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“Julia I’m stunned. I can’t fuckin’ believe what I’m hearing. That asshole really wants you to act as his pretend wife and be his baby mama? How despicable can you get? I knew he lived in his own little super-rich universe but Jesus Christ! Where does he get off even asking you something like that? I guess you told him where to shove that idea, huh?”
I had no reply for my ranting brother. No words. I just sat there in silence staring blankly out at the city as we drove home.
“Julia? Why aren’t you saying anything? You did tell that mega-jerk ‘no’ didn’t you?”
“Not exactly.” I winced as soon as those pathetic words came out of my mouth.
“NOT EXACTLY? NOT EXACTLY? Please tell me you did NOT agree to do it?”
“Now Michael don’t be mad………..I haven’t really made up my mind yet. There’s an awful lot to consider. There’s a lot riding on this. A lot of money….”
“How could you even consider such a thing? It’s such a fucking insult to you Julia! Can’t you see that?”
“Michael you don’t understand!”
“I understand that he’s changed you into somebody I don’t recognize!”
“Michael I know you think it sounds degrading and I know you think I deserve better but this is actually an opportunity which, the more I think about it, the more I think I’d be a fool to turn it down.”
We parked the car back at the lot on Stanyan Street and started walking the four blocks home. I had never seen Michael so upset. And I didn’t know how to convince him otherwise. Our whole lives Michael had always put me up on a pedestal. After all, I was his big sister and he looked up to me. Now he could hardly look at me……
His stride was getting larger and his pace was quickening. I was having trouble keeping up with him. It was almost like he was trying to outrun his rage. I grabbed him by the shoulder until he stopped on the sidewalk and faced me.
“Michael I would literally be set for life. No more struggling. No more taking buses. No more tiny apartment. I could help you too; anything you need. You and I could get a house!”
“I don’t need any help! And I certainly don’t want any spaghetti sauce money from your boss! And what’s so bad about our lives now anyway? Why do you feel like you have to sell yourself short like this Sis? Why don’t you just get a respectable job with a law firm?”
“Because I want to make a difference in the world like daddy always said I would. He believed in me Michael. Remember how he always used to say that?”
“No not really.”
Michael and I resumed our walk toward home at a more reasonable pace now. He was beginning to calm down a little bit and his voice and tone had softened.
“Well that’s cuz you were probably still too young. How old were you when daddy was run over?”
“Only four.”
“Well see that’s why. I was already in school and I would bring home my perfect report cards and daddy would always beam with pride. And he would call me his little chickadee and he’d say, “Chickadee one day you are gonna be somebody big and important. And you’re gonna change people’s lives and help them with your big fat smart brain.”
“And you don’t think being a lawyer is helping people and making a difference in the world?”
I thought going into law would allow me to do that but I was mistaken. I don’t want to spend my life legally defending low-life criminals or big business crooks. That whole thing just left me feeling empty inside.”
“Well how the fuck are you planning on helping people by being the Italian Stallion’s baby mama?”
“Besides the fact that I’d be given sizeable trust fund which I could use to benefit causes dear to me, I’d also still be in a position to influence and steer Edward on a course toward his grandfather’s charitable work. That’s really an important part of the old man’s legacy that I’ve been working very hard on with Edward. I have been making some progress.”
“You really think you can make that rich jackass care about anyone besides himself?”
“Yes I do. And I think it might be even easier if I were carrying his child; his heir; his posterity. I believe that would have to inspire him to make the world a better place. Who doesn’t have that dream for their own child?”
As we waded through the tall unmown grass of our apartment complex, Michael put his arm around me and sighed.
“It sounds to me like you’ve already made up your mind about this…..”
His words caught me off-guard. I instantly halted and looked up at my “little” brother.
“I guess it does kinda sound that way doesn’t it?”
