Page 98 of College-Virgin & Dark Bully Next-Door

She hugs Chase first since he’s closer. My brother has been flip-flopping with his reaction to her coming back, but right now, his only response is raw emotion. He grips her tightly, his head resting on her chin. She breaks into a sob against his chest. A gift bag falls from her hand.

“I missed you,” comes her muffled response.

“Miss you too, Mom,” Chase mutters back.

I cross my arms on my chest as they break free. She looks from Dad, to me, then realizes he’s the safer choice. Dad makes the first move, though. He crosses the floor and starts crying even before they meet. Their bodies collide with a smack, and for the next five minutes—yeah, I’m counting,the only sounds in the room are their sobbing and the ticking of the clock on the wall.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she keeps uttering as Dad rubs her back.

He’s consoling her. This is really shitty. Where was she whenheneeded consoling two years ago and everyday afterward? I don’t understand; why is she getting a free pass?

What am I missing?

“Sky, please.”

Her choked plea brings me to an abrupt halt on the stairs. My thoughts are already in my room, with the door locked and my EarPods stuffed in. I’m not a hypocrite. I don’t want to be a part of this shit-show.

“What?” I ask without turning around.

“Can we talk? I need to explain.”

Slowly pivoting on my heels, I face her with the hardest stare I can muster. “No need, Claire.”

“Now, Sky…” Dad’s warning tone comes at me. “She’s still your mother. Be respectful, please.”

I scoff. “No need,Mom.”

“Quit with the sarcasm,” Dad says. “I won’t have it in my house.”

I respond with a thumbs-up sign, turn to go, then think better of it. “You know what? This needs to be said. For two years, I watched you turn into a shell of yourself, hardly functioning like you used to. You paid Chase and I no mind. Your behavior forced me to grow up much faster than I’d like to. Then she shows up, and you’re suddenly back to your old self. Not for me or Chase, but for the woman who left without warning. Do you think that’s fair to us?”

Dad takes a step toward me, earnest filling his eyes. “I just want my family back together, honey. The only way is through forgiveness. Forgive your mom. Forgive me. Let’s move forward, please.”

“So, it’s that simple. After everything she’s put us through, I should just fall in line.”

“Sweetie, that’s not what he’s saying,” she speaks up, stepping forward, too. “Let me start by explaining. We can take it from there.”

“Can you do all that explaining during dinner? I’m starving?” Chase interjects, picking up the bag Mom had dropped on the floor.

“Sky?” Dad prompts.

Three pairs of eyes latch onto me. After a long beat, during which I toy with the thought of running up to my room, anyway, I nod. My parents’ shoulders sag with relief.

We settle around the table with the roast beef and potatoes that Dad prepared—I’m still flabbergasted that he actually cooked—and after Chase hurriedly says grace, we dig in. I’d planned to tune Mom out, really, because I can’t imagine what would make her leave us like she did. Yet, I find myself listening as she talks.

And her words leave me even more pissed than ever.

I fly up, the plate with my half-eaten meal jostling as my thigh bumps the table.

“You left us because of stress. Is that a joke?”

“It’s not as simple as it sounds, honey. Chronic stress is a serious thing. It can cause deadly illnesses,” she replies calmly. She’s way too calm. Too confident. Dad and Chase welcomed her back with open arms, so I guess that’s why. Well, she won’t be getting any open arms from me.

“There are doctors for that. Therapists. You could’ve gone to see any of them. Instead, you ran away.”

“I’m not trying to excuse my behavior. I wasn’t thinking straight. Losing my job affected me more than I thought. I did the only thing that made sense at the time. I regretted it almost immediately, but I was too afraid to come back.”

I snort. I can’t picture her being afraid.

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