Page 233 of Releasing 10
“That’s not fair, and you know it,” Mam shot back, looking wounded. “Sadhbh is family, Hugh.”
“No, Mam,Gibsis our family,” I argued, finally allowing myself to say what I had been holding in for half a decade. “TheGibsonsare our family and Sadhbh is not a Gibson anymore. She’s an Allen.”
“Hugh!”
“Itoldyou about him,” I hissed, losing my cool and visibly trembling with tension. “I toldallof you, but ye wouldn’t hear a word of it.” Furious, I stalked over to my television and started unplugging my PlayStation. “That prick tormented Gibs for years, and we all saw how he mistreated Caoimhe.” Wrapping the cables around my console, I shoved it into another bag as I continued to rant. “Caoimhe was miserable with him, so why is it so implausible to even consider that Liz might be right about him?”
“Because the authorities said she iswrong.”
“Yeah, and maybe the authorities arewrong,” I snapped back. “Jesus, why can’t you try to see it from the other side, Mam? Why can’t you be unbiased?”
“Iamtrying, sweetheart,” Mam offered with a sigh. “But as you well know, it’s not so easy when you’re stuck in the middle of friends.”
“Yeah, I do, and I have a hell of lot more to lose than anyone else,” I snapped back, verbalizing my deepest fears to my mother. “Gibsie is my oldest friend in the world, and Lizzie is theonlygirl I’ll ever love.”
“Oh, stop it,” Mam sighed, rolling her eyes. “You have a crush on the girl. A little less of the dramatics please, son.”
“No, I don’t have a crush onthe girl,” I countered evenly. “I’m inlovewiththe girl, and contrary to your dismissal of my feelings, I assure you that not only are they very real but very permanent.” I scowled back at her amused expression. “But it’s good to know where you stand on my relationship, Mam. Let’s rehash this conversation in twenty years when I swing bythe house with my wife—previously known asthe girl—and our children.” Narrowing my eyes, I added, “I look forward to your apology—although I can’t promise I won’t gloat.”
“Is that supposed toreassureme?” Mam demanded, turning pale. “Because I am two seconds away from locking you in this bedroom for the summer, young man.”
“You can try,” I mused, standing my ground. “But I’ll still find a way to be with her.”
“See, this isexactlywhy youshouldn’tgo,” Mam erupted, jerking to her feet. “And on top of that, the son I raised would never speak to his mother like this.”
“Maybe because the son you raised knows the difference between right and wrong,” I countered angrily.
“And I don’t?”
“Not recently,” I shot back. “No.”
Mam looked up at my face like she didn’t quite understand what she was seeing. “Why are you being so disrespectful to me?”
“Because you are theonlyparent I have, and you’re notlisteningto me.”
“Ialwayslisten to you.”
“Not about Mark Allen, you didn’t.”
“Hugh, I am not having this fight with you again.”
“And I’m not letting it go,” I argued back. “I willneverlet it go, Mam.”
“It’snotour business.”
“She’smy business.”
“And you’remyson,” Mam shouted, losing her cool with me. “A child. A minor inmycare. Remember your place in this family, Hugh.”
“Maybe that wouldn’t be so difficult if I actually knew what that role was,” I tossed back.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“You know what, you can forget about going to Lizzie’s house,” Mam snapped, looking both hurt and furious. “You’ve clearly forgotten your manners, and until you find them, you can stay home,” she continued, prodding my chest with her index finger. “In fact, you are officially grounded until I say otherwise, young man,” she added, folding her arms across her chest and glaring up at me. “Is that clear?”
“The only thing that’s clear, Mam, is that inthisfamily, good behavior is punished,” I countered, mirroring her actions by folding my arms across my chest. “I get straight A’s at school. I achieve countless academic merits. I make the team in every sport I play. I never bring trouble to your door. I follow all the rules. I look after Claire and Gibs. I cook the meals and iron the uniforms when you get called into work. I clean my room. I do my laundry. I mow the lawn. I take out the rubbish. I change the light bulbs. I don’t break curfew. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t take drugs. I don’t mess around with girls.” Chest heaving, I blew out a breath and hissed, “I do the right thing, Mam.” Reaching for my duffel bag, I slung it over my shoulder and moved for my other bags. “Every single time and you arepunishingme for it!”
