Perfect Match

Part 16

Christina looked like a deer caught in the headlights, as all eyes were on her. She looks at Mike, who looks defeated and discouraged. She knew that it was time to tell the truth, and she also knew taking on Benny Severide was never a good idea; people never win against him.

The awkwardness of the room was driving Kelly insane as he looked back and forth between his dad, Christina, and Mike, trying to piece together whatever the hell they were talking about—what was a scheme? How did they scheme them? Stella and he were the ones who reached out to Christina, not the other way around.

Stella was just as curious as Kelly was about what Benny was talking about; she could tell Christina was upset and didn't want to talk about it. Mike looked like he was going to snap, and Benny was smiling like he just won the lottery. What did he mean they schemed them? They didn't scheme them? Did they? How did they? So many questions needed to be answered.

"Someone, start talking now," Kelly said after what seemed like hours of silence.

Benny sat down in the recliner, staring a hole through Christina, who was nervously tapping her foot. "The floor is all yours, sweetheart," Benny said, smiling. Kelly and Stella looked at Benny confusedly, then back at Christina. Who was glaring at Benny?

Stella was getting impatient. "For Christ's sake, tell us what the hell is going on; no more dodging the question."

"Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock." Benny kept repeating.

"Dad, knock it off."

"I'm just letting her know the clock is ticking."

"Screw the clock; just tell us already. This is ridiculous."

"I think it should come from Christina, so let's do a little countdown... You have ten seconds to start talking."

"We've been planning this for six months or so," Mike yelled, needing to shut Benny up.

"What exactly were you planning?" Kelly asked.

Christina rubbed her head; she knew Kelly was about to snap once he connected the dots. "Please let me say everything before you start yelling at me." She asked Kelly without looking at him.

Stella grabbed Kelly's hand and squeezed it. She knew whatever was about to be said was going to piss him off, and probably her too. She was having a bad vibe run through her.

"Mike and I are married, so that's not a lie. Actually, that's the only thing, not a lie; we've been lying about everything.." She took a deep breath and started pacing around, afraid to look at Kelly. "Mike was a doctor, and we did have money saved, but we had some financial troubles, and Mike lost his job, and then he was hit with a lawsuit. We milked his parents and my parents for pretty much everything they had. That was like two or three years ago; Mike was having trouble getting a job; he was hit with two more lawsuits; and I was back using drugs and selling them to pay our bills."

Kelly and Stella's eyes widened. "Did you have drugs around Madison?"

"No, course not," she yelled. "I know I'm not the perfect mom like your perfect little girlfriend, but I would never have drugs around her."

"Get to the scheme so you can get the hell out of their lives," Benny tells her.

"I hate you!"

"Do I look like I give a damn if you hate me? The feeling is mutual, dear. Now quit stalling around and get to the point."

Christina rolled her eyes. "About six months ago, I was scrolling on Facebook and came across yours and Gabby's page. I told Mike about Madison, and I showed him pictures, and I told him about your dad giving me money to leave Chicago and never come back...