AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’d expected her mother to gasp and say her name in that disappointed voice, but there was an eerie silence all around their table.
Sarah glanced up, finding disappointment on their faces. She took a deep breath and let it out through pursed lips. “I made a plea bargain with the arresting officers. I turned Kenneth in, and they offered community service in lieu of something more—serious.”
“I don’t understand. Why weren’t we informed? You’re our daughter—” her mother’s strangled voice burst through the cold like the sun through stormy clouds.
“I’m an adult. I handled it. I didn’t want you involved so I called Mr. Goldblum—”
“Mr. Goldblum knew?” Her mother whirled to face her father, who had remained oddly quiet. “Did you know about this?”
Sarah gaped when her father gave a small nod. He’d known, and he hadn’t said anything.
“What?” her mother let out a whispered shriek. “We could have helped her. I’m sure we could have gotten less than community service in some rancher town. You just stood by and—”
“She didn’t want our help, Loraine. Goldblum was very clear when he called me that Sarah wanted to handle this all on her own.” He turned a small smile that almost hinted at an underlying sense of pride toward Sarah. “And she did. She served her time. She probably picked up some decent skills. And in the end, she told us. I’d say she matured a great deal.”
“Howard! You can’t be serious.”
He reached for her hand and held it firmly. “She’s a grown woman. She’s bound to make mistakes, and she’s going to have to learn from them. It’s time we step back and let that happen.”
Her mother’s face almost matched the red shade of her lipstick. “Well,” she snapped, “I think we need to revisit the trust we gave her access to. If she’s willing to lie and hide everything—”
“Loraine.” His voice was firm and gentle at the same time. “Sarah has earned every penny of her trust.”
Sarah watched the argument unfold, her focus bouncing from one parent to the next. This was completely unexpected. Her father had always been the quieter one, always agreeing with her mother. But she had no idea he was the more logical one.
Her mother continued blustering, “That money was meant to be—”
“Given to her when she matured and showed she could handle the responsibility. And I think we both know that has happened.” He glanced at Sarah once more, then turned to his wife. “There are going to be times we don’t agree with what she wants to do with that money, but it’s hers now. She has to learn how to be responsible with it, just like she was responsible with the mistakes she made in college.”
Sarah’s mouth fell open. This couldn’t be happening. Her mother was actually calming down as if the fire that consumed her was being doused by her father’s words. Loraine glanced at Sarah and then her husband. Finally, she settled back in her seat and let out a sigh.
“It appears I have been outvoted.” But instead of the sad disappointment Sarah expected to find etched on her mother’s face, all she saw was wry acceptance.
Their eyes met and Loraine tipped her head slightly. “I assume with this freedom you’ll want to run away somewhere and do something else.”
Sarah froze. “What?”
“Oh, honey. We all know you’ve never been interested in following in our footsteps. I had always hoped that you’d take the classes and eventually find a joy in it like your father and I have. But it’s clear that you’re miserable. Your heart isn’t in it.”
Sarah’s eyes cut to her father. He shrugged and pretended to examine the drink menu.
“So what is it then? Are you going to travel the world? Paris? Maybe backpack through Europe? While I don’t approve of something like that, I hope you will be smart with your money and not waste it like some kids do these days.”
Her eyes rounded and she seemed to lose the ability to speak. Was this actually happening? Was her mother actually letting her make her own decisions when it came to the money they’d given her? This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.
Loraine reached across the table and grasped Sarah’s hand. “Of course, you will always have a place at the firm. Even though you don’t love it, you have a knack for it, and I’d hate to see that talent wasted.”
Sarah blinked. “A ranch,” she blurted.
Her parents set wide eyes on her.
She swallowed hard and nodded. “I want to buy a ranch. I want to train horses.”
Her mother glanced at her father before setting a look that could only be described as condescension. “Dear, do you even know—”
“I worked on a ranch all summer. I’m sure I could get some help from the people I worked with. I just need some land and a barn and—”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” her father murmured.
