and looking the other way in hopes that you’ll stop one day. I’m done.”
“You always were an ungrateful little cow, Dillon. I should have aborted you when I had the chance.”
Yes, that hurts. But it’s not something I haven’t heard come from her cruel mouth in the past.
“Good-bye, Mum.”
I start to shut the door, but she stops it with her hand.
“You think now that you’ve got your fancy boyfriend, you’re better than me, eh? Well, you’re not! You’re trash. And don’t come running back to me when it all goes to hell, which it will because you screw up everything you touch.”
If you wondered where my lack of confidence and self-loathing came from, well, it’s from right there. From words like that, which I’ve heard my whole life.
“Let go of the door,” I tell her calmly. I won’t fight with her. I won’t stoop to her level.
“You don’t get to get rid of me that easily. I’m owed, Dillon, for all the years of my life that I lost, having you hanging on to me, dragging me down!”
“Not today, Satan.”
I didn’t see Aunt Jenny coming up the path. But I can’t say that I’m not relieved to see her here.
My mum whirls around at the sound of Jenny’s voice. “Oh, here she is. The warden at the gate. Why don’t you just fuck off and mind your own business, Jenny?”
“Dillon is my business, and you’re literally standing at my house, you dumb bitch. Now, get off my property, or I’ll drag your cheap, skanky arse off myself.” Aunt Jenny lowers the bags in her hands to the ground.
My mum lets out a mocking laugh. “You lay one finger on me, you fugly bitch, and I’ll sue your fat arse for assault, and I would have a hell of a time spending your money.” She puts her hands on her hips. “So, yeah, do it. Drag me off here.”
I’m standing here, watching them in a standoff. I don’t know what makes me think of it, but all I know is I want her gone, and I don’t want Aunt Jenny to do something stupid and have my mother sue her because I know she would.
I quickly walk back into the living room while they’re still yelling at each other, and I pick up the full cold cup of coffee that I didn’t drink earlier off the coffee table. I walk back to the front door with it and pour it all over my mother’s head.
She screams and whirls around at me. “You stupid little bitch! What the fuck did you do that for?”
“I was doing you a favor.” I shrug. “Your hair looks dry, and I’ve heard cold coffee is good for it.” Obviously, I’ve never heard that, but it felt good to pour a drink over her. Also, her vanity won’t allow her to stay here, looking like that. It was the best and easiest way to get her to leave.
Aunt Jenny laughs while I just stare calmly at my mum, though my hand is trembling around the mug.
“I could sue you for this, you know?” she screeches at me.
I shrug my shoulders again and allow a smile this time. “So, sue me.”
She glares at me for a moment. “This isn’t over.” She points a finger at me before she turns on her heels and stomps off.
I don’t doubt for a second that it’s not over. It’ll take a while before she fully gets the message. But if I keep ignoring her, she’ll eventually get it, and I’ll finally be free of her and the hold she’s had over me my whole life.
“That was awesome.” Jenny picks the bags up and comes inside.
I shut the door behind her and take one of the bags from her hand.
“And a long time coming.”
“I guess.” I shrug for the third time in minutes. Guess I’ve turned back into a teenager.
Jenny stops in front of me, and then she reaches out and touches my arm, her kind eyes staring into mine. “Awesomeness aside, are you okay?”
“No.” I give a sad smile. “But I will be.”
“Yeah, you will.” She wraps her free arm around me and hugs me, the safe, sweet, familiar scent of her Angel perfume soothing me.
Even though I’m being hugged by one of my favorite people in the whole world, I can’t help but wish that it were West here, hugging me.
thirty-two
West
“You wanted to see me, Coach?” I stick my head in the open door of his office.