Be My Mother For Once!

Elliot

The office was unusually quiet, save for the distant hum of traffic below and the soft clinking of ice in the glass I held. I swirled the amber liquid lazily, leaning back in my chair, lost in thought about her, Susan.

No matter how hard she tried to push me away...with her jealous antics, her sudden workaholic tendencies, and that maddening cold facade...I saw right through it. She was fighting something, and I was going to figure out what.

A sharp knock on my office door pulled me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I called, not moving from my relaxed position.

Adrian strolled in, a familiar smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. He held up a bottle of my favorite bourbon. “Thought you might need a drink.”

I raised an eyebrow but gestured for him to pour. “Since when do you play the thoughtful brother?”

“Since your fiancée had dinner with our mother,” he shot back, his grin widening as he poured two glasses and handed me one.

I stiffened slightly, my grip tightening on the glass. “Go on.”

Adrian took a leisurely sip before continuing. “Turns out, our dear mother offered Susan a nice, fat check to leave you.”

I chuckled darkly, not the least bit surprised. “Of course she did.”

Adrian leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Guess what, bro?”

I met his gaze, already knowing what was coming.

“She accepted it.”

I burst out laughing, the sound echoing off the walls. “No wonder.” I shook my head, taking a slow sip of my drink. “She’s been trying everything she can to leave me.”

Adrian watched me, waiting for some sign of anger or disappointment. But all I felt was a twisted sense of admiration.

“She loves money, huh?” I mused, my voice laced with sarcasm. “If she’d just told me, I would’ve doubled the offer for her.”

Adrian snorted, shaking his head. “You’re insane, you know that?”

“Maybe,” I murmured, staring into my glass. “But I know Susan. This isn’t about the money.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow. “Then what is it?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “It’s about my mother. About us. She thinks she can protect me by pushing me away. But she’s wrong.”

Adrian studied me for a moment before letting out a low whistle. “You’re in deep, huh?”

I smirked. “Deeper than I’ve ever been.”

Adrian clinked his glass against mine. “Then you better dig your way out, bro. Because it sounds like she’s not going down without a fight.”

I downed the rest of my drink in one gulp, the burn barely registering.

“She can fight all she wants,” I muttered, setting the glass down with a soft clink. “But I’m not letting her go.”

***

Susan

Seven days.

Seven exhausting, emotionally draining days of trying to push Elliot away.

I’d tried everything...pretending to be a jealous, controlling girlfriend, starting unnecessary fights, ignoring his calls, even flirting with other men in front of him. But nothing worked. He didn’t flinch. Instead, he smiled through it all, like he could see right through my pathetic attempts.

But this wasn’t a game. I needed him to hate me. I needed him to let me go.

Mrs. Prescott’s offer still burned in my mind. That hefty check sat hidden in my drawer, a constant reminder of the deal I made with the devil. I had told myself that taking the money would make it easier, that the guilt would push me to do the right thing. But all it did was make me feel like a fraud...because no matter how hard I tried to sever things between us, Elliot wouldn’t let me.

Until today.

The office door creaked open, and I didn’t need to look up to know it was him. His presence was magnetic, and despite everything, my heart betrayed me by skipping a beat.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

His voice was low but sharp, slicing through the tension in the room. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm.

“Tell you what?” I muttered, pretending to shuffle papers, even though my hands were trembling.

“That my mother offered you money to leave me.”

I froze. How did he know...shit!

I swallowed hard and plastered on the coldest expression I could muster. “What’s the point now? You know already.” I met his gaze, refusing to let the pain show. “I betrayed you by accepting the money, right?”

He didn’t say anything, just stared at me with those eyes that always managed to see past my walls.

I grabbed my bag, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on me. “So, let’s not drag this out.” My voice was steady, even though my heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. “Let’s break up. It’s final.”

I saw the flicker of confusion, then frustration in his eyes, but before he could say a word, I walked past him. My legs felt like lead, each step heavier than the last.

I didn’t dare look back.

Because if I did, I’d never have the strength to leave, and I had to leave.

****

Elliot

I wasn’t going to let her walk away.

Not like this.

The moment she stormed out of the office, I was on her heels. My heart pounded in my chest...not from anger, but from the desperation clawing at me. I couldn’t let her go, not over something this stupid.

I caught up to her just outside the building, grabbing her wrist gently but firmly. She spun around, her eyes cold, distant, like the woman I loved had disappeared behind a mask.

“You think I care about that money?” I hissed, trying to keep my voice low, though the frustration bubbled dangerously close to the surface. “If it’s money you want, Susan, I’ll give you more. Double. Hell, I’ll give you everything you want...just stay.”

She yanked her wrist free, glaring at me like I was the enemy. “It’s not about the money, Elliot.” Her voice was sharp, slicing through me. “I made a deal with your mother, and I’m going to keep it.”

That stung more than I expected.

But before I could say anything, her phone buzzed in her pocket. I watched her pull it out, her expression hardening even more as she read the message. She didn’t hide it from me, didn’t even try to.

"I thought you agreed to break up with my son. Why are you still together?"

I clenched my fists at my sides, my jaw tightening so hard it hurt.

Without missing a beat, she typed back, her fingers steady. "I told you it would take time. So give me more time."

And just like that, she walked away.

No explanation. No glance back.

I stood there, feeling like the ground had been ripped out from under me.

The night was a blur.

I don’t even remember how many glasses I downed, only that it wasn’t enough. The burn of the whiskey did nothing to dull the ache in my chest, the hollow feeling gnawing at my insides.

But there was only one person to blame for this.

I found myself standing at my parents' house, the familiar, pristine exterior doing nothing to soothe the chaos inside me. My steps felt heavy, my mind clouded with alcohol and rage. I didn’t bother knocking...I barged in, my mother sitting in the grand living room like she always did, perfect and composed, as if the world revolved around her.

She looked up, mildly surprised by my sudden appearance but not enough to show real emotion. “Elliot, what are you doing here at this hour?”

I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound that echoed in the room. “Don’t play dumb, Mother!” I took a step closer, my voice shaking, not from the alcohol but from the years of resentment I’d buried deep inside. “Why? Why can’t you just let me have this one thing?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, still calm, still calculating. “I’m doing what’s best for you, Elliot.”

I felt something snap inside me.

“Best for me?” I snarled, my voice rising with every word. “Since when have you ever cared about what’s best for me? I’ve done everything you wanted...went to the schools you chose, took over the family business, became the man you wanted me to be!” My voice cracked, the weight of years pressing down on me. “And now, the one thing...the one fucking thing...that I want for myself, you can’t even give me that?”

She stared at me, her face impassive, like my words were just noise to her.

“Why can’t you be my mother for once?” My voice was raw, broken. “Why can’t you just let me be happy?”

For a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in her eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the same cold, steely resolve that had ruled my life since I was a boy.

I didn’t wait for her response.

I turned on my heel and walked out, the walls of that perfect house closing in behind me like a coffin.

And for the first time in years, I felt like I was drowning.