Not a "LOVE" Story ✓

Paris, France?!

TAYLOR (CHAPTER 38)

"How's the food, Carter?" My mother asks him, while he's in the middle stuffing his face with mash potatoes.

"Extremely delicious Mrs. Smith," he says with a smile, making my own mother blush by it. I don't know how or why, but Carter Green is somehow amazing with parents.

"Taylor?" I look up, staring at my father.

"Um, yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Nodding I take a sip out of my wine.

"Of course. Why?" My father laughs, leaning back into the chair.

"It just looked like you were staring into space, that's all."

"Oh, that's weird. I guess I was just thinking about something," I say with a shrug, stabbing the salad with my fork.

"About me?" Turning my head I stared at Carter, elbowing him in the stomach. He coughs a bit, yet I laugh in amusement.

"Taylor!" Dammit.

"Yes, mother?" She looks at me in disappointment, grabbing Carter a glass of water. "He's not dying, mom..." I muttered, giving him a glass of water.

"Are you alright Carter?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. I guess Taylor really did take my breath away." Oh my god. Now look, I do love Carter, but when he does this stuff, it's impossible not to hit him with a baseball bat again.

"You okay? Or do you need an ambulance?" I ask him. Laughing he shakes his head, placing his hand on my leg.

"Nah, I'm fine babe." His words melt my insides, my heart beating just by hearing him call me that.

"You guys are so cute," my mother says, smiling at both of us. I roll my eyes at her yet Carter thanks her for the compliment.

"Not now Martha," my dad mutters to my mom, shaking his head as he drinks his liquor.

"What do you mean not now dad?" I ask him in confusion. My parents try not to look directly at me, yet all that's doing is making this worse.

"Why are you guys acting so weird?" I feel Carter's hand tighten on my thigh, knowing that he can feel my anger rise up just by this. "Mom!" She jumps in her seat, looking at us with a nervous expression.

"Look, Taylor, you're doing extremely well in school right?" I nod at my mom, wondering why she's even asking this question. "Well, you also know that I own a store." I nod again, my heart beating faster by what she might ask me to do. "The problem is..."

"You're taking over the store Taylor," my dad says, interrupting my mother.

"Wha-what?" I stutter, not believing their words.

"Your mother and I are getting tired, Taylor. You know how I retired ten years ago, yet your mother kept on working. She opened up a clothing store and it's been successful ever since. Yet, she's also growing old Taylor."

"So what are you saying?" They both stare at me with sadness, yet my mother is trying to put on a smile.

"I'm retiring Taylor," my mom says.

"So.... you're giving up the store?" She shakes her head, grabbing my father's hand in her's.

"Not quite darling." I look at her in a confused expression. If she's retiring, and she doesn't want to sell the store, then what the hell is she gonna do with it?

"Then what are you going to do with it, mom? Give it to Lila?" I laugh nervously.

"Again, not quite." Raising an eyebrow at her, I turn to look at my father.

"Just spit it out, mom," I say impatiently.

"I'm giving the store to you Taylor. You have the store in your hands now, and you're the owner. I'm passing the business down to you, and that's that."

"Mom..."

"It's settled. I have the papers and everything. You officially own the store, Taylor. Do not let me down," she says in a soft yet strict tone. What just happened?

"Dad..."

"I wanted to tell you this a while ago Taylor, yet whenever we called you were always busy and Lila kept telling us it was never going to work out. Yet your mother already did the papers and everything," my dad says.

"Wait. So Lila knew this was going to happen?!" My parents both nod.

"I'm sorry honey, but look on the bright side, you own a store!" my mother says in a happy voice.

"But, but what about school?!" I ask them, not liking how this is happening yet I'm still in college!

"I have that taken care of. Plus, your grades are amazing. You honestly didn't have to go to college Taylor." I never really did have to go to college because my IQ was extremely high. I also had the chance to graduate high school earlier because I was extremely smart, but I wanted to graduate high school as any normal kid would. I wanted to graduate college like any normal kid would as well! But now look at me! I own a freaking store. All thanks to my precious mother.

"You can't do this mom. You just can't!" I yell at her, standing up from the chair, not even aware that Carter is right next to me.

"Do not raise your tone with me, Taylor. What is done is done. I thought you would be happy about this. You loved the store when you were little!" I scoff at her.

"I was little! Things have changed mother!" I shout.

"Taylor..."

"Why couldn't you asked Lila to do this! Why me?!"

"Because Lila already has a job Taylor, and I already had your name in the papers for the ownership of the store."

"What?" My mother sighs, standing up so she can face me in the eyes.

"It's a family business Taylor. The papers said that if something bad happens to me or I want to retire and not have the store in my hands anymore, I have to either pass it down to someone in the family or sell it."

"You're joking with me. Please tell me you're joking."

"I chose you, Taylor. And it's done. Now please, no more with this conversation."

"So that's that? I own the freaking store now?!" My mother nods with a smile. A smile I'd like to slap right off her face.

"And there's also one more thing..."

"What?" I say with a harsh tone.

"Martha I don't think this is such a wise idea to tell her," my father says quietly.

"Oh, nonsense. She'll love this part!"

" I doubt it," I mutter, not loving the way this whole thing is being thrown on me.

"Guess where the store is Taylor?" I look at my mom in confusion, wondering why she's asking me this question since I already know where the store is.

"It's a ten-minute drive from here. Where else?" Looking at my dad I notice just by the expression on his face that I know I'm not gonna like where this is going.

"Actually, it's a tad bit father," my mother says.

"How far?"

"It's actually in Paris, France. Surprise!" she yells in excitement, throwing her hands up.

"What?" I ask her, my brain having trouble functioning this piece of information.

"The store is in Paris, France Taylor. It's been there for about a year now. I just haven't told you because you would well, freak out."

"Ya think?!"

"Don't worry." she waves me off. "It's only a nine-hour plane ride. That's all."

You know how every kid yells at their parents when they make you do dumb shit?

Well, I did the opposite.

I fainted.