Reece
Once we got ourselves together, we headed to my parents. I offered to drive since Troy didn’t know where to go, but once I got behind the wheel, I panicked, so Troy took over.
As we drove to their house, Troy tried to keep me relaxed, but even he couldn’t. I was an emotional wreck so I took several deep breaths in an attempt to feel better. I don’t know why I was so nervous. Maybe because I might see Paul there since he did mentioned he was coming over. I don’t want another altercation between him and Troy going down at my parents home. Or maybe I was just nervous about seeing them. They have made my life a living hell, so I just don’t want to be bothered with them. Regardless, it was going to be an interesting visit.
We arrived at their house twenty minutes later as I sat in the car staring at the garage door. No other car was present, which meant Paul or his parents weren’t there. Thank God.
“It’s going to be fine. We don’t even have to stay long,” Troy said.
“Trust me, we’re not.” I said before getting out of the car.
Troy got out as well and we went to the front door. Before we could even get to the doorbell, the door opened and my mom greeted us with a warm smile.
“Hey, Mom.” I said as I went to her. I gave her a hug, which felt a bit awkward. I don’t know why she was trying to be all friendly when we barely even give hugs.
From our appearance, we looked more like sisters; we both have the same complexion, hair, and brown eyes; but my mom is taller than me. I got my height from my dad.
“Hey, Reece. I didn’t think you were gong to come.” My mom said as she stared at me.
“I wasn’t,” I mumbled. My mom looked saddened by my comment. “I didn’t think we would have time since it’s a business trip.” I quickly said.
“I understand. I’m really glad that Vanessa was able to help you get a job. With your track record, I didn’t think you would get another job. I mean, you’re so talented, but your…”
“Mom, do we really need to go there?” I asked. I felt Troy’s hand go on my shoulder, which slowly made me calm down.
“I’m not, I just wish you would choose when to speak your mind, that’s all. Not every conversation has to be an all out battle.”
“I know, and I’m learning that now.”
“So, this is your new boyfriend, huh?” My mom said. My frustration was getting the best of me so I gave her a heated glance. I didn’t like how she was staring at him, because I couldn’t tell what was going through her mind.
“Yes, I am. Troy Jimenez.” He said while extending his hand to her. She didn’t even accept his handshake. She completely ignored Troy and gave me a look that said she despised me.
“You couldn’t tell me that you were dating someone. I had to hear it from your ex. And he’s your boss, Reece. Really?”
I glanced at her, wondering how she even know that I worked with Troy.
“Mom…”
“You couldn’t even try and get a man that wasn’t a part of the car wash?”
“Wow,” Troy whispered as I was about to get into her face. If Troy didn’t think there was going to be an altercation with my parents, then he’s seeing it first hand now.
“Stop, Reece. That’s still your mother,” Troy whispered wrapping his arm around me to hold onto meI brushed myself from him and returned Mom’s gaze with an angry one of my own.
“It doesn’t matter where I met Troy ; all that matters is that he makes me happy and treats me with respect. But you don’t care; you wanted me with someone like Paul.”
“I don’t think we need to discuss Paul right now, do we?” My mom asked while staring at Troy. I had a feeling that she knew about the Finn’s incident.
“I’m sure Paul has told you what happened?” I asked.
“That he got into a fight with your current boyfriend at Finn’s. I thought I’d raised you better than that.”
“It wasn’t her fault, Mrs. Palmer.” Troy jumped in.
“I wasn’t speaking to you,” my mom stated.
“Mom!”
“I didn’t ask him to speak. It’s bad enough he’s in my house,”
“Okay, I think I need to go before I say something that I regret.” Troy said as he was about to go to the door, but I stopped him.
“Where’s Dad, because I’m not going to repeat what I have to say.”
“He didn’t want to come downstairs.”
I rolled my eyes and walked to the foot of the stairs. I yelled out his name, hoping he could hear me.
“This is ridiculous!”
“Reece, please calm down.” My mom said.
“Are you seriously telling me to calm down when you and Dad are the reason why I’m pissed off!”
“Don’t talk to me like that.”
“Maybe it’s time that I finally did.”
