"What has he done?" Laura asked aggressively. She stared at Carlson and then asked again, "Didn't you hear what Anthony said? He didn't do anything, yet got hit on the head with a bottle. I let it slide and didn't do anything about it, yet had the audacity to call and complain. What a joke!"
Laura's upper lip curled in disdain as she continued, "What's more, Sheryl and Anthony are dating. It is perfectly normal for them to be intimate with each other. She is definitely not a virgin and has been sexually active before. Why did she act so modest and prudish in front of Anthony, her own boyfriend?"
Laura was getting more and more worked up. She took a deep breath to calm herself down before continuing her rant. Glaring at Carlson, she informed him, "I am not going to take any more of this. They did not suffer any losses but my son has been badly injured." Turning to Anthony, she said in a softer tone, "Anthony honey, let's get you to the hospital. You need to be examined by a doctor. I'm worried about you."
She stared at her son for a few beats and said in a rush, her tone getting higher and higher, "If the doctor doesn't find anything wrong with you, then I will drop this. But if they find even the slightest hint of problems, I'm declaring war on that family. I will get even with them."
"Are you finished yet?" Carlson bellowed, unable to take it anymore. "Are you really that blindsided? Don't you realize your son was at fault?" He was determined not to let her make the situation worse. "Can you just stop putting the blame on others?" he added.
"Really, Carlson? What did he do wrong?" Laura replied sarcastically. "If Sheryl is so modest, then she shouldn't have agreed to be with Anthony in the first place. After being together for so long, now she tries to act like a pure woman. What a snake," she said, scornfully.
Laura's harsh, disrespectful words made even Anthony feel sick. He frowned and told his mother, "Mom, that's enough! I admit, this whole thing was my fault in the first place."
"Darling, don't say that. You didn't do anything wrong," Laura said insistently.
"But I..." stuttered Anthony. He stared at his mother, and was frustrated that he suddenly couldn't find the right words to say.
Carlson gave an irritated snort and interrupted, "Laura, just listen to yourself. You are going to ruin our son someday if you keep babying him like this."
He replayed the call he had received earlier and heaved a huge, helpless sigh as Arthur's words rewinded themselves in his head. It had come as a huge shock to him that his son was dating Arthur's granddaughter.
To Carlson, Arthur was not only a good friend of his father's, but also one of the men he looked up to and respected the most, besides his own father. He was so embarrassed that his son had done such a thing and felt like hiding his face from Arthur forever. Thank God Sheryl hadn't gotten hurt. Shirley, on the other hand, was a whole different story. The poor child!
"Oh, would you stop being such an alarmist, Carlson!" scoffed Laura. She gave her husband a cold glare and continued, "Of course I know the man whom I carried for 9 months. I know him extremely well, much better than you. So good luck waiting for the day I 'ruin his life'."
Anthony frowned and asked his father in a low voice, "Dad, you got the call from Sheryl's grandfather, didn't you? Did he... uhh..." His voice trailed off. "Did he tell you the whole story?" he managed to ask, after clearing his throat a few times.
"That goes without saying," replied Carlson shortly. He laughed and added grimly, "In all my 50 plus years of life, I have never gotten such an earful like that. If he had been standing in front of me, I would have probably dug a ditch to hide in shame."
"You are being way too nice to that old man. Well, I am not going to take any of his blame at all," said Laura impatiently. She glared at Carlson and growled in dissatisfaction, "I don't see Arthur as a respectable elder. He doesn't even act like one. In no way is he worthy of our respect, especially now that your father is gone. If he calls you again, you pass the phone to me. I'll give him a taste of his own medicine!"
"Mom!" yelled Anthony, half shocked, half frustrated. Frowning so hard, he continued, "Don't be the pot calling the kettle black. Just take a look at yourself. Are you being a respectable elder to Sheryl? It is no wonder that she is reluctant to show respect to you. Please do some reflection. You know you reap what you sow."
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