CHAPTER 155: MOTHER'S WRATH

Marcus woke to yet another busy and exhausting day.

For the past couple of days he had been juggling what little money remained, paying for parts in Turkey while his counterpart built the portal. But at least today he was going to get some breathing room. Callahan's check would clear and everything would stabilize.

That was the plan anyway.

As he and Irene made breakfast together, the morning light streaming through the kitchen window, his phone rang. The caller ID showed his mother's name.

"Hi Mom."

"Don't 'hi mom' me." Her voice crackled with anger and frustration. The kind that had been building for a long time.

Marcus's stomach dropped. "What happened?"

"How did you do this to us Marcus? After everything we went through. We took the payments for your failed college year. Now this?"

"Mom listen please."

"No." She cut him off. The word was sharp as a blade. "I am working double shifts to keep your father's stupid business alive. And he is sending money to his mother. His stupid brother. And now you started, Marcus. You started taking from us too."

"Mom please..." He tried to stop his mother's machine gun speech but as soon as she paused she started crying. The sound broke something inside him.

"Is Dad there?"

"Screw your dad." Her voice cracked between sobs. "I told him if he pulls anything like this again. After his secret sends to his mother. I can't take it anymore."

"Mom please it's not for leisure. I am creating a business..."

"Shut it." The crying stopped. Cold fury replaced it. "Your dad allowed so much freedom to you. You ignore my advice in every step. You need to learn how to survive alone." She paused. Drew a breath. "I am telling you right now. If he sends another dime your way I will leave him."

Marcus felt the floor shift beneath his feet. "Mom please I don't need any money from you. You don't need to go that far. I swear I am doing my hardest and will pull through."

"Honestly Marcus I have heard so many lies from you." She sighed. The exhaustion in her voice was palpable. "I don't believe it anymore."

And she hung up the phone.

Marcus stared at the screen. His complex feelings about the situation paralyzed him. He couldn't move. Couldn't think. The silence in the kitchen was deafening.

"Are you okay?" Irene asked softly. She had stopped cooking. Her face was full of concern. "I've never seen you like this."

"It is just..." Marcus struggled for words. "Juggling two lives has so many consequences. I did not expect it to affect my relationship with my mother."

"Why don't you tell her everything?"

"And make her worry more?" Marcus's voice rose before he could stop it. He caught himself immediately and lowered it. "She lost her mind when I dropped out. If she knew I am fighting a dark wizard in another world she would go crazy. I need to keep her in the dark."

Irene sat down at the table. Her face fell. "It is just that after my mom died I pulled away from my father's eyes. Tried to find happiness elsewhere. I know he made little effort but..."

"No it is not..."

"I know it is not the same." Irene looked down at her hands. "But... I don't know. It is so complex."

"No matter." Marcus tried to pull himself together. "We will pull through. I am going to the bank. Something came up with payments. Let's go together."

Even though Marcus tried to deflect the heavy air, on the way to the car Irene was lost in deep thoughts. It left Marcus alone with his own. He needed to find a way to stop his mother from worrying about him for good.

At the bank he found his representative. Miss Holiday. She made them sit in her cubicle but something was different. She kept asking meaningless questions. Her eyes constantly checked the door. Her smile was too tight.

"Is there a problem Miss Holiday?" Marcus asked finally.

"No no. It is okay."

"Marcus Chen?" Two officers suddenly walked up to her booth. Their badges gleamed under the fluorescent lights.

"Yes officer."

"We need you to come with us about check fraud."

No. Marcus screamed inside. It can't be. His worst fears materialized before his eyes.

"Is it about the forty-seven thousand dollar check?"

The next hour was a blur of questions and procedures. Standard protocol, they called it. They needed to determine if Marcus was the victim or Callahan's partner in defrauding the bank. Turns out Robert Callahan didn't exist. Someone had stolen an identity and built an elaborate fraud operation. The professional website. The phone number. The pleasant woman who answered. All fake.

The police said to get a lawyer. But Marcus would probably never get the products he shipped back. And the bank was expecting the previous two payments from Callahan, the ones that had already cleared, to be paid back. Those were fraudulent too. The whole thing had been a long con.

On the car ride back home Irene couldn't stop the tears.

"Sorry Marcus. It is my fault. I trusted too easily. I should have checked more." She was sobbing into her hands.

"Irene please stop crying. It happens." Marcus tried to comfort her even as his own world crumbled. "First rule of business. You are gonna get screwed."

Unless you have a partner like Aldric, he thought bitterly.

"With the latest batch our debt to Mr. Hudson is now more than fifty thousand. And we have barely..."

"Irene please calm down. I'll find a way. I will ask the Keepers."

"Marcus you can't abuse their trust. If they doubt you, your counterpart will be stuck there." She wiped her face. Found her phone. "I will ask my dad."

Marcus put one hand on her phone while keeping his eyes on the road. "Absolutely not."

"We have no other choice."

"I won't let you ask from him. I wouldn't do that to you." Marcus pulled the car over to the side of the road. He turned and looked deep into Irene's eyes.

Irene reached for his hand. Squeezed it tight.

"Marcus I know you won't. That is why...." Her voice caught. "I love you."

She produced a genuine smile through her tears. The first real one in hours.

Marcus was surprised. He leaned in to kiss her. "I love you too but..."

"There is no but." Her eyes were fierce now. "You know well it is not just Marcus's and Tom's life. If your counterpart doesn't return..."

Marcus bowed his head. "I know." He shook his head slowly. "I know."

He took a deep sigh. What did I do to deserve this, he thought.

"Then it can't be on the phone." He started the car again. "We need to visit him in person."