Free The One by Vivienne Harris-Scott Page A

reported in the newspapers.
    Only then, he rang his parents informing
them they had a daughter in law, she was a mildly famous country music singer,
and that was all there was to it!
    His mother was appalled, and for the
umpteenth time in his life told him he was an embarrassment, and she wished he
could be more like his best friend, his brother from another mother, his
nemesis, her socialite best friend ’ s heir, Mary's son: Ethan McGregor.
    “ I simply don't understand where we went
wrong with you Julian. You and Ethan come from the same cloth, went to the same
schools, grew up together, you are the son of the prime minister, which gives
you something no one else has, yet, you don't see him half naked on posters... ” she sighed, adding, “ He's destined to do great things. What are
you... ” her voice had trailed off.
    “ Goodbye mother. ” he had hung up, and hadn ’ t spoken to her until she called him 3
years later announcing his father was ill and demanded to see him.
    In the meantime, his marriage has been a
complete failure, and he was divorced 7 months later, at the ripe age of 23.
    Not deterred by this little blip on his
road to success, he used some of the money earned while modelling investing it
in industries close to his heart. Having taught himself the art of cooking
while in Italy and enjoying it immensely, he bought his first restaurant.
Within 18 months, one turned into three, and within five years, it was a
franchise with establishments in the hippest cities in the world, from Miami to
Tokyo.
    Sydney was the last one opening, so he
came home as his father was dying, with the hope of reaching some sort of peace
treaty with his mother.
    He thought in light of his financial
success, she would somehow show some pride in her son.
    He was wrong. Consequently, he left home
once again, and orphan this time, even more determined to become more
successful than what her narrow mind would allow.
    He wasn't interested in politics, never
had been, and actually had severed all ties with the Sydney political circles
after his last visit home, because he found their members conservative, boring
and predictable, and from the comments his mother made, there was no love lost on
their side either. His former classmates despised him apparently; his choice of
career, making him a laughing stock. Even Ethan had somehow disappeared on him.
Well, truth was, he was the one who ceased to call him as Ethan had always been
like and older brother he couldn ’ t face disapproval or disappointment from.
He had looked eternally amused by Julian ’ s latest antics.
    Fuck them all!
    He wanted excitement in his life, wasn't
going to apologize for his wants, and being a politician was too limiting for
him. Not to mention, why would he want to return to Australia when he
was living in the most exciting city in the world: New York!
    He had a good business mind, and decided
to keep using it. His father having passed on, McCarty industries were his to
manage if he wanted.
    Now, here he was, back in Sydney; only
there to attend his sister wedding the following day and not even 10 hours
within his arrival the arguing with his mother put him on the brink of
packing it in.
    He had landed late the previous night, and
went straight to the proverbial family home. Waking up at 8:00 a.m., he met
Melissa in the kitchen as she was pouring herself some tea while their mother
was on the phone- no doubt, he thought, with one of her snooty
friends  – having an animated conversation
punctuated with ohhs and ahhs .
    Upon ending the call, she looked at her
only son and said, “ Good morning Julian. We are glad you could
make it. ”   “ Mother, ”  was his curt reply. He sat, and
poured himself some coffee, waiting.
    It didn't take long. Helen McCarty smiled
and said with pride in her voice, “ Well, that was Mary on the phone. You'll
never guess what! Ethan is getting married! To a lawyer no less! He
proposed yesterday apparently...How