Chapter 2: The Deal

A hundred dollars a week wasn’t a big deal, and Maria knew Brian could easily meet the target. But she had been overprotective and wanted to give him a reality check. However, she had promised Brian that she wouldn’t date, so she kept on pushing her supposed date with Pat.

Over the following weeks, she didn’t see Brian actively seeking a part-time job or mentioning their deal again. She wanted to call him out but held her tongue. They had agreed to a month’s timeline, and she would wait.

But she wasn’t willing to wait passively. Brian noticed her going shopping more often after two weeks. He also saw her dressing more casually and colorfully for work. There was a noticeable change in her makeup as well. She wanted to make Brian jealous, and it was working.

She still spent her time with Pat at work. Pat was easy to please and loved the slight changes in her appearance. She loved all those compliments from Pat.

However, as the end of the month approached, it was Maria who was in for a reality check. Brian had quietly set up a freelance gig and had earned well over a thousand dollars.

Maria realized that Brian was serious. He was preparing to move out and live independently. She wanted to call off the game, to reason with him, but his smug smirk irritated her.

She had not yet figured out what she was going to do. She did not want to hurt Brian, and she wasn’t willing to let go of Pat. So she thought of an easy way to buy some more time.

“Good job, Brian. But it’s not enough,” she said with a smile. “Do you even know how much you’ll need to live on your own?” She wanted him to back down, but she’d do it her way.

“We’re getting sidetracked,” Brian retorted. “But if you’re asking if I’m ready to live on my own, then yes, I am. I’ll need about five thousand a month to live comfortably.”

Her fear was confirmed. He’d thought it through. But would he really do it?

“Let’s extend our deal, then. You pay me a thousand every week for rent and food and show me a balance of three thousand by the end of the month. I’ll take your current earnings,” she said with a smirk, walking away.

She’d intentionally made the deal tougher. Instead of five thousand, she had asked him to earn seven thousand a month.

Maria had no intentions to play fair either. The bet on the money was simply a distraction for her. She really wanted to break his spirit, and she knew just the right way to do it.

Her wardrobe had always been all professional, but Pat had loved the changes she had made. Embracing a more glamorous look, she started experimenting with different styles.

Winter had arrived, and the holiday season was approaching. As the head of marketing, she had a capable team to handle the increased workload. However, she actively participated in holiday advertising campaigns this year. She started spending increasing amounts of time at the office.

She also used this time to visit Pat’s home. While technically she was not dating, she was spending more time with Pat and Rebecca. She felt guilty as if she was cheating on Brian. After all, she was giving his share of time to them. But that did not stop her as she found a daughter she had never had in Rebecca.

She recalled the recent picture they had taken: Pat and Maria cuddled with Rebecca in the middle. But the picture was not complete yet. Brian was missing from it.

Was Maria serious about dating? Brian could only hope she wasn’t, but the subtle changes in her did not allow his mind to rest.

He also realized what had happened. She had just played him. He had won their original bet fair and square. But now, she had extended the deal and made it significantly difficult for him.

Why was she fixated on money? He wondered. But who could he complain to? Any misstep would give her the upper hand, likely leading to a dating scenario.

He knew his father had left something for his college education, but he hesitated to ask her. It felt like crossing a last line. He had threatened to move out if she started dating, but he didn’t truly want to.

She’d forced him to play by her rules and stacked the odds against him. But he had no choice. He wanted her to see his point of view but it was not possible without winning the bet. For his bluff to work, he had to make it real.

Brian would have admired her new look if she hadn’t used it to provoke him. He watched her leave for the office with an extra spring in her step and return home late, often looking dazed and lost in thought. He suspected she was teasing him, but there was nothing playful about it. Her actions were cruel and hurtful.

However, he couldn’t dwell on these thoughts. Whether he liked it or not, he had deadlines to meet and couldn’t neglect his studies. Though she hadn’t explicitly stated it, he knew Maria well enough to understand the seriousness of the situation.

His freelancing gig had potential, but it was too early to expect a monthly income of seven thousand dollars. He needed to find added work to bridge the gap. He focused on job postings that offered the highest wages. Leveraging his strong academic performance, he secured a tutoring position.

