Page 137 of Broken Lines

The words erupt from my mouth like the black cloud of death before the volcano blows. Judy pales, backing away from me as I surge across the dressing room towards her, my teeth bared savagely.

“Yeah, Judy! It wasallbecause of you! Even—”

“Don’t you dare—”

“EVENHIM.”

She swallows, blinking rapidly as her face lines and pales.

“That’s…that’s not fair—”

I bark a cold, vicious laugh.

“Youlet him in.Youknew he was a fucking creep, and youknewhow he looked at me.”

“You…you just—”

“And youleft mealone with him!” I choke, shaking as the tears start to rip down my cheeks. “You’re mymom,” I sob as my legs start to shake. “And you fed me to a fucking monster—!”

“You were so jealous of what I had!”

The words hit like a slap, even if I’ve heard them before. But other times, they were implied.

This time, she just took the gloves off.

“You…” I blink, staring at her. “You can’t seriously—”

“You were always such a jealous child,” she hisses through tears. “So greedy. Always wanting more more more.”

“Fuck. You,” I choke.

“You knew how I felt about him,” she sneers. “And you tried to take him for yourself—”

I can’t do this.

I won’t do this.

“And then you go throwing around accusations because you bit off more than you were ready to chew—”

“Judy.”

“And you tried toruinhis name! His whole career! And if it hadn’t been for me—”

“JUDY!” I roar.

She stiffens, blinking at me.

“What.”

“Goodbye.”

I turn and walk to the door.

“The hell do you mean,goodbye?” She snaps.

I stop, half turning to look at her over my shoulder. Years ago, even months ago…even two weeks ago, this might have broken me. I mean really, truly, finally broken me.

But I faced this darkness, in the arms of someone incredible, on an island in Maine, surrounded by music and warmth.

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