17 (17) Desperate Daughter

John sat behind his desk at the office thinking. He felt bad leaving Anna alone with his mother and sister at home. His mother and sister had never liked Anna and had made her already difficult life even harder. He tapped his fingers on his desk as the door opened and his head artist Rich brought the newest ad mockups in for his approval.

“Thank you,” John said approving the drawings and handed them back.

“Boss,” Rich said quickly as he hesitated at the door “I just wanted you to know that I’m glad you worked things out with your wife. She’s really great.”

“I’m a lucky man.”

“You really are, but boss can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, what’s up?” John asked as he turned to face Rich.

“Do you think it’s really smart to still have Erin working here when she was the cause of the problem?”

“One of them anyway,” John agreed.

“Should I sent Erin in then?”

“Yes, send her in.”

***

“What exactly do you consider the hard way? “ Anna asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh sweetie,” Melissa said condescendingly “you don’t want to know.”

Anna’s head spun. She guessed she shouldn’t be surprised that Melissa would do something like this. She looked at Melissa as she tried to decide what to say. Melissa sat there in her designer clothes so sure that Anna would just disappear. Anna hated people like her. She’d spent her whole youth dealing with them.

“What makes you think that any amount of money would make me leave John?”

“People like you always do.”

“People like me?” Anna asked as she felt anger rise inside her.

The door opened and May slunk in, clearly still hungover. She had been listening at the door apparently and decided it was time to chime in.

“You know, the lower class. “ May said snidely as she adjusted the shades she was wearing. No one knew who your father was and that makes you a bastard.

“I should smack you into next week,” Anna said in horror as she glared at May. “At least your mother didn’t say something so awful.”

“She was thinking it but I simply said it first.”

Anna couldn’t believe the cruelness and callous behavior of two people that John so clearly loved. How could he have come from this family?

“My mother was worth twenty of both of you.”

“That’s so cute, “Melissa said with a smile as she pushed the check toward Anna. “You are still defending her all these years later. I guess there is something to be said for loyalty.”

“Loyalty certainly is something to be valued. Not that you two know what loyalty means.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” May said with a sniff as she gave Anna a scathing look.

“Well loyalty isn’t either of your strong suit is it?”

“What are you talking about?”?” May asked with a hiss as she pushed her straight black hair behind her ears.

“You both act so superior and you are as heartless as they come.”

“How dare you!” May shouted as she leaned forward and glared at Anna “you are lucky that my brother even looked at someone like you. You’re not even in the same social class.”

One thing Anna had learned in the past five years of misery was that everyone had their secrets. Anna usually wasn’t vindictive but she had to fight fire with fire. May had a habit of embezzling from her employer and Melissa had an affair of her own. Anna leaned back in her chair and got comfortable.

“I’m dishonest? Anna asked incredulously “ May, come on, how about the fact that you are lying to everyone?”

May paled visibly and slumped back on the couch. Her eyes, red-rimmed and panicked flicked back and forth between Anna and Melissa as if she were a trapped animal. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh I mean the fact that you’re stealing money from your employer.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, I would never do that.”

“Really, How about the transfer of 500,000 that you just made to your bank last week?”

May stammered speechless as her mother shot her a dark look. It was then that Anna knew that Melissa was aware of the embezzlement.

“I’m not sure where you are getting your information, “But you should be careful about slandering an upstanding member of society.” Melissa hissed as she put her hand on May’s arm to calm her.

“Upstanding members of society!” That’s a laugh.”

“And what does that mean?” Melissa asked sharply

“Oh, I think you know why neither of you is an upstanding member of society Melissa.” “Don’t forget that you have your own indiscretion to think about.”

“Mother what is she talking about?” May asked turning to her mother with a frightened look.

“It’s nothing, lies.” Melissa gave Anna a panicked look of her own that threatened her without saying a word. Anna happened to know that Melissa had cheated on her husband right before his death. One of the benefits of traveling back in time was that she remembered all the secrets.

Anna leaned forward and took the check off the table. She folded it neatly while looking at Melissa and May. “I’ m going to keep this check as proof of your inability to keep your word to John. I’m not going to be divorcing John and the two of you are going to stop making trouble.”

Melissa sucked air through her teeth and held on tight to May’s hand. They shared a look of silent communication and then Melissa glared at Anna.

“This is not over.” Melissa hissed at Anna. “I will find a way to get rid of you.”

“Bring it on.” Anna said as she tucked the check into her pocket and smiled at them brightly “I’ll be waiting with the truth.”