The Price of Protection

Chapter 13~ Switching Sides

Remington:

     I don't care to even look at one more piece of clothing for as long as I live. My mother, Patricia or 'Patty' as my dad has dubbed her, has taken me for an unnecessary shopping trip yet again. This time we have some big-name defense lawyer coming over for dinner and I'm honestly over my mom's great big sense of "hospitality". Our home is and has always been a place of business. Home should be warmer, comforting, and yet, when I think of my home it feels cold and constricting.

     You would think she's just a kind and hospitable woman, but truthfully, she has all of these powerful people over to gain power herself. Wherever she can put in a good word, up her status or my father's, or make a possible future connection for me, she does it. It's an exhausting way to live. If I were able to find out how she works so hard and then exerts an extensive amount of energy to host in such an extremely conniving way and sell that energy, I would be rich. 

     Currently, she is holding a royal purple shirt up to me with a jacquard design on it. I had just put on a yellowish-green shirt that made me feel nauseous when she brought this one over and decided the vomit shirt wasn't right for "conveying a powerful presence."

     "What do you think, dear?" She asks while looking at how the shirt matches my skin tone and eyes. "I think it fits well with the black slacks, don't you?"

     I give her a lazy nod, "Yes, Mother, it will look very classy, very commanding."

     She smiles dazzlingly up at me like I said the perfect words and then hung the stars. I've just had lots of practice at this point. As long as I'm not going to look terrible, I give her a glowing review and if she likes it and we move on with our lives. I do have to admit though, that the Royal purple color does give a bit of a commanding air to the one wearing it. I let myself admire it a moment more before she snatches it away.

     "Perfect!" She says in a tone of high pitched joy, "Go get dressed into your own clothes and we'll check out."

     I nod and do as she asks, as per usual, before we make our way up to the checkout counter.

     "Oh, Remi!" My mother gasps in surprise as she turns to me with bright eyes, "Did I tell you that his daughter would be coming also? I think she's in some of your classes. You two should get along swimmingly!" She practically sings, "I hear she's absolutely lovely and the talk of the entire school."

     "Excuse me, miss?" The woman behind the counter tries to get my mother's attention so she can pay. My mother continues on about the daughter as the woman tries again. "Excuse me...miss!" She gets a bit louder to get my mother's attention and my mother stops mid sentence.

     Her mouth is still open as she turns looking highly offended at the young woman behind the counter. Her hand presses to her chest for added affect. "How dare you speak to me in such a way!"

     Here we go. Bad move, lady. 

     She rants about being Mrs. Bartus and not "miss". Apparently that's highly offensive to her. I stand there giving the scared young woman a look of pity. She has her head down now as she listens to my mom's schpeal about how she could take her to court for her unprofessional attitude and bad presentation of the store chain.

     Don't you dare think I'm rude just standing here either. My mother does this often and I'll get the same treatment if I even so much as think about opening my mouth. There are a lot of things I will stand up to, but my mother in a clothing store is not one of them.

     Even so, I'm too tired to listen to this anymore and I dare to speak up, "Mother, we don't want to be late for the Crowes."

     She takes a deep breath to continue fussing at the woman and then glances at her watch, "You're right," she says surprising me as she sniffs in a haughty manner and hands her card over, "Hurry up please, I don't have all day, young lady."