Page 90 of Deviant

I knew it was coming… but it was still a shock.

I thought I would at least have until the Harvest Festival with her.

I wanted a proper goodbye and never got it.

“She died peacefully,”Alice had said with guilt written all over her face.

Of course, my mother would find a way to influence someone else to do her bidding. Just like Nora, she was stubborn when she set her mind on something. I should have known that my mother would have a backup plan if I refused to help her. Alice was her plan B.

I couldn’t even find it in my black heart to fault Alice for wanting to give my mother a dignified death on her terms. Like her, I didn’t want my mother to continue to suffer the way that she was. I just couldn’t be the one to do it.

I loved her too much.

I should have thanked Alice for the small mercy she provided, but at the time, I could only focus on my own misery.

My mom was gone. Nothing would be the same after that. And now I have to endure this fucking wake because it was the only way I could think of to honor her memory. I could have done without my asshole of a father attending it, though.

When the bastard showed up at the church, I lost it. I didn’t kick the fucker out on his ass because most of the town decided to attend the service to pay their respects. Even the good ol’ sheriff and mayor sat front and center, acting like they gave a shit about my mom. Where were they when we were living hand to mouth just to keep up with her medical bills, huh? Oh, that’s right—no-fucking-where.

Fuckers, the lot of them.

Still, with so many witnesses at the church, there was no way I could kick out my prick of a father. Though he sure didn’t make it easy on me when he started shedding those crocodile tears of his.

After the service, I stayed back at the cemetery to have a heart-to-heart with my mom and say a proper goodbye, only for Rowen Hawthorne to spoil that, too.

Though I have to admit, the sight of Rowen on her knees did make up for it a little bit.

Just a bit.

I was already in a foul fucking mood when I drove back to the house, only for it to worsen when I saw my father with his pregnant mistress eyeing my mom’s fucking furniture as if they were in a yard sale or something. I marched right up to him and told the fucker to get rid of his sidepiece if he wanted to stay. Luckily, he read the genuine threat in my eyes and told the woman to go right on home and wait for him.

That was over an hour ago.

Ever since his side piece left, he’s been reminiscing about all the crazy shit he and my mom did back in the day, telling the stories to anyone paying him attention. I’m not sure why he feels the need to make a big production of acting like he actually cares that my mom is gone. Honestly, I don’t really care. It will be the last time I’ll have to put up with the fucker.

He’s Aidan’s problem now.

Unable to stand in my living room and hear another empty vow of condolences, I go outside and light up on the porch. Out here, I can at least pretend that my life didn’t do a one-eighty in less than twelve months.

“YOU BITCH!” I hear Aidan shout as a flushed Rowen rushes out the front door.

The fuck?

Aidan is quick on her tail, storming out of the house like the devil set fire to his ass.

“COME BACK HERE!” he screams at her, making my jaw tick.

“Not a chance. I said all I have to say.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?! You’re dumping me on the same day I buried my mother?”

Wow. Talk about cold. But then again, I always suspected she was heartless.

“You didn’t sound so grief-stricken when you were begging to fuck me in the ass just ten seconds ago!” she yells back.

Yep. That tracks. Little shit.

“It was a joke! I’m allowed to make jokes if it helps me process my grief, aren’t I?”

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