The Box

Timothy Thornton

Timothy made haste to locate his mother after he tried mind-linking her and got no response. His mind was reeling, and his heart was racing, but he pressed forward in his search.

Goddess, he had been so wrapped up in himself, as usual, that he had not noticed his mother was suffering intensely.

Sadly, Timothy had no idea if this was since Saturday or if it was an overnight squabble. He was that lost in the happenings with his mother, but he would soon find out.

However, these past few days had been busy for Timothy; Timothy had sat and planned out the steps he wanted to take.

First, he planned his steps to work out and build his body mass before he started training with the big guys.

So he used the opportunity to work out with his father, and by that move, he accomplished two things.

One, he got to spend time with his father, and second, it was while he got to build his body mass and muscles. Win, win, in Timothy's book and when he was not working out.

Timothy was sparring with Tobias and a trainer his father had assigned to teach him sparring and some basic moves. And then, when he was not doing that, he was working on his business plans.

He would show his father he could be successful and not graduate from college, and he planned with longevity as his aim. Boy, was he motivated!

This is why now definitely was not the time for his mother to act up and throw her tantrums because she was not getting enough attention from his father.

She would not ruin this for him; after scouring the house and he did not find her, Timothy secretly made his way to his mother's secret spot in the basement.

Yes, Timothy knew about his mother. He followed her one night, heading into the mansion's quietest and almost always empty side. That side was more like a storage area.

It had piqued his interest as he wondered where she was going at this time of night and to that side of the manor, to boot.

When Timothy continued to follow his mother, things just got creepier and creepier when he observed her movements, constantly looking over her shoulders as someone would if they were up to no good.

Yes, he would know. Nevertheless, that was precisely why he was even more curious to know what secret his dear old mother harbored.

Was she having an affair with a staff member? A guard? Or does she and dad play some type of chase me and find me s*x game around the house?

That last thought had made him gag.

Nevertheless, he wished he hadn't followed her when he discovered the truth of the matter.

That sh!t was f*cked up, but his father could not find out, or else he would get rid of his mother, and now that Timothy knew? He was in just as much trouble, and there was a great chance of losing his father for good.

Timothy chose to keep the secret, refusing to give up his lifestyle and being king of the United Nations amongst his generation. And he never got between his mother and what she was doing.

However, he saw that it took a toll on her from time to time, well, the times he'd notice.

But Timothy was unsure if more was happening between his mother and father presently. Maybe it was stuff he or Tobias did not notice.

Or maybe that dweeb of a brother noticed something, as he was always lurking like a creep.

"STOP," Timothy roared at his mother while he jumped over the railing to reach her quicker. He landed almost flawlessly and was impressed. Four days ago, he could not even leap.

His mother was in the process of smashing the box with the heart in it, 'was she mad? "Are you mad, woman?" Timothy gaped at his mother wide-eyed, then as if she had lost her mind.

"Don't speak to me like that. I am still your mother," Christen spat while waving it around like a maniac. She held the box over her head.

"As long as I live, I am still your mother," Christen added.

A confused Timothy looked on, 'As long as she lives? Goddess, what was she planning?'

"Mom, please put the box down," Timothy spoke and motioned to her, as you would a scared child, "Slowly," he continued as he stepped closer, hands outstretched in front of him, palms facing his mother.

"Mom, please, talk to me; you cannot give in now, Mother, not when.."

"I can't do it anymore, Timothy. Please, leave me be," Christen begged, her voice hoarse as if she'd been crying for days. But Timothy is not ready to back down.

"No, I won't. You can't do this, Mom. Please, please, I will do anything. Please don't do this." Timothy's eyes widened, then dimmed as it finally dawned on him that his mother was really looking to throw in the towel.

He watched her, and he never saw that look in her eyes. That crazed, almost wild look, like she was just about to burn the house down, starting in here.

Christen narrowed her eyes at her son. To hell, she can't do this! Then her expression changed to confusion with curiosity as Timothy continued pleading, "Mom, please, just listen; I need more time; Father has begun to see me again, Mother."

Christen scoffed, "Ha, are you sure about that son?"

"Yes, I am Mother, Dad, he... and I promise Mom, this time I am serious," Timothy stated, choosing his words carefully. He needed to convince her, and Timothy was getting more antsy as the seconds ticked by.

Christen rolled her eyes inwardly, of course, and said nothing, "Mom, please, I swear this time I am serious." Timothy's heart started rapidly picking up pace again, and sweat slowly formed on his forehead when...

"Why should I believe you?" Why should I continue this torture for you?" Christen sneered. She loved her son, but she was not a fool.

Christen did not know precisely what her son was babbling about, but she knew enough because she had lived this story countless times.

She had seen this a million times before; Timothy would get excited about something and drop it just as quickly as he started. Or even coming up with all types of get-rich-quick schemes.

Always looking for the easy way out, how can a person be so lazy? Christen could not understand him. It simply was not worth it to Christen.

And it was all in his feeble attempts to impress his father throughout the years.

Enough was enough, she had had it with Timothy, and she accepted that he would be nothing and amount to nothing, but the difference between her and Theo is that she does not show her disappointment in them the way Theo does.

Nor remind them every chance she got. That was Theo's way. Christen sighed. Her way was not spectacular either. She knew she cuddled her boys and never taught them the value of life, money, and living.

All they knew and understood was that things came easily, all they had to do was ask, and they could and would have it.

With that in mind, Christen's heart softened at her son's pleas; she was to blame for how he behaved. She cuddled him into this!

"Because this time will be different. Please, Mom, I promise, wait till you see the plans I have been working on; come with me, Mom; I can show you; just put down the box and come with me."

Christen's eyebrows raised in question, "Plans?"

"Yes, Mom, come. If you go with me, I can show them to you; this time, you will see that I am serious. Please, Mom, give me a chance." Timothy begged some more.

He had no intention of letting his mother destroy that box. Not now, not ever. He was prepared to tackle her to the ground. Timothy felt he was good enough to take down a woman, at least.

But he did not want the contents of the box to justle. He was in a dilemma.

Christen's hands slowly came down from over her head, to Timothy's relief, as she debated; should she disrupt the flow when her boy was now finding his footing?

She held the box in a tight grip. This time may be different. She thought, then inwardly rolled her eyes. Ok, but wait, she could at least check out Timothy's plans and hear her son out before pulling the plug and blowing up this family.

She clearly did not care what happened to her right now, but her children were a different story.

After securing the box back in its hiding place, Christen sighed again, then said before heading up the stairs, "Ok, show me your plans."

Timothy finally dropped his hands and exhaled. It was like he had not breathed a drop of air since he came here and saw the scene.