Page 107 of Truck You

“He lives,” Grams says from her seat at the kitchen table. Avoiding her is another reason I’ve hidden in my bedroom most days since I broke up with Sophia. She’s had some choice words for me, as have all my brothers. They’ve all been quick to tell me all the ways I’m an idiot.

I grunt and open the refrigerator. I stare at the choices. There’s leftover chili from Sunday dinner, some fried chicken and mashed potatoes, or I could make a sandwich. I’m hungry, but nothing sounds good.

“Mac!” Grams says with so much frustration, I can’t stop myself from turning around to look at her. “Stop being a stubborn ass. Sophia is a good girl. She’s good for you. Go make this right.”

“I’m working on it.” I turn back to the refrigerator and grab the chili. I love Grams’ chili. Maybe once I eat, it’ll make me feel better.

“And how exactly are you working on it? You’re hiding. Trust me when I say hiding will only drag you down more.”

“I know!” I say a little too loudly. I scoop some chili in a bowl, cover it, and pop it in the microwave. “Just … Stop lecturing me. Please. I know I fucked up. I’ll fix it.”

I feel her eyes on me, but I don’t turn to face her. I don’t need her disappointment on top of my own. I’m beating myself up enough. I don’t need any help in that department.

I brace myself for more berating, but it doesn’t come. As the silence drags on, I finally look over my shoulder. Her head is down and focused on her knitting. From the look on her face, it’s as if I’m not even here.

I sigh, about to speak, when there’s a knock on the door. I tense, wishing I were still hiding in my room so I wouldn’t have to deal with whomever it is.

Maybe if I ignore it, Grams will get it instead. Then I can sneak off with my chili and hide some more while I decide on what I’m going to say to Sophia to earn her forgiveness.

“Make yourself useful and get that, will you?” Grams says. I cringe, searching for an excuse to get out of it.

“I’m not presentable. Nor am I in the right frame of mind to welcome a guest. Let Dad get it.”

“Your father isn’t here. He went to town with Liam.”

I drop my head back and groan before I leave the kitchen and head for the front door. I won’t argue with her. When Grams asks me to do something, I always do it. It’s the respect she deserves.

But when I open the door, for the first time in my life, I wish I defied her.

“Hi, Mac,” my mother says.

“Why? Why do you keep coming here?” I yell. “What do I have to say to you to get you to leave me the fuck alone?”

“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic. You have no one to blame for my constant reappearances except yourself.”

“Me? I’m not making you drive all the way down here to see me. Go away and never come back.”

I go to slam the door in her face, but she pushes against it. The action catches me off guard and the door goes flying open.

“This isn’t about me. Did you even read my letter?”

“I did.” I bark.

“Then you know you have siblings that want to meet you.”

“Well I don’t know if I want to meet them. I have six siblings that have always been here for me. I don’t need more disappointment in my life.”

“Mac, don’t be selfish. They had nothing to—”

“Are you for real? You’re telling me not to be selfish. I’m not the one that did the abandoning. That was you. You show up here after over twenty years of zero contact and expect me to just do as you say? Fuck you. Get out of here and—”

“Mac!” Grams calls out from behind me. “That’s enough. I’ll deal with Heidi.”

I spin around, the anger inside me at a near boiling point. “I can handle this, Grams.”

“You call this handling it? If you keep yelling like that, you’ll pop a vein. You need to calm down. You’ve had a rough week. Let me take care of this.”

“Fine. You deal with her. Just make sure she never comes back.”

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