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“Michael, just calm down.” Mam tried to plead, coming to stand between all of us. “Let’s just sit down and talk about this as a family.”
“What’s to talk about?” Caoimhe wailed, pointing to the blood dripping down her cheeks. “She’s feral, Mam, and needs locking up.”
“It’s her fault, Mammy! Caoimhe let the monster in,” I started to plead, but my father cut me off when he roared at the top of his lungs.
“Enough!” Setting me back down, he grabbed my shoulders and shook me so hard that my teeth chattered. “There is not a monster, and your sister never hurt you!” He shook me again. “There is no scary lady and the voices in your head aren’t real!” My head snapped back and forth as he roared into my face. “You have a sickness of the mind; do ya hear me? All this madness is inside ofyou, Elizabeth!”
“Michael, stop shaking her like that!”
“You are going to a specialist, and you are going to do and take whatever they give ya to keep that madness at bay,” he continued, ignoring my mother who was trying to pull his hands away. “Or so help me God, I will put you on a boat and send you—”
“Michael!” Mam screamed—louder than I’d ever heard. “Don’t you dare!”
“It’s happening, Catherine,” he warned, giving me a look of revulsion. Releasing my shoulders, he moved straight for Caoimhe. “From this day forward, we’re going to do thingsmyway.”
WHERE’S YOUR SISTER?
Hugh
OCTOBER 12, 1996
“THANKS FOR COMING ON SHORT NOTICE, LOVE,” MAM SAID WHENCAOIMHE WALKEDinto our kitchen on Saturday evening. “I’ve been called into work and Pete’s, uh, well, he’s still under the weather.”
Under the weather.
What a load of shit.
My dad wasn’t under the weather.
My dad had checked out.
“I told her I’m old enough to watch Claire,” I offered, still feeling annoyed over the fact that I needed a babysitter when Feely got to stay by himself when his parents weren’t home. “I don’t need a babysitter anymore.”
“You might be able to look after yourself, but your sister certainly isn’t,” Mam interjected with a look that saiddon’t start.
“I know you’re well able, Hughie,” Caoimhe mused, ruffling my hair. “I’m just here to keep your sister out of trouble, okay?” She smiled. “You do you, kiddo.”
“Claire and Gibs are playing in her room, and Pete’s upstairs if you need him,” Mam said, giving her a grateful look. “The kids have had dinner, but there’s cash in the jar for a pizza later if you guys fancy one.”
“We’ll be grand,” Caoimhe assured her, walking my mother to the front door. “Be safe.”
“I always am, love.”
I waited for the front door to close behind my mother before I began my interrogation. Because I had a crow to pluck with our babysitter. “Where’s your sister?”
“You know where my sister is, Hugh.” Stepping around me, Caoimhe made her way back to the kitchen. “I’ve told you a million times.”
“Yeah, but you haven’t told me when she’s coming home,” I argued, trailing after her. “Lizzie’s been in the hospital for a long time, Caoimhe.” I could hear the concern in my own voice as I spoke. “I want to know when she’s coming home.”
“Soon.”
I hadn’t seen my best friend in weeks and being toldsoonwhenever I asked when she was coming home was driving me crazy. In fact, I felt like screaming. What the hell didsoonmean anyway? Did the word refer to two hours or two days or two bloody weeks? It was a pointless fucking word that meantnothingto me.
“I want to visit her,” I pressed, glaring at her. “Liz would want me to come.”
“I already told you that she’s not allowed visitors right now.”
“Yeah, but you haven’t told me why!” I shouted, losing my patience. “In fact, you haven’t even told me what’s wrong with her!”
