The Scandals of Life

by K. L. Humphreys

  Dad gasps and Adam finally realises that it was stupid for them to come here. "Stefanie, you can't say things like that!" Dad bites out.

  "Like what?" I'm getting so fucking angry listening to this crap.

  "We aren't the reason your mum is dead." Dad looks shook up.

  "The hell you aren't. You cheated on her for over sixteen years. You had another family behind our backs. That bitch of a wife of yours knew about us and instead of doing what most women would do and walk away, she stayed. Yes, I blame the lot of you. So, if you're done with your righteousness, get the hell out of my house." I'm shaking with temper right now. God, if I were to get up and walk over to him I'd hit him and I don't think I'd stop.

  "Don't call Tammy a bitch, she's your stepmother, have some respect," Dad scolds me and Adam shakes his head in disgust and I don't know if it's at me or Dad.

  "That whore ain't my stepmum, she's nothing to me. You're my sperm donor and that's it." Tears sting my eyes but I won't let them fall; he's not going to see me cry, I won't give him the satisfaction.

  "Stefanie, no matter what, I'll always be your dad. That's why I'm telling you to stop the selfishness and find a proper job. Being a prostitute isn't right."

  "Who the hell told you she was a prostitute?" James cracks his knuckles again as he asks.

  "A woman whose husband Stefanie slept with. It doesn't matter, it needs to stop.You can't go around sleeping with married men." He has the cheek to lecture me?

  “Oh, I’m sorry, did I miss something? You’re lecturing me about sleeping with a married man? The man who cheated on his wife for more than sixteen years? How about you get the fuck off that high horse of yours and get a damn reality check! You have no right, absolutely no right to have a go at me. I have done nothing wrong, unlike you. Take your hypocrisy and shove it up your arse.”

  "Maybe you should get your facts straight before you come barging in here. Stef isn't a prostitute. She doesn't sleep with men for money and the woman you spoke to is my EX-wife. She’s jealous and this is her way of getting back at me for leaving her." James sets them straight and I can't believe Valerie has done this. What does she get out of this?

  Dad starts to mutter something under his breath, I don't know what he's saying and I couldn't care less. I want him out of here and I don't want him to come back.

  "And you're one to talk about sleeping with married people." I squeeze James' hand in thanks for his support, he's not letting my dad get away with anything.

  Dad splutters. “I can see this isn't going to go well. I'll tell Tammy that it was futile. You're more like your mum than I thought. She was pig-headed too."

  "You're not listening. I'm not a prostitute; I don't sleep with men for money so you can tell Tammy that the only person she needs to be ashamed of is herself. Now, it's time for you to go, and for the love of God, don't ever come back." I stand up and walk to the front door, not giving them a choice; it's time for them to leave.

  “Not yet, Stef. Dad, what the hell? You and Mum told me that Stef’s mum kicked you out. Not that you chose us!” Adam stands, his hands balled into fists. “How could you? How could you not even go to her funeral? How could you not be there for Stef when she needed you?” The disgust in his tone has me looking at him in shock. Where the hell is this coming from?

  “Adam, now isn’t the time.” Dad’s face heating.

  “Why’s that? Golden boy finally finding out what a piece of shit you really are?” I bite out, I know that Adam seems shocked at the revelations but I can’t help but feel resentment towards him.

  “Stef, when did you find out what had happened? That Dad had been cheating on your mum?” Adam’s hands still balled into fists. Gone is the cocky arsehole who entered my house, in its place is a young man who looks as though he’s lost everything.

  “Thursday, 17 May 2012.” That date is forever ingrained in my brain, it’s the last time I said goodnight to my mum.

  "Stef, hand on heart, I never knew any of this. What else has happened?" he demands and I'm wondering do I do as he asks or let it lie?"Please, Stef."

  "Tammy found me about three months after Mum had died." I see the shock on Dad's face. "She knew I was an escort then, Dad. She told me that you were glad to see the back of me and that I shouldn't contact any of you. Not that I had or ever would have. She told me that you had your family now and why would you want the crazy’s daughter when you have a perfectly good son?" James grips my hand. But I'm okay with it, I know for a fact that Pen sorted that bitch out. She found out and went mental, she drove to their house and whatever was said, I hadn't seen any of them since. Until today.

