Just the Beginning

29

MATT

"Alright dude you ready to go?" Chase walked up to me with his bag packed, "we get done with this weekend and we're coming home fifty thousand richer!"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask, "I don't know. I just feel nervous."

"Yeah because the last time you had this much in a car you lost it." He starts to laugh.

"Oh you think you're funny?"

"I know I am dude. You don't have to tell me." He shakes his head. In turn I laugh a bit and we're off to his grandmas. She lives a couple of hours away on this huge estate. She has horses she pays others to take care of, cars that sit in garages and never run, a kitchen she doesn't cook in. She's richer than rich. Baffles me why she's in the United States sometimes. If I had money... gone. I'd be in France or something. Anywhere else.

We get in his car and within a few hours we're pulling through the iron gate. The driveway is long and lined with trees. I haven't been here since I was a kid. It looks exactly the same. Pulling up to the house I'm still astounded at the sight. White and gray stone, mansion size. I don't remember how many rooms are in this place. Too many to count.

"Ready?" He asks.

"As I'll ever be," I open the door and step out. The breeze hits me in the face. I follow him to the front door that stands nearly double my height. Stained glass doors. It's stunning. Flashbacks rush to my memory of me and Chase watching the colors dance along the floor.

"Grandma!" Chase opens it. His voice echoes throughout the house. Insanely high vaulted ceilings framed with dark wooden boards.

"Oh Chasey!" I hear her voice shriek, "oh it's been so long!" She comes hurrying from the other room, her arms wide open as she goes to him and hugs him. Her eyes open and she sees me. She stands straight and tilts her head while giving me a happy yet saddened look. I awkwardly laugh and she comes straight to me, wrapping me up in a hug, "how are you hun? It's been a long time. You are so handsome nowadays."

"Thank you," I laugh a bit, "thank you I-"

"How old are you now?" she pulls back.

"Too old," I laugh, "I'll be 18 here soon."

"My god," she gasps and pulls away to look at us, "well come on! Come! I made us some lunch!" We followed her to the dining room. The same long wooden table sits in the center of the room. It has a beautiful runner down the middle. Chairs line each side and both ends. We sat down and her maids brought out the plates. "So," she smiles, "how are things? Chase, you said you needed some help?"

"Yeah- yeah," he nods, "uhm so I was working on getting my own place and I found this beautiful house-"

"And you need money?" she clears her throat, "that's why you came here?"

"Well-- yes," he sighs defeated, "but it isn't really like that-"

"Well then I should suspect it isn't actually for you, Chase," she turns her head to look at me, "because his parents can help him. But you- my boy, you have nobody to help you. So here's your last chance to come clean. What'll it be for?"

We look at eachother and my gut is screaming to just tell her the truth but at the same time, no way. I can't risk it.

"Fine," Chase says, "he got into some trouble. His dad-"

"Oh your father is a filthy man," she shakes her head. I'm embarrassed but I agree with her. "Don't tell me he got you like he got your brother." I look at her without saying a word, trying to figure out how and if she really knows. "You know what I'm talking about," she nods, "don't you? He pulled you into it, didn't he?"

"I uhm-" I clear my throat, "I don't- I can't-"

"You can say it here," she said seriously. Her eyebrows raise, "no other ears around to repeat what you say." My leg starts to jump a bit and I look over at Chase who is egging me to tell her.

"Yeah," I say blatantly, "yeah- uhm- yeah I don't want to be though. I'm trying to get out. I-"

"You know how hard that is?" she pulls out a check book, "how much do you need?"

I feel like a deer in headlights.

"Fifty grand," Chase spits out. She looks up and at the both of us before setting her pen down.

"Now you're gonna need to tell me why," she said, "every detail. Or you can forget it."

Fuck. Fuck fuck. I knew this wouldn't work. What do I do now?