Friction and Fries

CHAPTER 22: Final Affection

As Kelsey entered her home, she found her mom, Ms. Prescott, busy in the kitchen, chopping vegetables and stirring a pot on the stove. "I was wondering where you were," Ms. Prescott said, glancing up with a mix of relief and curiosity. "Luke was here looking for you."

"He was?" Kelsey asked, her heart skipping a beat at the mention of his name. 

Ms. Prescott paused, her expression shifting to one of concern. "Did you two break up?"

"Yes, Mom," Kelsey replied, the weight of her feelings pressing down on her. 

"I told you, things never work out with rich boys," Ms. Prescott said, her voice carrying the weight of experience. 

"How do you know he's rich?" Kelsey countered, her frustration bubbling to the surface. 

"He arrived in a flashy sports car," Ms. Prescott replied, raising an eyebrow. "That's not a car an ordinary person can afford. Why did you keep this from me?"

Kelsey sighed, feeling the tension rise between them. "I thought he may eventually grow on you. I didn't know it was going to be so complicated to get involved with someone wealthy," she admitted, her voice wavering.

"You must trust me, Kelsey," Ms. Prescott said, her tone becoming more serious. "I'm still suffering the aftereffects of my own experiences. I became loveless and ended up broken, never married. Things will always go wrong when we cross paths with their kind."

Kelsey's heart sank at her mother's words, but her mother couldn't help but ask, "So tell me, is he engaged to another rich girl for mutual benefit?"

"How do you know this, Mom? Did he tell you?" Kelsey's voice was a mixture of disbelief and concern.

"No, he didn't have to tell me. I just know how these things usually happen," Ms. Prescott replied, shaking her head. "He seems like a good boy, but there's no way this would end happily. His family will always be against you, and I don't want you to carry the weight of his downfall."

Kelsey felt a lump form in her throat as she listened to her mother's warnings. "But what if he's different?" she pleaded. "What if we could make it work?"

"Find yourself a boy with a similar background—someone you can grow together with," Ms. Prescott said firmly. "That's the path to happiness, not tangled up in the complications of wealth and status."

Kelsey nodded slowly, tears welling in her eyes. "Sure, Mom, it makes sense," she answered quietly, her heart heavy with the weight of her mother's words.

Wiping away a tear that had escaped down her cheek, Kelsey quickly changed the subject. "On another note, I have an interview on Monday with the Harrington Group," she said, trying to inject some positivity into the conversation.

"That's wonderful, sweetie!" Ms. Prescott exclaimed, her expression brightening. "Don't worry; everything will fall into place for you. I'm always here for you."

"Thanks, Mom," Kelsey said, a small smile breaking through her sadness. Despite the tension surrounding her feelings about Luke, she felt a flicker of hope at the prospect of her interview. It was a step toward a new beginning, one that she hoped would help her move forward.

*****

At the Sterling home, the atmosphere at the dinner table was thick with tension and silence, punctuated only by the occasional clink of silverware against porcelain. The dim light cast long shadows across the polished surface of the table, amplifying the gravity of the moment. Luke felt the weight of his father's expectations pressing down on him, the air heavy with unspoken words. Finally, Mr. Sterling cleared his throat, breaking the oppressive silence. "So, did you break up with that girl?" he asked, his tone casual yet laced with scrutiny.