  "Right, Dad, time to leave," Adam bites out and Dad doesn't even protest, he rises from the chair and starts walking out of the sitting room."Stef, I'm sorry, I truly am," Adam tells me as he follows behind Dad.

  James and I walk them to the door and just as the front door opens Dad turns. “Think about what I said, you are making us the talk of the town! Stop being selfish and think of what Tammy and I are going through; what we have to listen to, everyone talking about how my daughter is being scandalous."

  Before I can even respond, Adam grips Dad's bicep. “There is something wrong with you. How can you talk to her that way? Stef's right, you're the ones I'm ashamed of!" he says through gritted teeth."Stef, you don't worry about them anymore, they're not going to bother you again. I hope I'll see you around." He sounds sad, and I'm actually sad too. He seems okay and if it were under different circumstances I think I'd actually like to get to know him. I watch as they leave and I sag in relief.

  "Well, that wasn't how I expected to spend the day," James jokes as soon as I close the door. "Are you okay, beautiful?"

  "I'm disgusted that they think they didn't do anything wrong. That my dad doesn't think he did anything wrong." I shake my head. “My mum deserves more than that, her memory deserves more than that." I walk into his open arms and squeeze him tightly. “Thank you for being here."

  "Beautiful, I'll be here whenever you want me." I know that has more behind it than what I meant and I'm not even going to touch it. He takes my hand and we go back into the sitting room. "What happened to your mum, Stef?"

  I take a seat on the couch, my back hurting from where I hit it off the door handle. "Mum had bipolar disorder; she had it under control most of the time. She was the greatest mum, sometimes a bit eccentric but that's what I loved about her. Anyway, she found out that Dad was cheating on her with Tammy and they had Adam. Finding out that your husband has another child is bad; finding out that child is less than a year younger than your own killed her."

  "Christ, what an arsehole."

  "Yeah, and that's putting it mildly. Finding this out set Mum off completely. She withdrew completely, she stopped taking her medication, she stopped eating, and she stopped communicating. I was so worried about her but I didn't know what to do and when Dad chose Tammy and Adam over Mum and me it finally tipped her over the edge. I went to school like any normal day, when I returned I found Mum lying in her bed. She'd taken an overdose of sleeping tablets." I blow out a breath as the pain in my back is getting worse, I try not to grimace otherwise James will rush me to the hospital. I think I hit a muscle.

  “Jesus, Stef, you found her?”

  I nod. “Yeah, I was seventeen. The worst thing is, when I think of her I think of that look she had. She looked so peaceful but her mouth was blue. I can’t get that look out of my head.” Whenever I talk about my mum I end up thinking about that day. I hate bringing it up. I hate mentioning her and how she died. It hurts but James needed to know the truth.

  "Stef, God, and your dad left you?" He looks horrified.

  "Yeah, I hate my dad and I don't want to talk about him." He nods in understanding, he did meet him so he understands. "What I don't understand is how Valerie found out who my dad is, how she knew about my family?"

  "I don't know but I'm going to find out." He gets up off the sofa and walks into the kitchen. I can hear him talk
ing on the phone but can't make out the words. I text Jess to see how she is but I don't expect a reply. She's with Hunter and I respect that she needs to try and work things out and see if they are able to build a relationship. I start playing Candy Crush Saga, wondering who the hell he's on the phone to. It's been almost ten minutes and by the sounds of things he's going to be at least ten more. God, he sounds pissed!

  Thirty minutes later and he walks back into the sitting room throwing his phone onto my coffee table, I give him a look. “What did my coffee table ever do to you?" I try and lighten the mood but his face looks like thunder so that won't be happening. "Who was that?"

  "That was Evan, he's a friend. Valerie has hired a private investigator. She's looking into us, trying to find out anything she can that may come out and end us so she'll be happy." He shakes his head in disgust. “I have no fucking idea what the hell is wrong with that woman but she really does need help."

