[Grant freezes at that. Girls with rich fathers don't need careers.
He is seven years old at his mother's birthday party. Dressed in his best, dressed immaculate he plays politely with the other children before he is summoned by his mother. She's drunk, sitting at her make up table. She's been drunk a lot ever since Christian left. Swirling her wine she crooked one finger to him.
Her touches were never good. Never gentle.
"Grant. You love your mommy don't you." Smoothing his cheeks, fixing his hair, "You love her so much. don't you. Don't you."
"Yes mother."
"That's my good boy. Not as handsome as your brother but it'll do. Well mommy wants to tell you a secret baby boy. One day, you're going to grow up and be a very successful senator, or a congressman, or even a governor. You might make it all the way to the top." she tapped his nose with one long nail, "and when you come home after screwing expensive hookers in your car you'll have your wife too and she'll be one of those girls out there - pretty, blonde, brunnette or redheads. You'll have her like a cheap - whore because that's all she's good for!"
The slap came down hard on his face, "Say it. Say they're cheap whores."
"Moth-"
"Say it!"
"Mommy please."
"Say it."
He stumbled over the words, "Th-They're cheap wh-whores." he didn't understand entirely, he wanted his brother, his father, anyone, "Mother please-mommy-"
"Mommy please Get out. Go back to your hookers." she was weeping he saw. Tears cutting rivers over her cheeks.
In the present Ward's stare is suddenly intense, predatory.]
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He is seven years old at his mother's birthday party. Dressed in his best, dressed immaculate he plays politely with the other children before he is summoned by his mother. She's drunk, sitting at her make up table. She's been drunk a lot ever since Christian left. Swirling her wine she crooked one finger to him.
Her touches were never good. Never gentle.
"Grant. You love your mommy don't you." Smoothing his cheeks, fixing his hair, "You love her so much. don't you. Don't you."
"Yes mother."
"That's my good boy. Not as handsome as your brother but it'll do. Well mommy wants to tell you a secret baby boy. One day, you're going to grow up and be a very successful senator, or a congressman, or even a governor. You might make it all the way to the top." she tapped his nose with one long nail, "and when you come home after screwing expensive hookers in your car you'll have your wife too and she'll be one of those girls out there - pretty, blonde, brunnette or redheads. You'll have her like a cheap - whore because that's all she's good for!"
The slap came down hard on his face, "Say it. Say they're cheap whores."
"Moth-"
"Say it!"
"Mommy please."
"Say it."
He stumbled over the words, "Th-They're cheap wh-whores." he didn't understand entirely, he wanted his brother, his father, anyone, "Mother please-mommy-"
"Mommy please Get out. Go back to your hookers." she was weeping he saw. Tears cutting rivers over her cheeks.
In the present Ward's stare is suddenly intense, predatory.]
You don't really believe that do you?