CH4

The following morning Bette was awoken by her phone ringing.
She always looked at the caller ID but she failed to do so this time

“Hello” Bette answered in a groggy tone

“Elizabeth… Are you still sleeping?”

Bette sighed and sat up “Hello father”

“Why haven’t you been answering my calls?” Melvin asked

Bette rolled her eyes “Father I’ve been really busy studying
and with homework”

Melvin wasn’t convinced he knew something was different but
he didn’t press anymore “Fine… I called to let you know that you’ll be starting
Harvard in the fall”

Bette was shocked to hear what her father had just told her

“Elizabeth… Don’t be rude and say thank you” Melvin’s voice
was firm he expected Bette to be jumping for joy and thanking me

Bette swallowed “N… No”

“What do you mean by no Elizabeth?”

“I’m not going to Harvard… and I’m not studying law” Bette
replied with an annoyed tone

Melvin was upset by this point “YOU WILL go to Harvard and
YOU WILL study law”

Bette closed her eyes and in a quieter tone she replied “No
I’m not… that’s your dream not mine”

“Elizabeth you will go to Harvard Law or you will be on your
own after you graduate” Melvin was serious

Bette sighed “I guess… I’ll find a way on my own but I’m
eighteen and you have no say in what I do anymore”

“We’ll see about that Elizabeth… you’re a spoiled brat you
wouldn’t make it in the world without me or my money”

Bette shook her head in disbelief “Just like you cut Kit
off… I may not know my sister that well… and I know she was on a bad path for a
while but she’s making it fine without your money… and so will I” Bette hung up
on her father. She balled up in a fetal position and started sobbing “Mom… what
happened… I wish you were here…” Bette sobbed some more.

After thirty minutes Bette got out of bed showered and put
some shorts and tank top on and her running shoes. Last summer she realized
that running helped her vent. When they were in Paris last summer after finding
out her mother really didn’t abandon her, she didn’t want to confront her
father because she knew he wouldn’t be honest with her if he had been lying to
her since her mother left who knows what else he would lie about. Bette knew
she couldn’t trust Melvin, he destroyed anything Bette felt for him, since that
day she would run every day before she had to get ready for school to think
about her mother and where she could be and how her respect for her father
crumbled in that moment.