I looked up to see my dad slowly coming down the stairs. I stared at him, wishing I didn’t have to see him. Even though my mom was horrible, my dad was ten times worse. I don’t know how I ended up with these two as parents, that’s why I’m so screwed up.
He ran his hand down his bald head giving me a highly displeased look. I shook my head as he came to me.
“Reece?”
“So I guess you didn’t even want to see me?”
“Because you would have given more lies.”
“Can we at least have lunch since we’re all here.” My mom insisted.
I gave her a crazed look. “I wouldn’t eat with you two if you both were the last two on this damn Earth,”
“Reece, stop.” Troy said.
“Oh, so I’m supposes to talk to these two with respect after my mom just blatantly admitted that she’s racist and my dad didn’t even want to come downstairs to say hi.”
I looked at my mom and shook my head. “You do know Vanessa is married to a Puerto Rican, right? I mean, she was always the model daughter for you since I wasn’t.”
“That’s not what I meant by that comment and you know it. I’m not racist.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Reece, they’re still your parents,” Troy said.
“Could have fooled me.”
“Stop it! You have always been spoiled and stubborn. No one can tell you anything because you’re always right,” my dad said.
“I wondered where I got that from, Dad. You both have been judgmental and possessive since I was born. You always compared me to Vanessa, saying I should be more like her with my life, when she was just as screwed up as me.”
“Reece, we only wanted what was best for you. We never wanted you to be like Vanessa; we just wanted you to make better choices. You can’t just skate through life thinking you can do whatever you want without any consequences.” My mom stressed.
“I never said that life was a cake walk, but you two didn’t make it easy for me to live my own life. You both had all of these expectations that I had to live by. I was constantly stressed by the shit you both had put me through, from school, to my various jobs. When I tried to talk to you both about my dream as a photographer, you didn’t even want to hear it.”
“That’s because photography is not a career. It’s just a hobby.” My dad said.
“Try telling that to Annie Leibovitz, Joe McNally, and, Jasmine Star. Those three are the top photographers in the world, making more than both of your annual salaries combined. You both never wanted me to fulfill anything that I loved because you wanted me to be a clone of you two.”
“That’s not true. We just wanted you to use your talents at your fullest potential. That’s all.” My mom said.
“You both even controlled my relationships.”
“Relationships? What does Paul have to do with this?” my dad asked.
“Paul was never the man you thought he was. He was a jerk and violent. He abused me any chance he got while we were together.”
My mom looked horrified while my dad went to go sit on the couch. I glanced at Troy, who gave me an encouraging nod.
“Paul wouldn’t do that. He always has been a respectful young man.” My mom said.
“Maybe to you; but to me, he wasn’t. You remember all those bruises I had on my arms? That wasn’t from a skin reaction; that was from him because he was stressed out about his Chem exam.
“Remember that black eye I had, Mom? I told you it was due to me being clumsy and going into a door? I went into a door alright; it was caused by Paul slamming me through one.”
“Oh Lord,” my mom mumbled. She went to sit down beside my dad, who still didn’t uttered at word.
“He may have been nice and sweet to you two, but he never was with me. He used me to take his frustrations out on, which made me feel low because that’s what I always felt like I was. Just someone to take their anger out on.”
“Reece…”
“You know it’s true, Mom. You two did it, and he did too. That’s why I was always so angry and stubborn because I felt as if I didn’t belong. Like I wasn’t worthy to be anything else.”
My mom looked to my dad, who lowered his head in shame.
“I never felt as if I was good enough to live by your standards, especially when you always compared me to Vanessa. I may not be a business owner, or married, but I am doing something with myself. I am trying to make my mark in this world; so if you don’t like my choices, then that’s fine, because I’m going to finally do what I want to make myself happy.”
“And you should,” my mom said.
I stared at her as she got up to come to me. “So that explains what happened at Finn’s. Troy was protecting your honor.”
I nodded. “Once he saw Paul, he thought about what I’d said and he defended me.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell us?”
“Because I didn’t think you would believe me. You both didn’t care about anything that I said or did, so this wouldn’t have made any difference.”
My mom pulled me into her arms, surprising me as she held me close. “I’m so sorry, Reece,” She whispered. “I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. If I would had known…”
“It’s over now, Mom. It’s in the past.”
