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I dropped my head.

Fuck. My. Life.

Springing out from under the blanket, Shannon jumped to her feet. “I’m here.” Breathing a little harder than normal, Shannon grimaced and clutched her side. “And I’m so sorry. I know I’m not supposed to be, but I just… I didn’t mean to… We didn’t…”

Mam’s mouth fell open in horror. “Shannon?”

“It’s not how it looks.” I hurried to defuse the situation, if that was even possible. “We fell asleep watching a film. We didn’t do anything, Ma—”

“Shannon,” Mam choked out, moving toward us.

“We were sleeping,” I repeated, stepping in front of Shannon. “Just sleeping. I didn’t touch her. I swear, I didn’t lay a finger—”

“Shut up, Johnny!” Mam choked out.

I swiftly snapped my mouth shut and eyed my mother warily as she approached us. On shaky legs, Mam walked over to the mantelpiece and leaned a hand against it. She still had her other hand pressed to her mouth and tears were filling her eyes.

“We didn’t do anything,” I offered once more, brow furrowed. “And look—” I pointed to the blue jeans and slightly askew white vest top Shannon was sporting. “She’s fully clothed, so just relax, okay?”And don’t kill me too much.

Shaking her head, Mam moved to the coffee table and lowered herself down. “Oh god,” she said, her voice sounding strangled, dropping her head in her hands. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”

It took me a few moments to figure out what the fuck was happening and why my mother wasn’t dragging me away by the ear. It dawned on me that this was her first time seeing Shannon since the attack. Yeah, I was calling it an attack because that’s exactly what the fuck it was. Anattack.

Shannon’s whole face was a map of bruises and discoloration, and it was hitting my mother hard.

Good,I thought to myself.Put yourself in my shoes and tell me what you’d do. Tell me how you’d take her back to that house.

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Kavanagh,” Shannon choked out, fidgeting anxiously beside me.

“Hey—” I captured one of her hands in mine and smoothed a thumb over her knuckles, desperate to soothe her. “Shh, it’s okay.”

Shannon glanced down at our joined hands and then looked up at me. “I’m so sorry, Johnny.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I told her, tone gruff.

“I just… I didn’t want to go home last night,” she continued, breathing hard as she looked to my mother. “I’m so sorry for causing trouble, Mrs. Kavanagh. I didn’t mean to upset you—”

“I’m not upset with you, love,” Mam interrupted, sounding slightly more composed, as she stood up. “Don’t be worrying.”

“I’ll go,” Shannon hurried to say. “Right now, I promise.”

Mam sighed heavily. “You don’t have to do that, Shannon, love.”

“She doesn’t?”

“I don’t?”

“Let’s all just have a cup of tea first.” Wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, Mam smiled warmly at Shannon. “And then we’ll figure this all out, okay, love?”

“Yeah.” Shannon blew out a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay.”

“Now—” Turning to face me, Mam said, “Do you have any more surprises for me?” There was a teasing lilt to her voice. “You don’t have any more of her children hiding in my house, do you?”

I shifted around awkwardly. “Ah, maybe one or two.”

Mam laughed.

I didn’t.

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