Chapter 3 A Huge Favor

Bethany

Her mom bit at her lip, looking up and thanking the server as he put their lunch down in front of them. Bethany constrained herself as the steam rose up from the small cup before her. She could have ordered more, but she knew her mom was broke and struggling as well. The older woman in front of her hid her own suffering, and internal strife as well as Bethany did. No one knew how much they'd been through and how they continued to persevere.

"Let's pray over our food." Her mom bowed her head and prayed, Bethany closing her eyes and listening to her mom ask God for the millionth time to help them. He'd seemed to turn a blind eye or deaf ear to them for all the years Bethany could remember, but six months ago he had delivered Kent into her mom's life.

Kent owned several companies and had been a widower for ten years. He was older than her mom and had two sons, one a complete loser and the other the center of his enterprise in the heart of downtown Dallas. Bethany had yet to meet either of them, but she liked Kent and knew he would treat her mother like a princess.

If only the woman could get past being hurt and used by Bethany's father, giving love another chance and opening up a world of possibilities for them both.

"Kent would be thrilled to hear I'm ready to move forward, I guess." Her mom's words lit a spark of hope in Bethany's chest as she looked up.

"He loves you, Mom. He's told you that a million times."

"I know, and I love him too. I'm just a little worried about fitting into his world. I come from the wrong side of the tracks, Bethany. His friends and work associates are going to see beneath my layers of makeup and call me out as the phony I am."

"You're not a phony. You're the most real person I know, Mom." Bethany reached around her soup to touch her mom's arm, concern pulling her brow together. "You just need to be yourself and not anyone else. You can't change for someone, or you'll end up hating who you've become."

"How did you get so wise?" Her mom winked at her, patted her hand and picked up her spoon, taking a tentative sip of her own soup.

"So, you'll think about it? I'm on a short leash, and I'll start looking for jobs this afternoon, but I need help quickly."

"Wait until Monday for the job thing. You're graduating tomorrow, and I want you to just enjoy the accomplishment." She put her spoon down and picked up the last piece of bread, tearing it in half and handing the larger piece to Bethany. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom. I'm sorry to bother you with this. If I could figure it out on my own, I would."

"We will always have each other. I'll talk to Kent tonight about everything. When he proposed a few weeks back, I wanted to say yes, but I just haven't been able to move around my past. He's so much better than I am." Her mom shrugged, heaviness sitting on her pretty features.

Bethany reached up and pulled her long locks into a messy bun before scoffing at her mother.

"He's not better than you. He's had a different path, Mom. His life is a different story. I'm just glad that your path crossed with his. He's going to be great for you. He thinks you hung the moon."

"He is a great guy." Blush touched her mother's cheeks, and Bethany laughed softly, romance a lofty thought in her world.

Bethany had seen the same guy, Jake, a few times, but he was horribly proper and far too feminine for her tastes. He was easy to get along with and a great study partner, but as far as physical attraction-nothing.

"Is Kent coming with you to my graduation tomorrow?"

"He sure is. I invited Damon and Matthew, his boys, but they both have something to do. I was hoping for you to meet Matthew. He's a sad soul with far too many demons to fight, but a pure heart lies in his chest."

"And what about the other boy, Damon?"

"Honestly, he's an ass. He's the typical rich boy, and he has far too much control of Kent's company and ten women around him at all times. I hate to even say this, but he sometimes disgusts me." Her mother's face twisted as if she'd bit into a lemon. Bethany laughed and leaned over, tasting her cooling soup.

"Money corrupts. I'm surprised Kent is as good of a guy as he is. He has more money than God."

Her mom laughed and took one more sip of her soup before pushing it across the table to Bethany, the small cup still more than half-full. Bethany pulled it toward her, working hard not to lift her cup to her lips and drink the thick tomato soup.

"Get yourself a sandwich or something. I have a little bit of money in the bank." Her mother turned as if trying to get the waiter's attention.

Bethany reached over and patted the table in front of her. "I'm good. I'll eat this and be stuffed. We'll make it through this; we will. Tomorrow will be a great day, and if your conversation goes well with Kent, then maybe my luck will change for good." She pinched off a piece of the bread and popped it in her mouth. "You sure I'm not pushing you to do something you didn't want to do?"

"Have you ever known me to do something I didn't want to do?" Her mother smirked as the waiter stopped by with the bill.

"They must have higher-paying customers waiting on our seats." Bethany looked over to the large crowd gathering at the door.

"Pretty soon that will be us, baby. Hang in there, and I'll work to change our situation."

"You do love him, right?"

"I do, but not as much as I love you."

Bethany chuckled and turned her attention to her food, mumbling into the small cup, "I love you too."