Bound To Fall

What Does That Have To Do With Anything?

Sterling

My mother entered the study and took a seat next to me in front of my father. She looked between the two of us curiously. By the look on her face, she knew something was up between us.

My father had kept most of the Elise details away from her to avoid stressing her out. With her being pregnant he didn't want to add stress on her. The last time she ended up going into labor too soon, he was scared of it happening again.

"What's going on?" My mother asked with a raised brow.

I could tell my father was trying to think of the best way to put it. Usually he'd be just out with it if it were anybody else. But not with my mother, with her he knew he had to choose his words wisely or she'd light him up for it.

"Damon. I'm not going to wait forever." There was a slight warning in her tone. "Get on with it."

"There have been some developments with the Elise situation." My father finally responded.

"I see." She nodded. "What exactly are these new developments?"

I took a deep breath in and let it out. This was my situation I had gotten the family mixed up in. I needed to be the one to explain all the details.

That's exactly what I did. I didn't hold back any information from her. I told her everything from Elise's first threats to the reasons as to why she may be going as far as she is now. The only thing I didn't bring up was the mention of her past, that was something I felt my father would be better to handle.

I could tell when she finished getting all the details she was far from happy. She proceeded to look into my father's eyes. "Why'd you keep this from me? I thought we made it clear years ago that you and I are a team Damon."

"Mom-" I attempted to try to help him out but she raised her hand as a sign to silence me.

"Answer me." Her eyes remained on my father's.

"I didn't want to stress you out." He responded honestly. "With Samuel on the way I didn't want to take any chances."

"Don't you dare use the baby as an excuse." Her stern tone remained. "I'm pregnant Damon, not sick."

"I was just worried because of last time." I could see the concern for my mother in his eyes.

"Things were different last time." She reminded me. "Now are we a team or not Damon?"

"We're a team, I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Good." She folded her arms across her chest as she looked between the two of us. "Clearly it's been a few weeks since this all started. Why am I hearing about it now all of a sudden?"

I shifted uncomfortably as this was the moment her past was about to be brought up. I wasn't sure how she was going to react but I didn't expect it to be good. This was something she had clearly tried so hard to keep from us and here Elise is bringing it up to use as a threat against us all.

"We met with her the other day." My father began to explain. "She threatened that she knew a secret of mine. Come to find out she has a picture of you, from years ago before we met."

I could see my mother's face grow more serious as she understood right away what he was talking about. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"She's threatening to put it out there to embarrass our family." My father explained. "She wants to use it as leverage to get Sterling to get back together with her to please her family."

My mother scoffed in response. "So fucking let her."

"What?" I asked with a puzzled expression.

She looked over at me. "As a parent it's my job to make sure you have the best life you can. If I have to face this to make that happen I'll do it a million times if needed."

"Kaydence, this is something I know you didn't want to come back up." My father's words grabbed her attention. "There's got to be another way to stop her without letting this get out, I don't want you to have to face any feelings it may bring up."

My mother thought for a moment before responding. "Damon, I accepted my past years ago when I almost lost you because I was too ashamed to come clean to your father. If she wants to put it out there then whatever. It's not like I did it because I liked it or because I was looking for drugs. I did it because I needed to take care of my mother so I did what I had to do."

"We don't have to let this happen." I chimed in.

My mother looked at me and her expression softened. "Sterling, if it has to happen this way then it has to happen. Whatever she tries to throw at us with this we can handle it, just like we've handled everything else that's come out way and posed as a threat."

I nodded in response to her words. I appreciated that she was willing to let the information out in order to help keep me from being trapped. While I had gotten only the minor details from my father none of them changed how I perceived this woman.

It didn't change the fact she stepped up and helped reconnect my father and I. She took me in just like I was her own son. She's loved me all of these years and she's helped shape me into the person I am.

"I'm sorry you had to find out about this." I could see she felt some shame. "I never wanted you or your sister to ever know but unfortunately I don't think there's another way, but you need to figure out how to take this girl down once and for all. The last thing we need is for her to keep prying into our family business, while we're careful she might find the right thing to actually have an effect on us."

I felt bad my mother was now mixed up into this. I was also beginning to feel extremely angry. The fact my mother was being forced to face this shit was ridiculous and I refuse to let Elise get away with it.

"Are you sure you're okay with this coming out?" My father questioned.

"Like I said, if it must be done then it must be done." She confidently responded.

"I'll figure out how to make sure any information released is brought right to me." My father responded. "There's going to be some way we can figure out how to work this in our favor."

"Good." My mother stood up from her chair. "For right now I need to go check in on how dinner is coming, but I better be kept updated or Elise will be the least of either of your problems."