Page 20 of Fierce Family

“Okay,” I whisper.

“You’re an amazing mother, never doubt yourself. I’d rather not think of the pain I put my parents through when I was fifteen. Give it time,” he begs.

“Okay, I’ll speak to you later.” I give him one last peck on the cheek before closing the door. Time to face the music.

Chapter 9

Sheila

Gregory has his armscrossed and glares angrily at the TV.

“Gregory, I want to see you in the kitchen,” I say quietly. I can’t really ask Kieran to hobble up to his room.

“It’s Gee,” he hisses before pushing himself out of the chair and stomping off to the kitchen.Give me strength.

“Care to explain why you think it’s okay to talk to me like that?” I ask him after the door closes behind me, shutting out the noise from the TV. I pull the fridge open and take out the chicken for our dinner.

“What? I don’t know what I did wrong,” he retorts but I can see embarrassment on his face. He knows exactly what he did but he’s also a stubborn teenager.

I lean against the counter to face him. “Don’t! You know it’s not acceptable to talk to me like that.”

“What did you want me to say? I’m happy you have someone to sh—” he stops himself.

“Does it bother you so much that I have someone in my life who likes me?”

“No,” he mumbles.

“So what is it then?” The only reply Iget is a shrug. “Gee, I think you're old enough to understand. I have you and I have Kieran, and you'll always be my number one priority. But you're both growing up so quickly. You already prefer spending time with your friends rather than with us. In three years you'll be off to university. And I want someone to share life with, someone I can talk to when I want to gush about how proud I am of you and your brother, even when you tell me not to make a fuss because it embarrasses you.” I give him a small smile.

“Mum, I… I’m not angry you’re dating. He seemed an okay guy at the hospital.” Gregory shrugs.

“So what’s the issue then?”

“I don’t know,” he exhales and jumps up on the kitchen counter. He watches me for a while as I prepare the chicken for the stir fry. “I just got really angry that I couldn’t go out. And—”

“And you just lost control.”

He shrugs again.

“That’s your hormones, my son,” I wink.

“Uh, let’s not have another bees and birds talk. Dad covered that.”

“I know. I know. Don’t worry. Listen, I understand you can get angry sometimes but it’s still not okay to talk to me like that.” I rinse my hands under the tap before drying them on a tea towel.

“I’m sorry mum,” he finally apologises. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“So, are you going to give Josh a chance?”

“As long as he doesn’t act like myfather.”

“He won’t. But maybe you could become friends.”

“Maybe,” is the only reply I get before he hops off the counter, gives me a kiss on the cheek and heads towards the stairs. Guess that’s all I’ll get.

Just as I grab some peppers and onions from the fridge a beeping breaks the silence. Gregory’s phone is on the counter and lights up with an incoming message. I grab it and head towards the living room.

“Gee, your ph—” I freeze in place when I see the text preview on his screen.

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