Calvin's Birthday

Mrs. Wraith stood in the mirror and studied her reflection. She had a new dress that she had purchased for this occasion. Her son turns 18 years old today. It could have been a wonderful celebration, but not with the arrival of her father and mother-in-law.

Mr. Wraith's mother-in-law hated Mrs. Wraith, and she always called her by her first name, Lily, and demanded to be called Lady Wraith. A very degrading, wicked, and vile woman. Lady Wraith's gray hair was always stylish in a tight hairdo, and her brown eyes always looked disgusted with the environment. Being thin and pale was something you had to be, and manners were essential.

Lady Wraith always wore dresses or skirts; the trousers were for males.

Expensive skirts and dresses, of course, but only the classic labels were good enough for her to wear. 

She was a beautiful woman, still so old and proud, and she would never inject anything or alter her appearance. So Mrs. Wraith, who had done Botox and silicone implants, facilitated Lady Wraith's disagreeable comments.

But Lord Wraith, may the devil have his soul.

If Mrs. Wraith condemned her mother-in-law, she despised her father-in-law. The mean and sinister older man was a cursed character of the devil. He was slightly bald with gray hair and deep wrinkles throughout his face, with crows in the corner of his eye. 

And a neatly combed mustache and a small hanging mouth were on his face. Lord Wraith was tall and rickety, yet his fist was as hard as a rock. He was always looking for someone to throw a punch at. 

And Mrs. Wraith had endured many of them over the years.

Mrs. Wraith shivered as she thought of her in-laws and continued to put on some fresh and light makeup, knowing Lady Wraith would make snarky comments whether she did or did not.

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Calvin was seated in his room, deeply into his thoughts. 

He was 18 today, which means he was legal as an adult. This day was the day Calvin had been waiting for. Because today was the day that he would run away and leave his evil family behind. 

And Calvin was running away with his girlfriend, María. The girl he had kept a secret for years because his parents would never approve of her since she was an ordinary girl from the working class. Maria was the love of his life. Brown hair and green eyes with a petite figure and the kindest heart.

She would wait for Calvin at midnight, and he would sneak out with his backpack. Then, they would take a night bus to the airport and leave England for good.

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Lady Wraith and Lord Wraith arrived at their son's home and were welcomed by Mr. Wraith and Mrs. Wraith, but Lady Wraith and Lord Wraith referred to their son as Harold.

"Harold darling. How nice to see you. How do you do?" Lady Wraith greeted and kissed the cheek of her son. Lady Wraith briefly looked at Mrs. Wraith, "And Lily," she said coldly with her wrinkly nose.

"How are you, son?" Lord Wraith asks as he shakes his son's hand.

"All good, mother and father. How was traffic?" Mr. Wraith asked his parents as they walked into the common room area.

"As always, busy and incompetent drivers as far as the eyes can see,"

Lord Wraith mutters, and Mr. Wraith nods at his father's reply.

"So, Lily. Didn't you have time to get dressed? With all your assistance in this house, preparing for a celebration must be the least of your troubles," Lady Wraith whistled as she gave Mrs. Wraith an unapproved look.

"With all due respect, Lady Wraith, this is a Lanel dress, and it's very fitting for an occasion like this," Mrs. Wraith responds, and Lady Wraith stiffens because she does not like the backtalk. 

"Oh, Lanel? Isn't it a little too new and long overdue? A lady should only wear timeless pieces from brands like Dulce, Amoretta, and Walls. This newly found brand is a little eccentric," says Lady Wraith as she straightens up and sniffs with her mouth.

"Maybe someone your age might think so, Lady Wraith," Mrs. Wraith declared and walked away from the room. 

"How dare you!" Lady Wraith yells at her daughter-in-law back as she runs out of the room. Harold looked at his mother, annoyed, "What did she say this time, my dear mother?" Harold then asked as his mother seemed bewildered.

"Oh, that little tramp needs a lesson in respect for the older generation," Lady Wraith hissed as she dusted off her Dulce dress. 

"I shall speak to her later," replied Harold, and his mother shook her head: Well. Now, where is my grandchild?" Lady Wraith asks, looking around.

"I will call him here if I may. Serve yourself the beverages in the meantime." Mr. Wraith said as he rushed out of the room.

"Help ourselves?" Lady Wraith said, even more baffled, "Where is the servant? It is absurd!" Lord Wraith milled, "Something is going on, my dear. I can feel it!"

Lady Wraith's eyes widened by her husband's words, but then she felt wickedness spilling over her. If there was Something the lady loved, then it was the drama of other people's misery.

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"Come on, son, your grandmother wants to meet you!" Mr. Wraith utters with stress as he enters Collin's room,

"Yes, I'll be right there," Collin greeted, waiting for his dad to leave while concentrating on his phone.

"How important is that bloody phone?" Mr. Wraith hisses.

"Nothing, now get out. I will be right down," Collin replies, but Mr. Wraith has an aggravating feeling about his son's new attitude toward him. 

One quick move and Mr. Wraith grabbed Collin's phone to look at it.

"Hey! Give it back, NOW!" Collin whistled as he tried to remove the phone from his father's hand. 

Mr. Wraith narrowed his eyes as he began to read the private conversation between his son and a girl named My Love.

Collin swallowed nervously, knowing that it would turn out badly.

Mr. Wraith felt anger boiling in him. Was his son going to leave his family and run off with a girl? A girl he kept a secret for God knows how long?

Collin tried to overtake his father and escape. 

But Mr. Wraith grabbed him by the collar when he passed him.

________________

"Let me go, psychopath!" Collin roars as he attempts to free himself.

"What's going on?" Mrs. Wraith screamed as she rushed to her son's room.

"This little brat had a secret affair and intended to run off with her tonight," Mr. Wraith hissed as he threw the phone into the wall.

Mrs. Wraith's face faded as she watched a scared Collin in the hands of her horrible husband.

________________

"Harold, Please. Let's sit down and deal with this, the three of us." Mrs. Wraith begged her husband but discovered it was too late. 

Her husband was enraged. Smack! Mr. Wraith began to punch Collin in the face.

Mrs. Wraith was afraid for her son's life and tried to fight her husband off, but soon, Mrs. Wraith found herself on the ground, unable to stop him.

"Harold! Stop this madness. It is your son, Harold. Please! " Mrs. Wraith pleaded as she got up on her feet and tried to make Harold stop this brutal beating.

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Collin was groaning, and the blood was dripping down his face.

Mr. Wraith threw him on the bed and glared at him with vengeful eyes, "If you ever talk to this girl again, son, I will kill her, and then I'll kill you too."

Mr. Wraith stormed out of the room.

Mrs. Wraith rushed to a crying Collin's side.

"Oh, my son. We must get away from this madness soon." She whispers as she helps Collin up and leads him into the bathroom.

"He's going to kill her, mom. I love her," Collin cries as his mother cleans his face with a damped cloth. "Hush now, boy. We will think of Something. We will leave this mad family. Mark my words."

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Lady Wraith, who had heard the commotion, was standing outside the bathroom and overheard her daughter-in-law's promises, and she was eager to tell her husband and son about their upcoming betrayal against the Wraith family's honor.