Page 63 of Releasing 10
WHENIARRIVED HOME THE DAY AFTERHUGH’S PARTY, MY SISTER WAS THE ONE TOgreet me at the door. My dad was still at the hospital with my mam, and even though I was really worried about her, I couldn’t stop smiling.
Because I’d had the best day of my life yesterday. This morning, too. With myfriends. I didn’t want to go home, but I knew I couldn’t stay at their house forever. I would miss my mother too much. But now that she wasn’t here, I just felt lonely again.
Still, knowing I now had five friends of my own helped keep the smile on my face.
Hugh.
Claire.
Gibsie.
Shannon.
Patrick.
Andme.
“Meds,” Caoimhe reminded me the moment the front door closed. “Right now, missy.” Catching me by the hand, she led me to the kitchen, where she rummaged in one of the cabinets for the pill bottle with my name on it. There were lots of them. “Here we are,” she mused, popping open the cap and handing me a pill. “You know what to do.”
Sighing heavily, I walked over to the sink and retrieved a glass from the draining board. Filling the glass with tap water, I chugged back the medicine and then opened my mouth for my sister’s inspection.
“Good girl,” she said approvingly before giving me a hug. “Now, tell me about your sleepover.”
“I had the best time ever,” I told her, feeling excited all over again. “And I made new friends. I have five now, Caoimhe. Five friends! Claire, Shannon, Patrick, Gibsie, and Hugh!”
“Go on.” Lowering herself down on a chair at the kitchen table, she rested her chin in her hand and smiled. “Give me all the juicy details.”
“We had the party, and then we did the trick-or-treating and watchedHocus Pocus, and we had a midnight snack, and we…” I stopped myself just in time and skipped over the egging part. “Stayed up super late, and then Sinead made us pancakes for breakfast.” Flopping onto the chair next to her, I sighed happily. “I think I love him.”
“Which one?”
“Hugh,” I sighed, clutching my chest. “He’s so nice, Caoimhe. Like so, so nice, and he’s pretty, and he holds the door for me, and he gave me an extra pillow from his room, and he cut my pancake when I couldn’t do it.” I heaved out another sigh, missing him already. “He’s just sosweet.”
My sister laughed. “So the crush is in full force.”
“How’s Mam?” I asked then. “Is she coming home soon?”
“Dad called and said she’ll be home in a day or two,” she told me. “She’s feeling much better.”
I sagged in relief. “Thank God.”
“I know,” she replied, giving my hand a squeeze. “Now, how do you feel about throwing on a scary movie in the sitting room and sharing your trick-or-treating haul with your big sister?”
Later that night, when I was tucked up in bed, I heard the familiar sound of my bedroom door opening inward, and I looked up from my storybook to see Mark in my doorway.
“Hey, munchkin,” he said, closing and locking the door behind him. My stomach sank. “What are you doing up so late?”
“Reading.” A wave of panic swept over me, and I felt my body stiffen when he walked toward me. “Why are you here?”
“I came over to keep your sister company,” he explained, coming to sit on the side of my bed. “She fell asleep on the couch, so I thought I’d come and check on you.”
He was always checking on me.
It used to be okay, but I wasn’t so sure anymore.
I didn’t think I wanted him to keep checking on me.
I didn’t want him to fix me again.
