Semi-Psychic Life (Glimmer Lake #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,6
anymore? Val looked to the heavens and bit her lip hard before she responded. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“’Cause”—he was clearly pissed off—“I’m the one who picks Andy up from school and takes him to soccer practice and tells him about shaving and does all that shit. So like, I’m already doing better than Dad.”
Val walked over and put both her hands on Jackson’s face. “Look at me and take a breath.” She could see the waves of hormones and anger rolling off him. He was sixteen and had been taking on adult roles since long before a kid should have to. “Deep breaths, Jack.”
Her son inhaled and got himself under control.
“Listen to me,” Val said quietly. “I am so proud of the man you’re becoming. You’re twice the man your father is, and the fact that you have any relationship with him at all is a testament to the man you are and not the man he is. Do you understand me?”
Jackson nodded.
“When I say I don’t want you to end up like me and your dad, I meant the options you have. I didn’t think school was important and so I blew it off, and when I needed some kind of foundation for being on my own, it wasn’t there. I had no degree. I barely had a high school diploma. I worked, but I had to work twice as hard to prove myself.”
“But you did,” he mumbled.
“Eventually. Yeah. But why make life more difficult for yourself if you don’t have to? And your dad? He’s a brilliant mechanic. He is an absolute artist with bikes and cars. But he has no idea how to run a business, so he’s always losing money. He didn’t get the training he needed to be successful. I do not want that for you.”
“You never rag on Andy—”
“Your brother is probably gonna be a professor or something and write textbooks and make us all look like idiots, okay?”
Jackson started to smile.
“School is like a walk in the park for Andy.” Val let him go and took a step back. “I know it’s not the same for you, because it wasn’t that way for me either. It doesn’t mean you’re not as smart as he is, it means you have to work for it. And that’s okay. That means you’re gonna know how to work better than your brother does.”
Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine. I hear you.”
She tapped her fingers on the paper. Quickly. She couldn’t mention anything about Jackson and the girl, but this grade was clearly a result of her son not doing the work he needed to do. “There have to be consequences for this. You know there have to be.”
“Am I going to lose car privileges?”
Her father had given Jackson his old, beat-up Ford pickup. It wasn’t much to look at, but it ran and Jack loved it. It was freedom.
“No, you’re not losing the car.” She pointed to the paper. “Yet. Don’t let something like this happen again or you will. I’ll think of something. It will not be overly heinous, and in the meantime, ask Mrs. Fletcher if there’s any extra credit you can do to make up for this.”
“Okay.”
“Do you understand me about your grades? Four-year college. Bachelor’s degree. That’s your goal. Scholarships. Forging your own identity and finding amazing friends and doing all the cool stuff.” She tossed the paper on the table. “I want you to have that. You deserve to have that. But you’re not getting it unless you put the work in.”
“I get it.” He rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe some of my friends think you’re the cool mom.”
Val blinked. “Your friends think I’m the cool mom?”
“Some!” Jackson held up his hand. “Seriously, don’t embarrass me. Just chill. A couple. Like maybe one.”
“Yes!” Val raised her hands and pumped the air, tossing her head back and forth like she was headbanging. “I. Am. The. Cool. Moooooom!”
Jackson put his hand over his eyes. “I’ve made a horrible mistake.”
It was after midnight and she still couldn’t sleep. Val pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes and took deep breaths.
In. Out.
Clearing her mind.
Relaxing her body.
Clearing her mind.
Relaxing…
Relaxing, dammit.
She sat up and walked to the dresser in the corner, opening the drawer to take out the antianxiety medication her doctor had prescribed six months ago.
“Take it at night. It’ll help you sleep.”
The pills had helped her sleep, and they also did what she’d been hoping for. They dulled