บท 38: Family Feud
The Magic Castle Baltimore, Maryland December 5,1988
Beth was furious. She couldn't believe her father had gone so far as to block her phone calls. It had been two days since she had last talked to Sirius and Harry. She really wanted to talk to Sirius she was "late". She hadn't thought much of it at first because it had been a stressful month.
She had come home and asserted herself much to the dismay of her parents. The time on Palau had been a revelation to her. Sirius and Harry's undemanding companionship had let her experiment and find herself.
They invited not told, and they had no expectations of her other than company and fun. As result she tried things she'd never done before surfing, kayaking, snorkeling and a few she'd never do again scuba diving for example but it was okay.
She had discovered who she was apart from her parents, something most people do as children into teens. Something she had never allowed herself to do because she hated feeling their disappointment with her empathy.
It surprised her that she had gone so far as to ignore her own empathy in the matters of her previous fiances just to please her parents. Now her parents were sub-consciously and sometimes not so sub-consciously trying to reestablish their control over her.
Everyone was getting edgier, a slightly pale Roy had come and spoken to her two days ago.
"Miss O'Neill may I speak with you."
"Of course Roy, it must be important for you to come this late. Weren't you supposed to be off by now?"
"Yes but I was waiting for something in my office when your father sent for me. He apparently had been looking over the overseas phone logs you know the ones that list when and where overseas calls come into and go out from the Castle."
Beth nodded then her eyes widened as she suddenly comprehended. "What did he say? What did you say?"
"You know how that first morning you left your parents the ..."
"Impression Sirius was a beach bum. Yes."
"Well, when your father learned of the calls he wanted to verify I was doing my job so he called me to his office..."
"And flew off the handle because I was talking to a beach bum. And so.."
"He asked for a name. I had to tell him. I gave him a copy of the file, everything you said everything I've found out from the Brits, the ICW, the Indonesians there's enough there to see there's something off about all of it but you have to read the reports. He all but exploded; the decanters on the sideboard shattered the furniture was rattling..."
"And you're all but shaking. He can be a very scary man with all that power at his disposal can't he. Bess!" When the house elf popped in "get Mr. Mustang a Brandy please. I assume you just left him."
Roy nodded when the brandy arrived he sipped it, wondering when and how Beth learned his drink of choice.
"Well aside from breaking things in a mini-fit, what did he say, did he even look at the file?"
"No, he ordered no more phone calls. I'm sorry Beth."
"It's not your fault Roy...this is just another bump..." her voice firmed. "Sirius will figure out a way around this, he's been right so far."
Since that day there had been fights, Beth had come late to her independence but she wasn't giving it up. Beth was stressed and she knew it. She was wanting to nap a lot an had had bouts of upset stomach like she had before she went on her trip. She wasn't sure if she was developing an ulcer again, or if she was, dare she say it, pregnant.
Beth had been driving her parents crazy every time they tried to lovingly manipulate her, which was most of the time, she would push them away. If they asked openly, honestly, and respectfully she would generally do as they asked she made a point of asking politely when her phone privileges would be restored. Her father would glare and ignore her. Every one in the castle walked around on tiptoes unsure of how the obedient daughter suddenly became so rebellious.
Things came to a head a week later, Beth was at dinner and asked, "I would like to make a phone call, are my phone privileges restored yet?"
"No. I will not let you call degenerates halfway around the world." Her father snarled.
"Fine I'm moving out next weekend."
"But dear you can't!" her mother objected.
"YES, I bloody well can! I'm thirty fucking two years old, an adult. I am sick and tired of you both treating me like I'm a child in love. I refuse to put up with it any longer! If Daddy would read the file Roy gave him he would see that Sirius is damn well innocent of what he was accused of and I wouldn't" She stopped and suddenly seemed to look like she was going to be sick. She bolted from the room. Winry followed her.
Winry had noticed a few things about her charge. Beth was quiet and caring her aura always invoked comfort in those around her. Intensely aware of other people's feelings she was instinctively nurturing and calming it was one of the things that made her an asset in the State Department. People around her sensed her care and in return wanted to help her.
It made her a natural at creating win win situations. But the Beth that came home from vacation had found something on her journey, she had found what mattered most to her personally. She would probably even kill to keep it. Winry knew that Beth hadn't had a period since she came home. Pairing that information with the tiredness and now this sudden sickness it said pregnancy to Winry.
When Beth finished throwing up she shakily found her feet. Winry put an arm around her. "Let's get you back to your room."
As they exited the bathroom off the dining room. Maryanne Stevens met them at the door "Beth you can't just..." she stopped as her daughter interrupted.
"Mother, I won't be your doll any longer. Unless you imperious me, this is me, who I am. I won't be the person I used to be."Beth's eyes glittered with tears. "I'm sorry that isn't good enough for you and Daddy" then her eyes rolled back and Beth fainted.
"What's wrong with her?"
...
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