Generation 1; Chapter 20: Busted

“Shit!” Victoria whispered frantically as she tried to pull Clyde around the corner of the building. In his drunken stupor, however, he didn’t realize what was going on.

“Come on, baby, what’s the matter?” he slurred.

“Shut up, Clyde!” Victoria breathed desperately.

But no sooner had she managed to get him around the corner when a cop caught them by the arms.

“Do you know what time it is?” she said menacingly.

“Aw man,” Clyde drawled, “why’d you have to come now? I was about to get a piece of this.” Clyde glanced his bloodshot eyes over to Victoria and laughed.

“I’m sorry,” Victoria said quickly. “We’ll go home straight away.”

“I don’t think so,” said the cop. She took something out of the car. “I’m going to need you each to breathe into this.”

Emory heard a knock on the door. Who could possibly be here this late at night?

“Thomas, dear, would you get that?” Emory said, rolling toward him.

Emory was on the brink of falling back to sleep when Thomas yelled her name from downstairs.

“Emory! Come down here, quickly!”

Emory flew out of bed and down the stairs.

There was a police car pulled up to the house, and sitting in the back seat was none other than Victoria.

"What?!" Emory breathed to herself. That couldn't be Victoria. She was upstairs asleep in her room...

Coming out of the front door, Emory was greeted by a police officer. 

"Ma'am, we found your daughter out past curfew outside of a bar with a highly intoxicated underage male. It appears as though she did not drink anything, but we would like you to keep a much closer eye on her." After saying this, the police woman got back into the car and Victoria was let out.

Emory approached Victoria, who didn't look at her mother.

"Victoria," Emory said softly. "How could you?"

The soft, hurt tone and underlying disappointment in her mother's voice tore through Victoria's heart worse than if she had screamed at her.

"Mom, I... I'm sorry... I didn't... drink or-"

"You completely disobeyed me," Emory said, now speaking at a regular volume. "You snuck out of the house. You saw that boy again. And worst of all, you put yourself in danger." Emory's voice was raising now. "Do you realize what that boy could have done to you?!"

"But he didn't, mom, I wouldn't have let him-"

"NO!" Emory screamed. "He could have done WHATEVER he wanted to you! I can't believe you! You have disrespected me in the worst way possible! You are a disgrace!!" Tears were rolling down both of their cheeks now. Victoria was realizing the reality of the danger she had just been in.

"Get up to your room, RIGHT NOW!" Emory yelled, and without a word, Victoria obeyed. 

But little did Victoria know that tonight was only the beginning of a rough existence for her. Emory took all of her modern clothes and had a proper gown and garments made for her.

She was never allowed out of the house except for school, and was forced to come straight home. She was not allowed any modern entertainment, such as TV or computers. Her only entertainment was piano and writing.

Victoria felt like a prisoner in her own home. And despite the fact that, deep down, she knew her mother had been right about the danger she had put herself in, she couldn't help but begin to loathe Emory for keeping her locked away like this. She couldn’t wait for the day when she could finally leave and live on her own.

Luckily for her, that day was not far off.