Carter.

40.

He sits down on the couch and I sit down of the couch catty-corner to it. We need some space for this conversation.

"Talk please."

"Okay." I tremble a little but I'm ready.

"It all started when my dad died. My mom couldn't get out of bed for about two months. I did everything for Emma and I that summer. My mom wouldn't even talk to us. We tried to get her to talk to a therapist, we even had one come to the house." I can see the anger leave Grayson and being replaced with pity. A look I'd hoped to never receive from him.

"The bills starting coming but so did my father's life insurance check. He had a good policy because he knew my mom couldn't do anything without him, $2 million. My mom refused to deposit it. She wouldn't let me even. To this day it's still in her nightstand drawer." Grayson moves to sit on my couch. I'm holding my legs to my chest but his increased proximity relaxes me slightly.

"Around the time school started she started to leave the house. I have no idea where she went or what she did. But one day she came home around midnight and woke me up screaming. She was like hysterically happy. She was scream about how it was all coming together finally. She found a way to provide for us again. I was half awake and more confused than I had ever been. She had bags in her hands filled with clothes. Slutty dresses, heels and so much makeup and hair spray." Grayson tenses but puts his hand on my knee in support. I close my eyes for a second and take a deep breath.

"Do you want something to drink?" I look at Gray's wide eyes filled with nothing but love and concern. I shake my head no and continue.

"The next morning when I got home from school she rushed me upstairs and started to teach me how to do makeup. I knew a little but I was only a freshman so just like basic mascara and stuff. She taught me how to get the perfect smokey eye and how to contour and highlight. All of it. We spent hours together. We were laughing and it was like she was my mom again. I thought she did it, she's moving on from my dad's death. It was a great night. Once I knew how to do everything perfectly, she made dinner and Emma joined us. It was perfect." I blink back a few tears at the memory, having no idea what was to come.

"The next day after school we did the same thing but with hair and how to walk in heels. She was so happy and keep saying she was so proud of me." I sob escapes my lips. Grayson squeezes my knee. He starts to say something but I cut him off. I want to get this over with.

"The next day was Friday and I was so excited coming home from school. I thought we could have a movie night. She was finally my mom again after months of losing her and my dad, I finally had my mom back. But when I got home she rushed me upstairs and watched me do my hair and makeup. She was talking about how excited she was. She could finally start to pay bills tonight. I had no idea what was happening but I remember feeling so excited and happy. I remember the feeling when she pulled out one of the slutty dresses. It was black and very low cut and short. The back was completely open so I couldn't wear a bra with it. My stomach dropped and I became terrified. My mom would never let me try something like this on at the store let alone buy it or wear it somewhere. I was only fourteen and I didn't know anything about how cruel the real world is. I slipped the black heels on and followed her into the car. I remember seeing Emma sitting on stairs mad she couldn't come with. It all happened so fast." 

Deep breath Carter.

"We drove for about an hour or so to a part of town I'd never seen before. My mother was talking the whole time about how I need to listen and never say no to anyone. I didn't understand what that meant but I said okay. Not wanting to disappoint her at all. We parked outside a huge warehouse where there was a ton of other cars but the build looked abandon. I remember that first night I almost fell walking inside on the gravel in heels and my mother hissed at me to walk right. Fear took over my body when that happened. My mom had never been rude to me. My mother entered a pin on the keypad next to the door and we walked in."