barely leave the city much less the state, Mother. I’ve been at the hospital all afternoon.”
“ And whose fault is that? You know how I feel about you working once you’re married. A woman who doesn’t need to work, shouldn’t. Marry Tanner, quit your job at that awful hospital, have a child or two, and join a few clubs to keep you busy.”
“ And endure a loveless marriage like yours and fathers.”
“ We both have our forms of entertainment.”
“ No kidding.”
“ Don’t be rude, Tiffany.”
“ Don’t be obtuse, mother. Entertainment is just a polite way to say you both sleep around.”
“ Your father and I are satisfied with the arrangement.”
Tiffany shook her head in disgust. “You shouldn’t be. I want a better life, a better marriage than that.”
“ This is a good life, dear. We’ve raised you and your brother to have the best of everything.”
Tiffany couldn’t stop the bitterness from seeping into her reply. “You didn’t have a damn thing to do with raising Drake and me, mother. Melinda took care of us, thank God. Don’t you ever wonder why we only go there twice a year?”
“ I don’t need to wonder. It’s because you’re both selfish, ungrateful children.”
Because it’s not a home-it never was! I’ll be damned if I raise children in a place like that. If I marry, it will be for love, and to a good man who’d rather die than hurt me the way Tanner has.” She cringed at the sound of her mother’s hysterical laughter.
“ Oh, listen to you, so full of hope that there’s still a decent man out there waiting for you. You always did live in a fantasy world, Tiffany. Now, you listen to me. The phrase “good man” is an oxymoron, and there is no such thing as a faithful marriage. The sooner you accept it, the better off you’ll be.”
Tiffany closed her eyes and sighed. “Mother, I feel so sorry for you. I’ve seen how other people live, and it’s not how you and father live. Other people are happy. Not all, of course, but I can name dozens of couples right now who are truly happy together.
“ Pah! Newlywed love fades...trust me, dear.”
Tiffany ran a hand through her straightened locks and let her head fall back. “You’re wasting your breath, Mother. I will not marry Tanner. He’s selfish, vindictive, spoiled, and weak .”
“ Oh yes, you will,” her mother spoke in an icy tone. “You will do what your father and I have groomed you to do, to make a good match.”
“ Groomed me? Why not just call it what it is? You want to whore me out. Sell me to the highest bidder!”
“ Don’t be ridiculous!”
“ You know, most parents would be thrilled their daughter is a successful surgeon, but not you and father. Neither of you give a damn about that. I’ve got money, Mother—money I earned myself. All you care about is how much I can add to the family coffer by marrying a rich husband.”
“ Money can bring comfort to a woman that a husband won’t, dear.”
Tiffany placed her hand over her eyes. “Don’t you love Drake and me enough to want us happy? Have you ever loved us?”
“How dare you say such a thing to me? You have no idea how many sacrifices I’ve made for you and your brother! We’ve given you everything you ever wanted. We paid to send you both to the finest schools. The least you could do is to show us gratitude.”
Tiffany laughed. “Do you even know which college I attended, mother?”
“ I’m sure it was the finest money could buy.”
“ Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge...I went on a full scholarship because of my grades. My counselor and I filled out all of the papers ourselves because you said father wouldn’t pay for it unless I went to law school.”
“ We’d have paid to send you to Harvard.”
“ I didn’t want to be a lawyer.”
“ You always were too obstinate for your own good.”
“ I graduated at the top of my class in med school.”
“ What has that got to do with anything?”
“ I
“ And whose fault is that? You know how I feel about you working once you’re married. A woman who doesn’t need to work, shouldn’t. Marry Tanner, quit your job at that awful hospital, have a child or two, and join a few clubs to keep you busy.”
“ And endure a loveless marriage like yours and fathers.”
“ We both have our forms of entertainment.”
“ No kidding.”
“ Don’t be rude, Tiffany.”
“ Don’t be obtuse, mother. Entertainment is just a polite way to say you both sleep around.”
“ Your father and I are satisfied with the arrangement.”
Tiffany shook her head in disgust. “You shouldn’t be. I want a better life, a better marriage than that.”
“ This is a good life, dear. We’ve raised you and your brother to have the best of everything.”
Tiffany couldn’t stop the bitterness from seeping into her reply. “You didn’t have a damn thing to do with raising Drake and me, mother. Melinda took care of us, thank God. Don’t you ever wonder why we only go there twice a year?”
“ I don’t need to wonder. It’s because you’re both selfish, ungrateful children.”
Because it’s not a home-it never was! I’ll be damned if I raise children in a place like that. If I marry, it will be for love, and to a good man who’d rather die than hurt me the way Tanner has.” She cringed at the sound of her mother’s hysterical laughter.
“ Oh, listen to you, so full of hope that there’s still a decent man out there waiting for you. You always did live in a fantasy world, Tiffany. Now, you listen to me. The phrase “good man” is an oxymoron, and there is no such thing as a faithful marriage. The sooner you accept it, the better off you’ll be.”
Tiffany closed her eyes and sighed. “Mother, I feel so sorry for you. I’ve seen how other people live, and it’s not how you and father live. Other people are happy. Not all, of course, but I can name dozens of couples right now who are truly happy together.
“ Pah! Newlywed love fades...trust me, dear.”
Tiffany ran a hand through her straightened locks and let her head fall back. “You’re wasting your breath, Mother. I will not marry Tanner. He’s selfish, vindictive, spoiled, and weak .”
“ Oh yes, you will,” her mother spoke in an icy tone. “You will do what your father and I have groomed you to do, to make a good match.”
“ Groomed me? Why not just call it what it is? You want to whore me out. Sell me to the highest bidder!”
“ Don’t be ridiculous!”
“ You know, most parents would be thrilled their daughter is a successful surgeon, but not you and father. Neither of you give a damn about that. I’ve got money, Mother—money I earned myself. All you care about is how much I can add to the family coffer by marrying a rich husband.”
“ Money can bring comfort to a woman that a husband won’t, dear.”
Tiffany placed her hand over her eyes. “Don’t you love Drake and me enough to want us happy? Have you ever loved us?”
“How dare you say such a thing to me? You have no idea how many sacrifices I’ve made for you and your brother! We’ve given you everything you ever wanted. We paid to send you both to the finest schools. The least you could do is to show us gratitude.”
Tiffany laughed. “Do you even know which college I attended, mother?”
“ I’m sure it was the finest money could buy.”
“ Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge...I went on a full scholarship because of my grades. My counselor and I filled out all of the papers ourselves because you said father wouldn’t pay for it unless I went to law school.”
“ We’d have paid to send you to Harvard.”
“ I didn’t want to be a lawyer.”
“ You always were too obstinate for your own good.”
“ I graduated at the top of my class in med school.”
“ What has that got to do with anything?”
“ I
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