Page 18 of Frayed Owner

“I have a friend who has a fuckingpolar bearas a familiar. How would they just blend into the human world? Become a zookeeper? What happens to a familiar who is assimilated to being around natural animals like that? You went to our schools, so you have to know that warning.” I nodded when she flinched. “They wither. They lose their ability to harvest and be magical.

“It’scrueland a strike against the warlock or witch to the gods. But apparently being without a familiar and human is so much better to you. Which is a crock of shit. Let’s be honest about that. There are societies and countries just as bad as our society. Just as corrupt. Just as sexist.

“Wholeareasof the fucking world where women can’t show theirhairor they’re stoned. They have no rights and are property. So yeah, our society is bad, but I’m sorry you were tooweakto stay and fight to make it better and took theeasypath out to save your own ass that your parents protect, but some of us are fighting to make it better.

“So thank you for making it clear that you think I’m pathetic and weak for not having broken free of my chains that keep me prisoner to that society, but I think it’s pathetic you hate what you are so much that you hide here instead of fight for a better life while saying you’re anexpertin mental health. You shouldn’t be telling anyone anything about health.”

I walked out of there without giving her a chance to respond, steam about coming out of my ears and feeling good that I let her have it.

And I didn’t even puke from the confrontation.

“Want to talk about it?” Link asked as he sat down next to me an hour later where I was hiding out at his aunt and uncle’s house.

I gave a half shrug and kept looping the yarn, focused on comfort since I wanted it myself. “Nothing really to say. I threw a fit after my feelings were hurt. I was proud I didn’t puke at the confrontation, but then I realized I acted like a toddler and doubled down to come here and hide where your aunt would baby me and protect me from the fallout.”

He chuckled. “You arewaytoo hard on yourself. Seriously. You are…” He chuckled again. “Me. Sometimes you are me.” He tapped something next to him when I didn’t budge. “I picked up your massive order of Chinese food. Take a break and talk to me, Bev. I bet it wasn’t as bad as you think.”

“It was.”

“Oh, I doubt that because the Moons have been trying to reach you to apologize for their daughter’s behavior, even showed up here, but Aunt Marilyn said you were laser-focused on creating new magic so you couldn’t be disturbed.”

I sighed. “I didn’t mean to blow this up. I wasn’t going to snitch on her, and I certainly didn’t want it to get out that I threw a fit.”

“Well, I’m the right person to talk to because I’m not a fan of Leigh Moon,” he told me. He snorted when I glanced at him.

Okay then. Maybe it was petty, but I was glad he told me that first.

I finished up that skein since there wasn’t much left and then went to the dining room and got situated. I gave Mrs. Oliveria an apologetic look as she snuck an egg roll and joined us.

While stuffing my face with ridiculously delicious Chinese food, I told them everything that happened. As much as I could remember about her whole rant and even how much extra her familiar chirped in.

“And that’s why I don’t like Leigh Moon,” Link drawled when I finished, he shrugged when his aunt shot him a look. “She’s an entitled priss. I would have told Bevin to talk to just about anyone else. I hoped maybe she’d grown up and gotten her act together but apparently not. I mean, she is a psychiatrist, so she’s not an idiot, but apparently she’s still stupid.”

Mrs. Oliveria snickered but then sighed. “I’ve heard some of her comments about accepting too much that’s unacceptable and she’s not wrong. A lot of us should have pushed back sooner or done more. It’s just hard to know what to do and not make things worse. Or we have our own lives and children to focus on.”

“You and Uncle were always being attacked,” Link said gently. “Always on the defense, and protecting what you have doesn’t leave you much time to go on the attack. Leigh always had a lot of ideas for others and judgments from her parents’ protection and then just bailed on our world.”

“Exactly,” I grumbled, taking too big of a bite of my sweet and sour pork than was polite. It was just so fucking good. I hurried to chew and swallow it. “So the Moons aren’t pissed at me? I just—I was a baby.”

“No, you didn’t go storming to them and snitch on her or even to Aunt and Uncle,” Link defended. “You gave it right back to her and went about your day. That’s how adults do handle things.”

“I agree,” Mrs. Oliveria said firmly as she added more food to my now-empty plate. “You simply feel that was childish because of how your abusive parents treated you and your siblings. Women were toddlers and throwing tantrums for speaking up.”

I froze in stabbing a bite of beef and mushrooms. I blinked at her and felt tears burn in my eyes. “You’re right. Fath—Charles always told Jean or Clare not to be childish and to be quiet. Children had outbursts, but Alex was always allowed to give his opinions freely. He chastised Bryan for not speaking up more. I didn’t realize that I…”

Link reached over and rubbed my arm before serving himself some more food. “You told her to shove her shit.Sheescalated this by telling her parents—probably to get in front of it or—I don’t know, but you were not childish. And you handled that confrontation well. Take the win, Bev. Good for you.”

“But maybe consider why you went from listening to her drivel for so long to exploding back on her,” Mrs. Oliveria suggested, giving me a knowing look.

I nodded, accepting that but still focused on my food. Actually, I knew the answer. “I really wanted the help. I needed it. I needed… It was like watching a car wreck or one of the familiar bridges disintegrate right in front of me. This was the bridge of hope I’d needed right now. She destroyed it with her rant and I exploded. I was so angry at her taking that hope away from me.”

“That doesn’t sound like a toddler throwing a fit to me,” Mrs. Oliveria said firmly. “That sounds like an adult woman assessing a situation accurately and handling a disappointing outcome in a proportional way.Plususing that frustration productively to help others which most don’t. Honestly, you handled it better than many much older adults I know.”

I felt better as I let that settle with me.

“It definitely deserves the fall brownies the chef was playing with,” she added. “Let me go get some.” She gave me a wink as she stood.

Link just chuckled when she was gone. “Yeah, that’s why I spent a lot of time here growing up. Still do. My parents are great, but there are few in this world like Aunt Marilyn.”

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