son. To be a Stillman, you need to have breeding that only comes from people with money.” I know I am going to lose it if I don’t hurry this along.
“Tell me, Skeeter, what was your breeding?” Mom’s face turns red. She knows as well as I do that the only reason she wants me to marry money is for her standing in the community, but the laugh is on her, this community couldn’t care less. It’s all her and her snobbish cronies.
“I am telling both of you that if I can get Kelly back, then I am going to marry her, end of discussion. If either of you try to interfere, then you will both be out of my life and you know I will keep my word.” I drive my conviction home to them. I leave them there in that cold house that I hope I never see the inside of again.