Into My Heart

LVI

CHRISTEN

Something big is going to happen.

Those words run in circles inside my mind, as I close the office's door behind me, breathing sharply. My mother is standing up from her desk, staring me right into my eyes. Somehow, I feel like she knows something is going on, and it seems that everything will just come out tonight, or never at all. 

The dark circles under her eyes, as well as the visible and obvious weight loss occurring, announce what I actually thought: after my father's passing, everything was weighting on her shoulders only, and ever since she learnt that her favourite daughter had betrayed her and destroyed the only bound our family had with a powerful gang lead by women who hate us with their very bones, she looks like years have gone by in weeks only. 

And when she looks at me, she has the same light in her eyes than when she stared at Tyler after swearing to get revenge.

It takes me a minute to notice Channing, nonchalantly leaning against the wall, staring at me with the most hateful look in her eyes, as Tyler is sitting on a chair, her writs tied together, and blood on her white shirt. Frowning, I just realise that tonight is the night the Press women (minus Mallory) will handle their problems. And Mother just confirms it, telling me subtly to sit down in the chair in front of her.

When I do so, she finally speaks up, dead serious:

"Let me cut to the chase, all right ?" she asks, and when all three of us sisters nod, she just continues in a rather oppressed voice: "Our family is under attack and, for the first time in its history, it's people from the inside who are tearing it down. So you three are going to let me finish without interrupting me at all, understood?"

Tyler rolls her eyes.

"Yes, go on with your dramatic speech, Mother." she sarcastically lets out, which doesn't miss to annoy our older sister:

"You better watch your mouth, traitor, or else-"

"ENOUGH" Stacey says, raising her voice, and a new, heavy silence reigns on the room. While my two sisters look down, our mother doesn't miss her chance to speak her truth: "I've had enough of you three. Firstly, Tyler, who thought it was a good idea to attack the Dragons and kill most of their gang because you thought the leadership wasn't fair and respectful of us - which, by the way, cost us our most valuable ally here in Orange, because they were assuring our safety. So, congrats, Ty. Well fucking done."

Once again, Tyler just uses irony:

"Kristie Mewis must be taken down before she becomes too powerful, and she-"

"Shut up" Stacey orders, before turning toward and Channing and starting the fire there too: "As for you, I hope you realise that I have eyes everywhere: I know you helped your sister execute those Dragons."

This time, and for the first time in my entire life, I see fear on Channing's face, as well as deep surprise. She and Tyler exchange a look, while Stacey smirks and starts walking around the room, locking the door with her key on the way. Once we hear this "click", we know it isn't good news at all. 

Tetanized, neither of us could speak a word, as our mother continues:

"You fools: by going behind my back and commit the unfixable, you signed our death warrant, or even worse. Do you, I ask you very seriously, really think that Kristie Mewis is the bigger enemy here? That her and the Morgan girl would be able to take us down ? We have the fucking FBI with a knife at our throats: for God's sake, one of us killed one of them, and they want revenge - and I know for a fact that one of you two gave Daly the order to kill them. You stupid, stupid girls..."

Channing shakes her head angrily.

"You are pointing the finger at us, but what about your crystal-perfect Christen, uh?" she asks, almost yelling in anger. As I feel my heartbeat intensifying, she doesn't chew on her words and goes on, staring right into my eyes: "You're a fucking disgrace! I knew you had a bit of Satan in you when we found out you were a fucking abomination... but no, you wouldn't just be an unnatural demon, noooooo: you really had to sleep with the girl who is responsible for our father's death?"

Setting my jaw, I choose to remain silence, waiting on my mother's answer, which is rather quick:

"Maybe you two should take a good look in the mirror before daring to frontally attack your sister like that: although I not always agreed with her decisions or... ways, Christen has always been true to herself and her values. Your father and I decided to prevent you (she adresses me in the eyes right now) from seeing this girl because we thought she'd be a distraction and would make you drift away from our family, but I now realise it is because we forced you apart from the woman you loved that you became a stranger, and I apologise. (she now turns toward Channing and Tyler again, leaving me with my jaw wide open: WTF?) Your sister is in love with Abigail, and there is nothing any of us can do about it: that is exactly how love works, it is unpredictable and irresistible. But you two (she points at them again), you willingly betrayed me and this whole institution, and for that you must pay."

"Mother, I strongly disagree, her lady lover is the reason why we are in this position in the first place, and-" Tyler tries, but in vain.

"I have just changed my will: everything I own will belong to Christen and Mallory, and Christen will be in charge of Press Corporation and do whatever she pleases with it."

"You know I will dismantle it: why would you give it to me?" I ask, truly in shock.

For the first time in my whole life, I see a stranger look into my mother's eyes: somehow, her eyes had soften, and expressed an emotion I didn't think my mother capable of - true love.

In a confident voice she just says:

"Because I know you'd do something brand new and wonderful with it."

As I am about to respond, a strident noise is heard.

The windows all around us start exploding, as gunshot sounds start storming into my ears: I immediately get on the ground, but somehow the gunshot stop only three seconds later, and after two whole minutes of waiting, I realise whoever shot at us is gone now. When I get up, I realised, mortified, that whoever did that really had targets and knew what they were doing:

Three bullets were shot: each one in the middle of the forehead of my two sisters and my mother, whose eyes I will never forget.

Falling into my knees, my first reflex is to text Mallory:

To: Mal

Wherever you are, stay there, stay safe: everybody is dead, and I might be next. I love you with all my heart, little sister.