Page 71 of Cuts Like an Angel: Part 2

“How is your mother?”

“Alive,” he shot before Josh could slam his mouth closed. “She is fine.”

Carly raised a brow at him. “Alive?”

“Yes. As in not dead.”

“Why did you say alive?”

He could feel Rosie watching him. He could feel her distance too. Maybe not just today, either, but the other days. Like she was quiet, watching him. Watching for William probably. “I don’t know. I just said it. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“You have the meeting tomorrow? To discuss her care?”

“Yes,” Rosie and Josh both said at the same time.

“In the morning,” Rosie added.

“How do you feel about it, Josh?” Carly asked. “What do you think?”

“I don’t think anything. Okay. It’s just shit. She had a stroke. We’ll meet about it. Blah, blah, blah,” he said, making his hand into a puppet to perform the mocking gesture.

“You don’t think anything about it?”

“Nope. Nada.”

“What about the house then? Tell me about that. Rosie told me that you hadn't decided about the cubby hole that was there.”

He couldn’t stop the emotion going across his face before Carly saw it.

“Do you want to tell me what that was?” she asked, leaning closer to him.

“What?”

“The look you just gave when I mentioned the cubby. Did something happen there?” Her eyes shot to Rosie, as did Josh’s. If his face didn’t give it away, hers damn well did. “Bad memories?”

“No. Just a hole.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep. Maybe we’ll cover it up. I don’t know. I don’t care.”

Carly sat back. “You don’t care about a lot of things today.”

“Nope. Caring makes you upset.”

“Maybe caring is good.”

“Maybe it isn’t.”

She watched him for a few moments. Studying him in that therapist way. “Tell me about the cubby, Josh.”

“There is nothing to say. It’s a hole. In the wall. That’s all.”

“Okay. What about your self-harm, then? Have you cut? Since I last saw you.”

“No. I'm good.” He glanced up at the clock. “We’ve got things to do. I am fine.” He stood, holding his hand out. “Sorry for wasting your time. Come on Rosie.”

“William …” Rosie shot, refusing his hand.

---