Chapter 5
Chelsea heard Matthew running after her, but she didn’t stop. She pushed her way through the front door. Sunlight hit her hard, but she didn’t stop. She had no idea where she was going, she just knew she had to get away. Her first instinct had been to give the woman a piece of her mind, but the hurt overtook that quickly. Her lungs began to burn. Chelsea hadn’t ran since high school track. The muscles in her legs were screaming. Finally, she stopped before she gave herself a heart attack. She rested with her hands on her knees as she tried to breathe right again. A hand pressed against her back making her turn around quickly, almost losing her balance in the process.
Matthew stood there looking worried. At the sight of his face she became even more angry. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but Chelsea held up a hand to silence him once more.
“I don’t want to hear it, Matthew. I asked you if they knew my race. I told you this was going to happen.”
“I didn’t think they were like that,” he said quietly.
“Really? Big old plantation house? All the servants? You didn’t have a single clue?”
“They are staff, not servants. Everyone with a house this size has help, Chelsea.”
He tried to reach out, grab her hand, but she snatched it away from him. The frown on his face showed how hurt he really was. She watched as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
“I’m sorry, babe.”
“Sorry? Do you have any idea what it feels like to hear that? I was prepared to bend over for that women, just to make you happy. You couldn’t even do what I asked? You know what? I’m done,” she said with a small laugh.
Chelsea walked around his outstretched hand. As she walked back to the house with him in tow, he tried multiple times to get her to stop, listen to him. She wasn’t having any of it. Mud tracked in on the bottom of her shoes. Normally, she would have taken them off so there wouldn’t be a mess, but the only thought in her mind at that moment was fuck all of them. She ran up the stairs, into her room and slammed the door before locking it. Matthew stood outside knocking, calling her. She ignored him.
It was a testament to how pissed off she was that she packed so quickly. She carried her bags downstairs one by one, refusing his or Jackson’s help. Then she loaded them into the car. Catherine showed up at the door, staring, but she didn’t say a word. As Chelsea slid behind the steering wheel, Matthew reached over taking the keys out of the ignition.
“Give them to me, now.”
“I’m not going to let you drive when you’re this angry. I’ll take you home if you want to go, but I won’t let you go alone.”
Chelsea glared at him. “Matthew…”
The man ignored her. She wanted to slap him, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Was it so hard to understand that she didn’t want to be in that house for one more minute. She held out her hand, but he shook his head defiantly.
“At least wait until Sangi gets back. How’s she going to get home?”
She scoffed. “Now, you care about Sangi? That’s hilarious.”
Still, she knew he was right. Sighing, she leaned her head against the seat, wiping the remnants of tears from her face. He stood there examining her. Gravel crunched near the car as Lyle and Catherine approached them.
“Chelsea, is it alright if we talk?” Lyle asked.
She ignored him. There wasn’t a single thing she had to say to him or Catherine. What could he possibly say to reverse the damage that was already done. No amount of words was going to erase her humiliation.
“Dad, I don’t think this is the best time…” Matthew said.
“I was talking to Chelsea.”
“Yeah? Well, now you’re talking to me. That’s my wife you guys have hurt. Do you really think she gives a fuck what you have to say?”
Matthew’s parents looked at him with wide eyes and open mouths. It wasn’t often that Matthew went against them, but they could see the same seriousness on his face Chelsea could. He meant every word.
“I am your mother, Matthew Jacob Rawlins! How dare you speak to me-”
“Shut up, Cat,” Lyle said pointedly, his eyes narrowed. Matthew was the one to look shocked now. He rarely heard his father speak to his mother that way. Lyle turned to Matthew and Chelsea. “I want to apologize right now for my wife’s insensitive and rude words. How she feels isn’t how I, Andrew and countless other family members feel. I like you, Chelsea. I want to see my son with someone who makes him happy. You do that for him. So please, don’t leave just yet.”
Chelsea looked at him closely, trying to see if she could find a lie hidden in his deep blue eyes. There was none. He really did seem regretful that his wife had hurt her. She turned her face to look at Catherine.
“I won’t stay where I’m not wanted,” she said staring at her.
“That’s understandable,” Lyle responded. “I’m sure Catherine will apologize to you…”
“What’s the point of an apology if she doesn’t mean it? She’s still going to feel the same way about me, isn’t that right?”