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“You don’t know the first thing about me,” I spat out, cutting him off. “You don’t know what the fuck I’ve been through, so don’t swan in here trying to feed me a line and slap a label on my forehead. I’m done with it.” I turned to my mother and doubled down. “I am done with you.”
I was.
I meant it.
I fucking meant it.
Never again would I give her the opportunity to let me down.
“I know you’ve been going down a bad path for a long time now,” Darren had the gall to say. “I also know that you’ve got yourself a little Joey on the way.”
“Good news travels fast,” I replied coolly. “Get all that from one of your mommy-and-son phone calls?”
“She’s the girl from the wall, right? The one you had your eye on back in first year?”
“The fuck would you know about it?” I seethed, jaw clenching. “You weren’t around when I was in first year. You bailed, asshole.”
“I remember your reaction to her that day.”
“Good for you.”
“You got the girl pregnant while you’re still in school, Joe? Really?” His tone was dripping with condescension when he said, “Talk about following in the old man’s footsteps and repeating the goddamn cycle!”
“Don’t even think about lecturing me, asshole,” I snapped, refusing to show him how deeply he cut me with his words. “I am not our old man, and she is none of your fucking business!”
“And Shane Holland?” he continued to challenge, giving me a hard look. “Is he none of my business either? Goddammit, Joey, what did I tell you about messing around with that guy?”
“Shit, Dar, I can’t remember.” I shrugged. “How long’s it been since we spoke? Five, six years?”
“Joey.” He sighed wearily. “You know why I had to leave.”
“Don’t ‘Joey’ me,” I sneered. “You don’t get to stroll back in here and call the shots. You’re not the patriarch of the family, asshole.”
“And you are?”
“I did the best I could with the hand I was given,” I shot back. “So, don’t look down your goddamn nose at my choices. At least I stuck around.”
“Please don’t fight with each other,” Mam pleaded, placing her hand on Darren’s shoulder. “We’re all family here.”
“No. You two aren’t family,” I bit out, tone hoarse. “My family just left.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“That girl isn’t your family, Joe. We are.”
Not bothering to answer either one of them, I pulled at the wires and leads attached to my body and climbed unsteadily to my feet.
“Joey, what are you doing?”
“Shannon,” I bit out, searching the small area for my clothes. “Aoife said she’s upstairs. Which ward is she on?”
“Joey, stop,” Mam cried when I ripped the needle out of my arm and moved for my jeans that were hanging on the back of the chair next to my bed. “Lie down and rest. You’re not supposed to be out of bed.”
Ripping off the hospital gown, I stood shivering in my jocks, feeling like my head was about to explode but needing to move because the prospect of staying here was unthinkable.
“Jesus Christ,” I heard Darren choke out when I turned my back to them. “What did Dad do to him, Mam?”
Darren.