  "She won't find anything. What's the worst she can do? Tell everyone I'm an escort? So what, let her. I am not ashamed and I have nothing to hide." I reach over and hold his hand trying to calm him down. “How did he find out?”

  "I know and neither do I, she's just being petty right now and the sooner she realises that nothing will come between us the better. The investigator is friends with Evan and knows that Evan and I are friends." He gives me a look, one that doesn't seem good. “So this may be the wrong time, but my mum wants to meet you, well, her and Dad do."

  My eyes widen. “What? Why?"

  He shrugs like it's no big deal. “They know that you make me happy and they want to meet you."

  "You've told them about me?" I'm shocked, I didn't expect him to tell them. I didn't expect him to tell anyone.

  "They've known about you from the very beginning. The very first time I saw you they told me they had their son back. So yes, I have told them about you. Mum has been dying to see you." He smiles as he takes my hand and kisses my palm. “So what do you say, do you want to meet them?"

  "Okay?" I ask it in a question, unsure as to what I'm supposed to do, I've never met anyone's parents before and I'm actually scared.

  "Okay? Stef, they're going to love you, don't be scared," he reassures me.

  "How much do they know about me?" I'm dreading his answer.

  "Everything. They know you're an escort, they know how we met. They know I was an arsehole and they know about the miscarriage." My eyes bug out. What the hell, he tells them everything? "Stef, are you okay?"

  "Why?" My mouth’s dry and I cough trying to regain my voice. “Why would you tell them all of that?"

  He looks at me in confusion. “I tell them everything, other than my brother I'm actually really close with my family."

  "Wow, I think you're the first person I've met that gets along with their parents." I think I'm in awe. Hell, by the time I was fifteen I hated both of my parents. Yes, I loved them but I hated them at the same time. I hated Mum for not being normal, even though it wasn’t her fault and I hated Dad because he was never home.

  "It's been that way for as long as I remember, does that bother you?" If I told him it did I reckon he'd stop telling them but I wouldn't do that to him. He loves them and truthfully that's the way it should be. The way everyone should be with their families but sometimes people are arseholes and don't deserve to be loved. Like my dad for instance, he doesn't deserve my love or forgiveness.

  "No, it doesn't bother me, I find it refreshing to be honest." I give him a reassuring smile. "Can I ask why you told them about the... um... miscarriage?"

  "It was my dad that I spoke to. I needed someone to talk to, someone to listen."

  I feel hurt."I would have listened. I would have been here!"

  "Stef, beautiful. I have no doubt that you would have. I just needed to process it and I didn't want to bring it up and have you hurting again. I have no idea how you managed to get through it by yourself and I'm so proud of you, so amazed by your strength. When I was on the phone with my dad I couldn't think straight."

  "I didn't leave the house for a week. I couldn't. I didn't get out of bed for three days straight. I'm glad that your dad was there for you, to help you but I wish you'd have come to me." Even I can hear the hurt in my voice, I don't want him to feel bad, I just need him to know that if he needs to talk I'm here.

  "I'm so damn sorry, Stef, I should have been here for you. You shouldn't have gone through that alone."

  "Don't, no more apologies. Okay?" I all but shout at him, thankfully that pain in my back is easing, maybe it was just the impact and not me hurting a muscle.

  "So, when do you want me to meet your parents?" I’m actually really nervous. I don’t know why but the thought of his parents disliking me is making me really worried.

  He smiles, reaches for his phone, and sends a text; we wait anxiously for his phone to buzz with a reply. It doesn't take long but I start to bite on my nails, that is until James pulls my hand out of my mouth. “Mum wants you there tonight, she doesn't want to wait any longer." He has a huge smile on his face. I pull the phone out of his hands and look myself, and there it is in black and white;

  Mum: Now. I've waited long enough to meet my new daughter, you had better bring her to tea. I'll disown you otherwise.

  I can't stop the smile from forming. “I love your mum already. What if I get there and she hates me?"