By mid-month, he had barely earned two thousand dollars, still five thousand short of his goal. He shifted gears and took a part-time job as a swimming instructor at a local club. For the next two weeks, he left home early and returned late. Despite his dedication, the grueling schedule was taking a toll on him. It wasn’t sustainable, but he had to push through and meet his target for the month.

By the end of the month, he ended up a thousand short of his target. But then, something unexpected happened that made his financial struggles seem insignificant. His father had established a trust fund for him, which could be accessed once he reached maturity. On that day, he received the necessary paperwork. While he wouldn’t have immediate access to the full amount, he would receive a monthly stipend of five thousand dollars for the next four years.

Brian looked at the trust fund papers and wondered about his father’s intentions. It cut deep when he thought of the implications. Did his father not trust Maria? Did he anticipate that Brian would need such a setup? Why had he made Brian promise to care for his mother? Was his sole intention to prevent conflict between Brian and his mother until he reached maturity?

Brian tried to recall his parents’ relationship before his father’s death. He knew Maria loved her husband, and her grief at his loss was genuine, but he could also recall their ongoing fights. His father had tried to shield him from their conflicts, but he had seen enough.

An unsettling thought came to his mind. Brian was following in his father’s footsteps. Doing the same things Peter did. It hadn’t worked out for Peter, and it wasn’t going to work for him. But here was the real question: What did he want?

It was time for him to acknowledge his love for his mother. Not as a son but as a man. Their playful bet was about to take a serious turn.

Maria found Brian waiting for her when she returned from work. She’d been keeping tabs on his progress and knew where he stood financially. A smug look crossed her face as she knew she’d won.

“So, my dear boy, did you save three thousand as we agreed?” she asked coyly.

Brian refused to play her game and took the initiative. “No, that’s what you wanted me to do. My agreement had nothing to do with it.”

She snorted. “Call it what you want, but you’ve lost the bet.” Her tone was triumphant, but she felt the unease of the situation.

Brian took a deep breath, preparing for the confrontation. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I want you to have a look at this.” He handed her the trust fund papers.

Maria shifted uncomfortably in her seat. As she looked at the papers, she realized the game was up. She had no control over him anymore.

He looked at her with a deep, knowing look. “I wonder what made him do this?”

Maria looked up at him, surprised. His question had cut her deep. “What are you trying to say, Brian?” she asked defensively.

“I’m not saying anything yet. I’m just trying to understand his motives,” he retorted.

Maria was not prepared for this direct challenge. She was not willing to confront her marital issues, much less talk about them with her son. Her facade cracked for a moment. “It’s been a long day. Let’s talk tomorrow,” she said, her voice strained. She grabbed the papers and walked out of the room.

It was the first time she’d ever retreated from any confrontation. She had suppressed the memories and pain of Peter’s passing and wasn’t ready to face the truth of his actions.

Maria couldn’t sleep that night. She was looking at the papers in her hand and asking herself the same question. What was Peter thinking? Did he not trust her with their son’s future? Looking back at her actions in the last two months, she knew he had a reason to do this.

It wasn’t like they had a bad marriage. They had married young, and she was pregnant with Brian in the first year. It was an arranged marriage, and they simply never had a chance to grow close. But things had improved over the years. They had started respecting each other and had formed a good partnership.

Maria wasn’t oblivious to Peter’s efforts to win her over. They had just started to bond at a deeper level when cancer struck. She recalled her promise to Peter: she would take care of Brian and make him happy. She had done a good job of taking care of him, but was he happy?

Maria wasn’t self-absorbed. She knew her faults. That’s why she had never looked for another relationship. She did not want all the drama and pain that came with it. But It changed when Pat came into her life.

Maria calmed her thoughts and prepared for a conversation with Brian in the morning. She vowed to remain calm and understanding. She wanted to reach out to him and understand his perspective.

Maria woke up early and brewed coffee for both Brian and herself. He would leave for his part-time job and she wanted to talk to him before that.