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The part of me that doubted I was doing any good at all shouted at me to listen to my mother. To grow up. Find a suitable man to marry and have two kids as was expected of me.
Don’t listen to her.
She was one reason I stayed away from home so much. My mother was a miserable person. She didn’t have a sympathetic bone in her body. Money and status and power were everything.
Daddy liked those things too, but he and my grandparents made it seem like being filthy rich was just part of life. They drove expensive cars, had too many houses for my taste, and liked to hobnob with high society. If that motivated them as it did my mother, they disguised it well.
I always felt loved around them.
With Mother, I felt like a nuisance.
“A little support would be nice,” I said quietly.
She hesitated before she turned the glossy page. “A little consideration for your family would be nice.”
I never talked back. I hated arguing. Although maybe I’d have to amend that to I hated arguing except with Kane. He drew out my fighting side.
“I don’t define this family.”
“You have the Cunningham name. What you do most definitely has an impact.” She still didn’t look at me when she spoke. Like I was insignificant.
I smiled on the inside. “I thought you said I’m not making a difference.”
She slammed the magazine shut. “You are damaging this family with your save-the-world crusade. How do you think you finance that?”
I recoiled. Daddy, and my grandparents too, put money in my account every month. Sometimes more than once. And anything I asked for, they gave me. But I wasn’t wasting the money on frivolous things. I used it to help others.
Mother’s expression turned to anI wonlook.
“Do you know how often your father has to explain to potential new partners that you and your stupid causes won’t interfere? Partnerships that would be easily cemented if it weren’t for you? And you both joked about the possibility of being arrested.”
Just beneath my skin, I tingled. I didn’t want to be trouble for Daddy. He never mentioned it.He wouldn’t mention it.Because he wanted me to be happy.
I slumped down in my lounge chair.
Mother downed the rest of her gin and gracefully stood.
She loomed over me. “Grow up, Josephine.”
Once she was gone, I felt better and worse. What she was demanding was like cutting off a limb. Our planet and the creatures who were at our mercy deserved our best. The human race wasn’t here to pillage Earth. And I was determined to stop it.
I wanted better for all people.
Mother only wanted better for herself.
Alma lived off her trust fund too. Only she circulated in acceptable circles by attending parties, gallery openings, and the occasional philanthropic activity. She would never work at anything other than her appearance.
Yet, I was the disgrace because I used my money for good.
It didn’t matter that I’d spearheaded multiple campaigns ranging from the environment to child hunger for various groups. That my next endeavor was to start a foundation of my own. I could’ve easily already done that, but I’d wanted experience so I didn’t squander any of my resources. And I needed to speak to Daddy and my grandparents about what it took to lead a company. Even if mine was going to be nonprofit, they’d still help me.
My next campaign was a test of sorts, to see if I was ready to form a foundation. Although ready or not, it felt like—
“Kane! Don’t you dare.” Oh God.What now?
He cradled her in his arms as he waded farther into the water. I gripped the edges of my chair.
He swung her back. “One.” Forward. “Two.” Back. “Three.”
