Be Careful, Honey

"I can't do this anymore, mom."

"Honey..."

"No."

"Honey, please listen."

"Do not call me honey."

"Okay, Elizabeth then. Whatever your name is, I need you to listen to me."

"Why should I? You've given me no reason to trust you or your word."

"That's not fair. I'm your mother. Isn't that enough?"

"After all that you've done, you still have the nerve to call yourself my mother?"

"Like it or not, Elizabeth, I am your mother."

"Not anymore, you're not..."

"You're being crazy."

"You are not my mother because I am no longer your daughter."

"You can't just decide that. I'm your own flesh and blood. I birthed you, took care of you, helped you become the woman you are today."

"You mean a college dropout with severe PTSD? Way to go, mom!"

"PTSD is not a real thing, Elizabeth. Grow up."

"It's not? Tell that to the therapist that has been helping me for the last year."

"I'm sorry to break it to you, but therapy is the real scam here, hon—"

"Do not call me honey."

"I'm just saying. Shrinks mess with your head. It's enough to drive anyone insane."

"My doctor didn't drive me insane; you did! You did when you decided Evan wasn't good enough for this family. When you did everything in your power to drive him away. When you had those assholes that work for you beat him until he agreed to go away. I went insane when I got called to the hospital because my fiancé had been submitted with severe injuries."

"Honey—"

"I. Am. Not. Done. You deserve to be called out for everything you've done. Because you didn't care enough about me—your only fucking—to respect my life decisions. You made me into the woman I am today, that much is true. I became the messed-up person I am when Evan's heart stopped beating. I was driven to insanity because you fucking killed him!"

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Beth, you need to believe me. I hate seeing you like this; the tears in your eyes wound my soul. All I did, I did for you. Because I love you."

"You are responsible for the death of the man I loved. How dare you say you did that for me?"

"Because he wasn't good for you!"

"He was the best person I have ever known."

"And that's exactly why."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't need a saint. You needed—and still do—a partner that will support you no matter what. What do you think sweet, honest Evan would have said when he realized what our business really was about? You are the heir of our empire, Beth. I couldn't let Evan ruin that. Don't be naive, honey, he wasn't right for you."

"This was all about your damn 'empire'?"

"It's always been about that. Our whole lives revolve around it. And that includes yours."

"I don't want to be part of any of it."

"It's your birthright. You can't escape it."

"Watch me try."

"No, honey. Please, don't leave."

"Why not? I am crossing this door right now and never coming back. And if you ever attempt to contact me again, I will go to the police. Show them who was the real mastermind behind Evan's death. Or maybe I'll tip them off on where to find one of your little 'offices'. You know, those that contain some cocaine and one or two illegal weapons."

"You wouldn't."

"Do you really want to try me? Because I'll do it gladly."

"Listen to me, Elizabeth. I tried to do this the nice way, but you leave me no choice. I'm done with all your whining. I know I haven't been the best mother and I'm sorry about it. I never meant for anything serious to happen to that boy of yours. I just wanted to scare him a litt—"

"That does not make it better!"

"Regardless, you've taken this too far. Threatening the empire, the family, your own mother? That won't stand."

"Move away from the door, mother."

"I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice."

"Mom, please move and let me out."

This is the only way, honey."

“What are you talking about? What are you going to do? Mom? Mom, answer me.”

“Not so brave anymore, aren’t we? Just a moment ago you were perfectly fine cursing my name and breaking my heart. Don’t worry, Beth. What I’m about to do will be as heartbreaking.”

“I… I don’t understand.”

“It’s better than you don’t.”

“What?”

“Hello, Robert? Yes, it’s me. It all went down as we feared it would. It’s time for plan B. Come right away.”

“Mom? Who are you calling? Who’s Robert?”

“Mom.”

“Mother, answer me or let me leave right now!”

“I’m sorry, honey.”

“Ouch, mom, you’re hurting me! Please let go of my arm.”

“I can’t risk you getting away. You know too much and you are obviously willing to spill. I didn’t raise my child to be a rat, Elizabeth.”

“So what? You are going to get rid of me? Kill me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I would never bring harm to my own children.”

“You are harming my arm pretty easily right now.”

Knock knock. Knock.

“Come in, Robert.”

“No, please don’t, Robert!”

“Elizabeth, be quiet.”

“Hello, Ma’am. I’m sorry that took so long.”

“Don’t worry about it. Take her now that you are here.”

“Take her? I don’t think so, mom. Robert, don’t you dare lay a fucking finger on me.”

“Honey, calm down. It will be for a little while. Until you remember the importance of family and where your loyalties lie.”

“Robert, no! Let go of me! Let go, now!”

“Mom, please don’t let him take me.”

“Please. I’ll stay quiet, I promise. Just please let me go.”

“The thing is, after all those horrible things you said to me, I can’t find it in me to trust you. You came in and vomited all those awful thoughts of yours without any regard for your mother’s feelings. How can I be sure you won’t do that again? What if, next time, the receiving end of the word vomit is the police? I can’t have that. You understand, right honey?”

“You want to lock me up in a tower, like fucking Rapunzel, and expect me to understand? You’re insane!”

“There! That’s exactly why I can’t let you leave. If you were truly loyal to the empire, you would gladly sacrifice yourself for the cause. This proves how much of a loose cannon you are. Sorry, Beth, but this is happening.”

“Mom, no! Please, don’t do this! Mom!”

“Robert, take her away.”