Once and Again - By Lauren Dane Page 0,48
slid against his, sweat making the friction sweeter until he couldn’t take it another second and blew hard, deep inside, her name a plea on his lips.
He petted down her side as she snuggled into his body.
“Now that I’m sated for a few minutes, why don’t you tell me about it?”
She sighed. “What do you mean?”
He turned her to face him. “What made you cry? I can see you’re upset. What’s wrong?”
“I confronted my mother today about the drinking and pills.”
“I take it it didn’t go well?”
He was trying very hard not to sound like he was upset or pissed off. The way this issue made him react wasn’t about her and it wasn’t the time for his feelings on it.
“She was defensive.” Lily shrugged.
“Did she see she’s got a problem?” He doubted it. Hell his father had landed Tate in the hospital with a concussion more than once. And he was still an abusive drunk. Not that they had much to do with him after he’d been caught blackmailing her some years before.
“Maybe I’m overreacting. She’s sure there’s no problem and who am I to deny her that little bit of peace?”
“Fuck that, Lily. She’s got kids. Her son has been in danger of failing all year. He’s making you chase him over fences and attend classes with him because she’s more concerned about her pills and oblivion than her damned job as a mother.”
She huffed a breath and extricated herself, quickly putting her boxers back on and getting some distance. Distance that only made him crankier.
“She’s had her entire life upended. He’s taken everything from her and she’s not a young woman anymore. She’s got to face a life as an older woman. Alone. It’s hard enough to date when you’re in your twenties and thirties, she’s sixty-five. Anyway, they’re prescription pills.”
“God, don’t tell me you’re getting caught up in her excuses. Lily, addicts always have excuses. It’s what enables them to keep abusing their substances of choice. Her problems won’t go away because she ignores them. You know that.”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m so very tired of talking about problems.” She put her robe on and left the room.
He followed her out. “Won’t go away if you ignore them either. What about Chris?”
She threw her hands up. “I’m doing all I can. I’m not a superhero. I gave up a great job to come here and pick up after other people. I’m here. I left everything behind and I’m so exposed and raw and I just don’t want to talk about it. Every time I try to help I fuck it up anyway. She’s pissed at me. Nancy is using that to try to make trouble, and around all that, I have to keep Chris away from it.” Her voice wobbled a little and his belly ached to hear it.
“I’m not trying to make you feel bad.” He was messing this up, damn it. “I got my own shit about this issue. It’s getting in the way. It’s not about you. Not at all. I’m sorry if I’m making you feel worse.”
She sighed and flopped into a chair.
“Did they even thank you?”
“Christ. I need to sleep. This is my family, I have to do whatever I can to help Chris, who has no choice. Thank-yous aren’t even on my radar. That’s not why I’m here. I’m not Nancy.”
“I know you’re not. But I’ll be damned if I don’t say they take advantage of you and don’t bother with any manners. I hate seeing it. I hate seeing you in pieces because your mother is more interested in a bottle than you. Because your sister is a selfish bitch and cares more about stirring trouble than helping. It’s not fair for you to do it all.”
“Life’s not fair, Nathan. Someone has to clean up the mess and if it’s not me, then it’s no one, because everyone else is too wrapped up in their own crap. So it doesn’t matter that no one thanks me. Or that my mom would rather be stoned all day than be a parent. Or that my sister is a whore who fucks married men and lives off other people. Or that my father is banging a twenty-year-old. None of that matters because the outcome is the same. It still needs to be taken care of and I’m still the only one who’s gonna do it. Whining about it won’t change that.”
“Why is it so impossible for your mother