Page 68 of Releasing 10
“We’ll be home for half one,” Mam told me, while applying her lipstick in the mirror. “If you need anything or feel unhappy about something, I want you to call Sadhbh, okay?”
“I’m not calling Sadhbh,” I replied, scrunching my nose up in disgust. “She’s got that man sleeping over again.”
“Hugh,” Mam admonished. “It’s not our business, remember?”
“Yeah, whatever, but Joe’s way better,” I grumbled.
“You would say that,” she chuckled. “He’s your godfather who spoils you rotten.”
“No, I’m saying it because it’s the truth,” I shot back with a huff. “I’ll call Joe if I need a grown-up.”
“Joe has the kids this weekend,” Mam reminded, adjusting her dress. “So please just call Sadhbh if you need to.”
“I’ll call Grandad Healy and that’s my final offer,” I replied, standing firm.
“Fine, you can call Grandad,” Mam conceded with a chuckle. “Oh, and Caoimhe asked if her Mark Allen can come over towatch a movie when you guys are gone to bed. I told her that he could but has to leave by eleven, so just keep an eye on everything, okay?”
“Mark Allen?” I gaped at my mother. “As in Sadhbh’s boyfriend’sson?”
“Hugh.”
“Ugh!” I growled, scowling “Why would anyone want to watch a film withhim?”
“That’s not your business, either.”
I’d met Mark a few times and Gibs wasn’t lying when he said the guy was a creep. He thought he was so much tougher and cooler than us because he was a teenager, when in fact, all he was better at doing was being a fucking creep. “I hate that guy!”
“Hugh!”
“You taught me not to lie, Mam,” I reminded her.
“I also taught you to have manners,” she shot back with a smirk. “Now, I know Caoimhe’s the babysitter, but you’re the man of the house when Dad’s not home, so I expect you to look after your sister.”
“Jesus, Mam, you look beautiful,” I told her, eyeing the tight, sparkly red dress she had on. “You’re way skinnier than I thought you were.”
“Why thank you, son,” Mam chuckled, squeezing my cheek. “What a little charmer you are.”
“He gets that from his old fella,” Dad chimed in, appearing from the kitchen with both his and Mam’s coats flung over his arm. “Right, love, let’s get cracking. The taxi’s outside.”
“Wait, wait, wait, I think I’ve forgotten something,” Mam laughed as he carted her to the door. “I need to kiss my babies before we go.”
“Your big baby is right here,” Dad drawled, opening the front door and lifting Mam down the porch steps. “And you can kiss him in the taxi.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, slamming the door behind them. “Good riddance.”
Two hours later, I had to admit that being babysat by Caoimhe Young was way better than Mrs. Grady. I felt bad for thinking it, but it was the truth. Caoimhe had plenty of energy to keep up with Claire, which meant that I didn’t have to chase her around the house in case she was on the loose, had the scissors, or had gotten into Mam’s makeup. Instead, Caoimhe did all those things while I got to play my computer game in peace.
“We made you cookies,” Claire squealed, blowing my bedroom door inward then, and I mentally cursed myself for being a jinx. Goddammit. “Come on, Hugh. Come downstairs and taste them.”
I didn’t want to eat anything my sister had put her grubby, little fingers on. I was all too familiar with the creepy crawlies that she collected in jars with Gibs, but knowing Claire, she would try to feed them to me in my sleep if I didn’t give in. It was a battle I couldn’t win, so I switched off my game and trudged downstairs to the kitchen.
As I expected, the cookies looked like something the neighbor’s dog shat out, but I picked one up and took a bite to placate the curly-haired demon pirouetting around the kitchen.
“Mm,” I mumbled, rubbing my stomach. “It’s delicious.” It wasn’t, but it wasn’t terrible either. “Good job.”
Caoimhe rolled her eyes and laughed. “My sister was right; youaresweet.”
My cheeks reddened and I practically choked down my mouthful of cookie to answer her. “Liz said I was sweet?”
