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The crowd reacted with awws, and my parents said in unison,We love you, Gabby! Happy birthday!
Amy shifted, pushing me away.TJ, the ceremony’s starting. We have to go.
Gabby was saying,I’m lighting this candle for my big brother, John. He’s the best brother anyone could ever have. He’s King of French Vocab and always takes great care of me.
More awws followed, and John saying,Love you, Gabby! Happy birthday!
Amy wriggled out of my grasp.I don’t want to get in trouble, TJ! Get up!
Gabby was saying,I light this candle for my brother TJ. He’s the most fun ever. TJ? TJ, where are you?
Amy dragged me out from behind the garage and tugged me to the pool, where heads began to turn. Everyone burst into laughter, putting two and two together.
Gabby laughed.TJ! Where were you?
Sorry birthday, Gabby!I called out drunkenly, to uproarious laughter.
I love you, TJ!
I love you, too!I told her, and I remember feeling grateful. Gabby didn’t blame me, she never blamed me. She only worried about me.
My father blamed me, though, and that night after everyone had gone home, he took me by the arm and walked me out to the garage with a six-pack.You wanna drink, TJ? You’re gonna drink.
No, Dad, really?
You think it’s funny? You think everything’s a joke?
We reached the garage, and my father pushed me against the wall, shoved me to the ground, and handed me a can of beer, popping the tab.You’re gonna learn this lesson. You’re never gonna embarrass me again. Drink it, TJ.
Dad, I didn’t mean to—
Drink!My father jammed the can against my lips and poured beer down my throat. I tried to swallow while he ranted, angrier than I’d ever seen him.You take everything for granted! You think this business came from nothing? It didn’t! I built it from the ground up, and so did your mother! It has our family name on it, do you know what that means?
I swallowed gulp after gulp, gagging and sputtering beer everywhere.
I run a business, TJ! Our name is our brand! When you embarrass me like that, you ruin our family name! You ruin our business! You’re a selfish, spoiled brat!
I started to choke, my gorge rose, and I vomited.
Don’t tell your mother!my father said, throwing down the can.
Chapter Ten
“Aw, TJ, how are you?” Gabby met me at the front door, her short brown hair framing her pretty face, soft with sympathy.
“I’m fine,” I said, but it was a lie.
“Come here.” Gabby hugged me, and I hugged her back, smelling her faint vanilla perfume. She still had on her work clothes, a blue turtleneck and khakis. “Were you at a meeting?”
“Yes,” I lied again.
“Good. People relapse, TJ. I read online that it’s part of recovery and there’s no shame in it. We all know that now.” Gabby’s loving gaze met mine. “I give you credit for the work you’ve done so far. You were sober for almost two years.”
“I was, I really was.” It drove me crazy to tell her I’d relapsed. I used to lie about being sober when I was drunk, now I was lying about being drunk when I was sober.
“I know you can get sober again. I’msoproud of you, and everything’s going to be okay.”
“Thanks.”
