Seduced for Revenge: 8 - Tea

“Mrs. Bennet, would you like coffee or tea?”

“Tea dear. I love tea. I can help you make some,” she replied while gazing at the pictures on the mantle.

“Okay, you can help—”

“No!” Owen replied, walking to the kitchen to intercept his mother.

“I wanted to ask her to select the tea she wanted. She won’t get hurt. I know what I’m doing.” She whispered to Owen in an annoyed voice.

“You keep saying that.”

“Get the tea box from the pantry and bring it out here, Mrs. Bennet.”

“It is not heavy. Even if she drops it, it’s fine. You have to stimulate your mother’s brain and let her think for herself.”

Owen gritted his teeth. Though he didn’t agree with her methods, he let the issue go.

“You’re babying your mother too much. Let her be. She’s not all gone yet.”

‘She’s probably right, but I’ll never agree with her.’ He snickered silently.

“So do you want coffee or tea?” Regina laid out some butter cookies, macaroons, and pound cake she sliced up on a platter.

“I’ll take coffee,” he replied.

“Okay, so bring the platter to the living room while we prepare the coffee and tea.”

“Mrs. Bennet, did you find the tea?” Regina walked to the pantry as she was taking too much time finding the box with big letters on it that read “TEA.”

She heard sniffles when she opened the door. 

“Mrs. Bennet?” Regina switched the light on and found the older lady sitting on the floor, hugging the box of tea.

“I couldn’t find the door. It was so dark.” The door closed behind Hailey and momentarily locked her in.

“Oh, I’m so sorry—” Regina was about to gather Mrs. Bennet in her arms when she heard Owen scream.

“What did you do?” He felt alarmed that his mother was on the floor.

“Shh… don’t scream.” Regina shoved Owen out of the kitchen. “She gets anxious when people scream.” 

“Take a seat and relax. I’ll handle this.” Owen looked behind Regina and huffed as he sat down.

When Regina came back, Mrs. Bennet had gotten up and went through the tea selections as if nothing had happened. “I want some chamomile, but I want the non-caffeinated kind if you have it.”

“I take that before I sleep at night, so I have a ton stocked in that box.”

“Okay, I need you to sit with your son and sample the treats on the table while I bring your tea.” Mrs. Bennet walked to the living room, her problem forgotten.

“Mandy, these are good cookies.”

“Thank you, and here is your tea. Be careful. It’s hot, okay.” She looked at Mrs. Bennet directly before setting down her teacup. 

“And here is your coffee. Cream and sugar are on the tray.” She smiled at Owen as if they were friends. 

Regina did not hold grudges, especially when issues get resolved. And since Mrs. Bennet seemed unaffected, she would not let it ruin her day.

He raised an eyebrow, and she dismissed his reaction.

“Have you no work today?” Owen inquired as he added cream to his coffee. 

“No, it’s my day off,” Regina added a ton of cream to her cup, and he frowned, wondering if she was copying him. But his concerns disappeared when he tasted how excellent the coffee was.

“Good coffee, right?” He ignored her question, thinking she was flirting with him.

“I’m glad it’s your day off. At least my mother didn’t come here in vain.”

“How did she get here?” Regina sat back and tucked her feet under her legs, sitting cross-legged on the couch.

It bothered Owen that she openly exposed her body, and did not care that her shorts rid up her legs and covered so little.

“Mrs. Bennet, how did you get here?” Regina asked as Hailey munched on the cookies. At that moment, the older lady looked like a child given a tough question.

“Is she always like this?” Regina sipped her coffee and laid back.

“No, she would just get angry a lot, looking for her keys, wanting to go to work or somewhere else, then forget everything all over again.” 

“I wonder why your mom associated me with her friend.”

“To be honest, I keep wracking my brain about that, and the only thing I can think of is that her best friend passed away a few months ago, and she felt devastated when it happened.”

“So you think she craves female company?” Regina asked as she leaned over and picked a macaron from the table.

“I have work.” Owen headed for the door like he had devils chasing his heels.

‘I’m sure she’s trying to seduce me.’ Owen shut the door angrily, intent on never falling into her trap.

When Regina leaned over, he saw down her shirt and realized she was not wearing a bra. The tank top was tight enough to keep her decent, but Owen’s gaze seemed to gravitate toward that area.

Blondes were not his specialty, and he followed every precaution to keep away from them.

-=-

Owen often missed his father. Whenever his mother’s memory failed, he wondered what his father would have done in that situation. 

He was a few months short of his 19th birthday when his father passed away. They argued hours before he died, and Owen always blamed himself for that.

An envelope came addressed to Richard Bennet and his family. They were all invited to a party, and Owen did not want to go because he had a date that night.

“It’s some kid’s 16th birthday. What am I going to do there?”

“Please, Owen. We haven’t seen you around lately, and you need to take on more responsibility.”

“I am responsible. Didn’t I graduate ahead of my class and on top, too?”

“Yes, you did, but this is not just a birthday party. It’s a chance for you to socialize and get your name out there. All the big executives from different industries are going to be there. ”

“They know me already. I’m famous.”

“You’re famous because you are my son and Princess’ boyfriend. Get your own identity, and be known for something because of your merit.”

“That is not true. People know me because I am smart, not because of our family name or who my girlfriend is. I will prove that to you.”

“When? When I’m dead?”

“Dad!?”

“You graduated already, yet you’re still hanging out with your friends and have not considered getting a job. If you are to take my place, people should get to know you.”

“I have time, Dad. The day is young, plus I have a date.”

“I am ordering you to come, or I will cut your credit card tonight.”

“I don’t need your money. You can’t force me to go to this birthday, whoever she is.”

“She’s my best friend’s daughter, so you better be there next week, or I swear, I will disown you.”

“I don’t even know what this girl looks like. I’m not going.”

“If you looked at the invitation, then you’d know.” Owen picks it up and looks disgusted.

“I do not care about this, blondie. Look at her, acting all cutesy and spoiled, even in the picture.” Owen flipped the invitation like a throwing card. 

“Look at me. I’m turning 16. I need you to kiss my feet.” His voice raised a few octaves to mimic a little girl’s voice.

Richard glared at his son. “This is not funny. I don’t know what to do with you anymore. You make my blood boil.”

“Chill! I’m outta here.”

“Owen! Owen! Come back!”

‘If only I’d been there, he’d still be alive. It’s all that stupid girl’s fault.’

Owen shook his head, wondering why that memory suddenly snuck into his thoughts.