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“What if he comes back?”
“Who?” I asked, only half listening to her as I continued to search for what I wanted. I knew they were in here. I fucking knew it. “Darren?”
“No,” she mumbled, choking back the tablets I’d given her. “Your father.”
“You know what’ll happen, Mam,” I muttered, mentally sagging in relief when I found a full bottle of clonazepam. “You’ll take him back,” I added, slipping the bottle into my pocket. “And all will be well in the world of Marie Lynch again.”
“I’m your mother,” she sobbed, voice slurring. “Why do you hate me so much?”
“I’m your son,” I replied, giving her back her words. “Why do you hate me so much?”
“Because you’re him,” she slurred, twisting away from me.
“Yeah,” I deadpanned, standing up, feeling nothing. “I’m him, and you’re worse.”
“Joey, wait,” she cried out as I moved for the door. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, baby… Please don’t leave me.”
“Sleep it off, Mam,” I deadpanned, unwilling to stick around to be her personal punching bag until she passed out. “I’ve got shit to clean up and your kids to feed.”
87
We Found Love in a Hopeless Place
AOIFE
With Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” blasting from the car stereo and my good nerves in tatters, I pulled up outside 95 Elk’s Terrace and killed the engine. Taking a few moments to compose my emotions, I pulled the visor down and checked my appearance in the tiny mirror.
Reapplying a fresh coat of Black Cherry, I pressed my lips together and practiced my best smile before blowing out a shaky breath and popping the lid of my lipstick back into place.
You can do this.
He’s still your Joey.
He’s still in there.
Bring him back.
Pulling my hair out of its ponytail, I fluffed it over my shoulders and tossed my hair tie on the passenger seat and then climbed out of the car.
Braced for trouble, I rounded the graffiti-stained wall surrounding their front garden, ignoring the usual overgrowth of grass and weeds as I moved for the front door with my fist raised to knock. However, the door opened before I had a chance to knock, and I was greeted by Shannon.
“Oh my god.” Relief flashed in her eyes, and she quickly snatched my hand up and pulled me inside. “Aoife.”
“Hi, chickie,” I replied, voice thick with emotion as I pulled her skinny little frame into my arms and hugged her a little tighter than I should. I couldn’t help it. The last time I’d laid eyes on her, I’d been afraid that it would be the actual last. Seeing her back on her feet, battered and bruised but with a smile on her face, was sending my pregnancy hormones into overdrive. “I was so bloody worried about you.”
“Thank you so much for what you did for me,” she squeezed out, hugging me back. “Getting me to the hospital so fast? The doctors told me that you guys saved my life. I wouldn’t have made it if I had gotten there any later.”
“That was all your brother,” I was quick to explain. “Joe was the one who made the call.”
“He’s always saving me,” she whispered, releasing her hold on me. “I wish I could do the same for him.”
Yeah, me, too.
“Where are the boys?”
“In their room playing,” she was quick to explain. “Mam’s in bed.”
“And Darren?”