My mom continued to hold me as I stared at my dad. He was still sitting on the couch, with his head in his hands. I didn’t know what to think about any of this. I blamed my parents for so much, yet, they probably blamed themselves for the path that I have chose in my life. Maybe part of my choices were deliberate to piss them off, but it wasn’t all about them. I really didn’t think I was worthy enough to go forward with my dreams. I’d heard it so much in my life that I’d started to believe it.
My mom pulled away from me so she could into my eyes. “Reece, I know your father and I are to blame about what you have went through. We weren’t supportive of you, even when you did talk about your dreams as a photographer. Instead of us listening, we pushed it to the side, not caring how it would affect you. For that, I do want to apologize. We did try and push you into being someone that you’re not, when we should have respected you and trusted you to make your own decisions.”
“Thank you. That means a lot that you’re saying this,”
“Just know that we do love you and only want what’s best for you. We always have, but I guess we showed it in the wrong way.”
“You’re parents, so sometimes, your decisions are made because you’re just looking out for your children.”
My mom sighed. “We could have pushed you away.”
“You almost did. I didn’t even want to come today, but I’m glad that I did.”
“I’m glad you did too. I just wish you would have said something to us about Paul. Especially with all the times he has been here.”
“Well, you still invited him over when we were broken up. That definitely wasn’t cool.” I said.
My mom nodded. “I know,”
She went over to Troy and extended her arms to him. He gave me a surprised look as I did the same. Who was this person, because she definitely wasn’t my mom right now. But maybe she’d finally realized what she was doing was wrong. I just hoped my dad would come to that same conclusion as well.
“Thank you. And I’m sorry about earlier.”
He nodded. “It’s okay. Just know that I really care about your daughter. She has shown me a lot about myself in a short time.”
“Well, you definitely have made an impact on her.”
“Really?”
My mom smiled. “My daughter may not be around me as much, but I have never seen her like this. But I’m glad you were by her side and she trusted you enough to confide in. Everyone needs that special someone in their life that they can confide in.”
Troy smiled. “I know, and that’s what your daughter is for me.”
I began to blush as he glanced at me. “I also think it’s time that you both see Reece’s photos. I think you’ll be truly impressed.”
My heart started racing when he mentioned about my photos. I’d never showed my parents any of my photos. I don’t even know how Troy got any of them.
Nuicka!
I shook my head as Troy pulled out his phone and scrolled to his photos app. He handed his phone to my mom, who was truly in awe.
“You took these?” She asked while staring at me.
I smiled. “I did.”
“Reece is also a freelance photographer. Some of her work has been published in D Magazine.”
My dad finally got up from the couch and came over to my mom. He stared at the photo, and he was speechless.
“Wow. This is amazing.” He said as he asked Troy if he had anymore to show.
“Sure, let me scroll through them,”
I watched my parents look at my pictures with pure admiration. They were truly proud of me, which was something that I have never experienced from them.
I went over to the couch to sit down. I watched them as they continued to look at the photos that Troy had on his phone.
He sat beside me and I looked over at him. “I can’t believe you did this. How did you even get my photos from Nuicka?”
“How did you know I got them from her?”
I gave him an unconvinced look as he smiled. “I got her number from your phone while you were asleep. I texted her and asked if you took anymore photos, and she gladly sent them to me. Why didn’t you ever say your photos were published?”
I shrugged. “Just didn’t.”
“You should be proud of that, Reece. You really need to pursue this professionally.”
“I tried, but it never happened.”
“Well make it happen. It doesn’t hurt to try and do something you love. If it doesn’t work, at least you know you tried.”
He glanced at my parents and smiled. “Look at them; they’re proud of you.”
Tears were starting to fill my eyes just from looking at them. I couldn’t believe this was happening, that my parents really were proud of me.
“You can’t say that they don’t love you. They do, they were just trying to give you some tough love. They just went a bit too far with it.”
I nodded. “They definitely did.”
“Are you mad that I went behind your back to do this?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. Thank you,”
He put his hand over mine and smiled. “No problem,”
We continued to watch them until we noticed my dad coming towards me. He pulled me up from the couch to give me a hug, apologizing for the way he treated me. This was the moment I been dreaming about, for my parents to believe in me and to say they were proud of me. I didn’t think this day would come, but I’m glad it finally happened.