Page 49 of Keeping 13

“Are you listening to me, Johnny?” Mam pushed. “Did you hear a word of what I just said?”

“I heard ya,” I grumbled. “Gibsie’s coming over to babysit me because I apparently can’t be trusted to be left on my own for an hour.” I rolled my eyes. “Even though I’ve taken care of myself for months on end without either one of my folks around.”

Mam rolled her eyes right back at me. “Don’t be such a drama queen.”

I gaped at her, resisting the urge to scream and prove her right.

“Enjoy yourtrip,” I said instead.

Mam arched a brow. “Enjoy yourstrop.”

Give me strength…

“Goodbye, Mother,” I bit out.

Mam smirked. “Farewell, my bouncing baby boy.”

Jesus.

I waited until Mam had closed my bedroom door behind her before throwing the covers off myself.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, I was fresh from a shower and wrestling with a pair of jocks when my bedroom door flew inward. “I’m so fucking bored,” Gibsie announced, strolling into my room. “We’re on our Easter break and how am I spending it? Locked up in my room, studying for an exam I’m not even sure I can spell let alone take next year, and all becauseyoudecided to break your dick and leave me alone.” Dropping his overnight bag on the floor, he flopped down on my bed and exhaled a dramatic sigh. “You’re so selfish.”

“Sorry for inconveniencing you,” I grumbled as I balanced against the bathroom doorframe and tried to tuck myself in without causing harm. My stitches were healing nicely, but I was still sore and bruised. “I forgot it’s all about you, Gibs—”

“Whoa, that’s a lot of swollen dick!” Gibsie groaned, dropping a hand over his face. “You’re all there, aren’t ya, lad! Kind of wish I hadn’t come over now. Feeling kind of emasculated. And a little hard done by. Maybe I should learn to knock—”

“Stop talking,” I muttered, settling the waistband on my hips. “You’re being all fucked up again and I need you to be normal for an hour.”

He arched a brow. “Only an hour?”

“Gibs!” I snapped, impatient.

“Okay!” He held his hands up. “I’m being normal.”

“Good.” I sighed. “Because I need you to take me somewhere.”

“Oh, no, no, no.” He sat straight up and pointed at me. “Bed rest, Johnny. For seven to ten days, lad.”

“Yeah, and it’s been ten days,” I shot back.

“Nine days, if we’re being technical,” he huffed as he stood up and began to pace. “And your mother specifically mentioned ten days’ bed rest when she called me earlier—not to mention the serious physical pain she would inflict on me if I so much as thought about aiding and abetting you in leaving the house!”

“Well, I need to see her.” Shrugging on the loosest pair of sweatpants I owned, I reached for a fresh T-shirt and quickly threw it on. “I can’t drive for at least another week, and they took my bleeding car keys, so I need you to take me.”

“No can do,” Gibs shot back with a firm shake of his head. “Mammy Kavanagh will have my balls and I’ll end up sharing a surgeon with you.” He shook his head again to emphasize his displeasure. “I love you, buddy, but not that much.”

“Come on, Gibs,” I snapped, frustrated. “Help me.”

“I’m always fucking helping you,” he groaned.

“Yeah,” I scoffed. “Because I’m always helping you right back.”

“You need to let her family deal with this, lad,” he said, tone serious. “I’m not joking around here, Johnny. You need to take a step back here. You told me what they said—how her motherwarnedyou to stay away.” He threw his hands up in despair. “So just stay away for a while. They obviously want to handle it themselves. Give her some space, and you’ll see her when we go back to school.”

“And what if I don’t see her?” I demanded. “What if she doesn’t come back to Tommen?”

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