  "Stop, why would she hate you?" I shrug. “Stef, they'll love you just as I do." He presses a kiss against my lips.

  "What am I meant to wear?" I'm panicking now, this isn't me. I'm usually so assertive and so sure of myself.

  "Wear what you’re wearing, you look beautiful and you'll fit right in. Just because I go to galas and events doesn't mean we're stuck-up; we do like to wear normal clothes." He winks at me."Honestly, you look amazing, please don't change."

  "Okay, I won't. How long will it take us to get to their house?" It's so bad, I don't know much about his family but that's all about to change. This step I'm about to take means that I'm all in with him. I love James and I want to be with him for the rest of my life. I just still have a bit of me that's holding back and I don't know how I can stop it, how I can give him all of me.

  "About an hour and a half depending on traffic. Are you ready?" He rises off the sofa gracefully and helps me to my feet.

  "Yes, and it'll give me plenty of time to ask you all the questions I have about your family." His smile widens, this is making him happy and I wonder if Bitch Face and his family got along in the beginning?

  Chapter Eight

  The car journey is taking longer than the hour and a half he said it would. But I don't mind, it's given us time to talk about the things we skipped over the first time. James is the most animated that I have ever seen him when he’s talking about his parents. His mum, Sylvie, used to be a teacher, but is now retired. She loves gardening, reading, and taking long walks around the lake. His dad, Thomas, is also retired, he used to be a sergeant in the police. Hearing how his parents are retired makes me think of the age gap between us. I'm twenty-one, almost twenty-two, whereas James is thirty-two. It's never bothered me and it still doesn't. They’re also rich beyond their wildest dreams. Thomas’ parents owned Live Thames, a multimillion-pound food business. I had never heard of it but they sold and whoever bought it changed its name.

  "What do your parents think of our age gap?" I ask as we turn a corner and start traveling down a narrow road, his parents’ live in the Cotswolds. I've never been here before but it looks amazing. The countryside is so pretty and the views are out of this world. This is somewhere I'd love to live, no one around you for miles—peace, quiet, and tranquillity.

  "They haven't mentioned it, why? Do you think it's a problem?"

  I turn my head to stare at him. “What? No, God no. It doesn't bother me. In fact, up until you said your parents are retired I hadn't even thought of it.”

  "At the beginning, when we started getting serious. I was kind of worried but then I fell in love and fu
ck, Stef, being with you keeps me on my toes." I slap him at his dirty mind. "In all honesty, we don't have a problem with it, so anyone who does have one can jog on."

  "Exactly, oh, talking about parents reminds me that I had better tell Pen that she can stop being the guard dog." That's one conversation I'm dreading.

  "What's the deal with you two? She's extremely protective. One time I called she told me I was lucky that I wasn't around her otherwise she'd whip me into the ground."

  I laugh."Sounds like Pen. The day my mum died I snuck into a bar and got absolutely plastered. I was so bad that I could hardly stand. This man wouldn't leave me the hell alone; when I tried to leave, he wouldn't let me. Thankfully Penelope was there and brought me home with her. She's been my protector ever since, almost like my second mum." Just thinking about everything she's done for me makes me want to do something nice for her. I'll think about what to get her for Christmas; this year will be something extra special.

  "I'm glad you found her especially at the time in your life when you needed her. What about Jess, have you told her about us?" I give him an “are you for real” look and he laughs. “I take that as a yes."

  "Of course, I have. Jess is my best friend even though we’re more like sisters. She's been through a lot but she's a fighter that's for sure. She never gives up, just meets everything head-on."

  "She sounds like someone else I know." He reaches over and squeezes my thigh.

  "Jess, God, that woman is Superwoman. Her mum is a cow. Jess is one of four children. Owen"—his eyes narrow at the mention of Owen's name. I told him I slept with Owen but I didn't tell him it was Jess' brother—"looked after them all when they were growing up, he was their guardian until he was arrested for selling drugs. Jess found out she was pregnant the day Owen was sent down. Hunter's mum told Jess that he wanted nothing to do with her and she had better have an abortion."