Home is where your heart is,
[i]Waking up in someone else's house.[/i]
Family is with whom your heart lies,
[i]Lying beside him in his bed. [/i]

It has come to this. A life where she found herself in the arms of another man, in his house and upon his bed. There he lay beside you, his body betraying his age just as your did your years. The kids had May, and Leith was old enough to fend for himself, but still he was your child. He worked, he was the man of the house now. He had even started seeing someone. And Taron, well he was on his way there, a few more years and a college degree. She had managed to put the eldest through, and yet Bailey would have nothing left. Bailey, was it tough for her? Thank goodness for May, the girl needs a female influence in her life, a mother who could be there. And not here. But Leith, oh Leith, her first child all grown-up now a bit of his father in him, and her own contributions. It was okay, he would do fine, and yet why could you not let go? Was it because you felt his silent screaming? Angst and worry bottled up within his delicate heart? Hardened perhaps by the need for machismo, but she knew her son too well. Just as she knew the man beside her.

Richard Pryce. A business mogul with a stock portfolio as big as his ego. Well, he had every right didn't he? On the account of his bank account alone? Of course he inherited his lion's share after his father passed, Richard had managed to out maneuver his older brother, dividing the lots rather nicely as Victor took a failing market of real estate, and while Richard reinvested into auto dealerships. The move paid off, and soon enough, nearly everyone in the greater metropolitan area was driving a car from a Richard Pryce dealership. A shrewd man, ruthless even some may say, but she knew he eyed her. Ever since she meet him on that day they went to deal for a car for Leith. Look the part she told her eldest, look like you can afford it and they'll give it to you. Walking out with his eyes gazing over her body, manager by his side, she remembered that look, she's seen it too many times with all the men she had in her life: wanting entitlement.

And so here she was beside him. Beneath the sheets of a night spent in his company, listening to him muttering sweet nothings into her ear. It was not love, there was no love. He wanted her, just like any other girl he was with, and she needed him to support her family. Even if she did not become the next Mrs. Pryce, the man was getting on in the years himself, and soon he would be dating someone half his age. Until then, all she could hope was that no one would judge her for being with him. That her family, they would understand why Mom was with him. This man who had been very explicit about his opinion over Leith and Ceren. Sure she did not understand it, but she loved Leith enough to allow Ceren in. But what did she know about love? How could she speak of such things after lying with him?

"Morning Meri." His voice dripping with venomous honey, filled and inflated with his sense of worth. Vanity beyond a mirror, a trophy that she was to him, his hand placed around her handles. "How was last night? The way yo-"

"Amazing Rick, but I've got to go back, May's waiting for me to take care of the kids." She interrupted his self-glorification in the most backhanded and politest way she could. "I'd stay for a drink but Bailey's got class and Taro-"

"Alright fine, take the bottle on your wait out if you want, Kristoff will drive you back." He yawned and waved her away with a few pats to her shoulder as Meredith rose from the bed pulling the sheets across her chest. There was no modesty to be afforded in the presence of one so boastful, yet perhaps it was ironic that she of all people should want modesty when she dreams of more than her modest home. This place was a villa, acres of land across town, gated upon a hill, landscaped with beautiful gardens and water features. Empty rooms which seemed to have no purpose but to be, baths with showers and hot tubs, walls which hung with ugly modern art. A home she wished for herself and her kids, a place to call her own. "Dinner later tonight? Six O'clock? Make it Five. We'll try out that new place on 5th. Wear something Delicious Got it Sweets?"

"Oh Rick, I was hoping to see my family tonight, May can't handle them all by herse-" An excuse just to get away from another night of this. Or was it? No, she missed them truly, guilty that she was here more often than there. Enjoying the pleasures of wine and dine, of movies and as much as she hated to admit it, Richard was not all too bad. For a hedonistic narcissist.

"Fine then, bring them along, but [b]only[/b] your family, I don't want your boy bringing that skank-fairy. He's not going to take my family name if he's still with that boy. Tell him to go screw a girl first Merie, then I can call him my son, hell if he's got trouble looking for one, I'll send a call girl to him and he's going to enjoy her or else I'm cutting his queer-ass off." There it was. The ranting of man who values nothing more than his ego. Of course he would know a call girl, of course a man of his character would prefer hate over love. Yet it was only because of his own pride, as to not tarnish his own name. 

[hr]

[i]You got that Meri?[/i] The last words still echoed in her ears as [url=https://teejottmodels.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/tom-b-by-teejott-2012-april-a-7770086.jpg?w=326]Kristoff[/url] the driver opened the door for her. Meredith thanked the young man, who seemed to smile in kind, yet never spoke a word to her. Maybe he just was not the sort of person to speak a lot, or maybe he's worked for Richard long enough to realize all the man ever did was talk about himself. It was hard to get a word in edgewise when you're being suffocated by such [i]superbia[/i]. Slowly she walked to the door, sighing as her heels clacked through the old porch steps. It was too small for them all, May moving in was a blessing but, well, at least Bailey was safe with Leith around. Not that she was concerned about Taron, but a boy his age...

"Morning May, did Leith leave already? Are the kids still here? Ceren's got to start pulling his weight around here you know it's like having another kid." A half-joking laugh as she tiredly set her purse down on the counter, along with a half-emptied bottle of wine. "Rick sends his regards, oh and I guess we are all invited to dinner at five... Well, except for..." her eyes darted towards Bailey's room. Another sigh escaped her lips as she sat down beside her sister, uncorking the red and pouring it into a glass meant for orange juice. No need for fanciness here, medicine did not work better in a tall glass or a short one.

"Do you want him May? I mean we're practically the same right, and you're younger too. He's wealthy, decent looking, and not too bad in the sack either. Am I crazy not to want him sis?" Perhaps a bit too much wine...