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Out of the workforce for over twenty years and reliant on her asshole of a husband for money.
“You should go away,” I say.
“Go away? Run away? Where exactly?” she asks.
Between her tone and her facial expression, I don’t think she’s really considering this at all.
That’s okay. She’ll warm up to the idea.
“Kyle’s off at college. This fall, I start. We’ll be away from Father, but you… you need to get away from him. Divorced or not, that doesn’t matter so much as you just going away, and it needs to be somewhere that he won’t think to look for you.”
“And that perfect place is…”
“Europe,” I say, beaming at her.
“Excuse me? You want me to flee to Europe?”
“Yes!”
“I can’t just run away to Europe!”
“Why not? And don’t say money.”
“Um, money is a big part of it.”
“You can drain Father’s accounts.”
“If you think he hasn’t changed his numbers around—”
“You need to do this, Mom. You don’t want to be the next Mrs. Slade.” I blink a few times, and I hate the lump in my throat.
I’ll admit what I said before crossed the line. I shouldn’t have said it, but the thought of losing my mom…
“I don’t want Father to kill you, and that last screaming match you two had…” I shake my head. “You know he’s dangerous. As much as I’m hoping that everything will die down with the Thunder Crows since Mr. Slade is dead… I just don’t know what’s going to happen, but if things go sideways for Father, I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to be around. You need to get out of here.”
“And flee the country. That’s your grand plan?”
“Do you have a different one?” I demand.
She throws up her hands. “I’m not about to leave you and your brother here alone to face his wrath.”
“That’s just it, Mom. You know he’s gone over the edge. You can’t stick around. You just can’t, and you know that. Kyle and I are fine. We’ll be at college. Father won’t be able to do anything to us. You’re the one who has the target on your back.”
“And you don’t think that target can’t move?” she demands.
“You’ve sacrificed so much of your life for that man already,” I say softly. “You used to work. He made you stop when you had Kyle because he wanted to be the sole provider for the family, but it was just a way for him to try to control you, to keep you right where he wants you. You don’t need him. He needs you because his world is imploding right now. Maybe he’s even scared about jail time. I don’t know.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” she hedges.
“You and I both know he’s a mobster,” I say sharply. “He’s dangerous.”
“I… I don’t know.”
“I get that you’re scared and that this is a huge leap for you, but if that’s the best way to put some distance between you and Father, don’t you think you should? I don’t want anything to happen to you, and I don’t know what else I can do… unless you don’t want me to go to college.”
“Katie Quake! That is not an option.”
"This hotel isn't a long-term option either," I retort. ""Going back home isn't either. Going to your hometown? Father will be sure to check there. You have to go somewhere he won't find you, and with him being a mobster, who knows the kind of connection he has. Staying anywhere in the States might not be good enough. In Europe, you'll have the chance to start over, to have a new life. All I'm saying is that you should consider this."
