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“What?” I shrugged unapologetically. “You are.”
“I’m not doing any of this to hurt you,” my brother was quick to defend. “I’m trying to protect your sobriety, Joe.”
“It’s not yours to protect,” I snapped. “It’s mine, Darren. Staying clean is my responsibility. Looking after myself is my goddamn responsibility, not yours, and no offense, but I’ve been doing it for long enough without ya.”
“Yeah,” he muttered, rubbing his jaw. “And look where being left to your own devices got you.”
I narrowed my eyes in disgust. “It’s a good thing I’m reformed, because that snide comment deserves a smack in the mouth.”
“Okay, everyone,” Dr. B interjected. “Let’s just take a breather, shall we?”
“If he wants to come home with us, then I really don’t see why you would want to stop him—or how, for that matter,” Edel interjected hotly.
Everyone started speaking over each other then.
The doctors.
The therapists.
The social workers.
The bulldozing blond.
My brother.
“All I’m trying to do is protect him,” Darren exclaimed, throwing his hands up in defeat. “That’s it.”
“Nobody is questioning your intentions, Darren.”
“I am.” I held a hand up and waved it around. “I’m questioning his intentions.”
“Darren is concerned that without schooling or college to focus on, Joey will fall back into old patterns,” another member of my team offered, turning to the Kavanaghs. “He’s also worried that Aoife belongs to the same friendship circle where Joey was exposed to substance abuse in the first place.”
“Well, I don’t believe that for a second,” Edel was quick to defend. “And if you met the girl, you’d wholeheartedly agree with me.”
“She was never a part of the problem,” I repeated for what felt like the millionth time. “She was never a part of the drug scene. I’ve told you this.”
“Not to mention the pressure of a newborn baby,” Greg, my turncoat counselor, chimed in. “It’s a lot to put on his shoulders.”
“And what about her shoulders?” I demanded, glaring at him. “Aoife’s fucking shoulders? She’s the one at home having to deal with all of this on her own. Have you thought about that?”
“Our job is to consider your welfare.”
“And my job is to consider hers!”
“Aoife has her family to look after her, Joey,” I heard Darren say. “Why can’t you let yours look after you?”
“Because she is my family, Darren!” I roared, losing my cool. “How do you not get that? You’re a smart fella. Christ, you have a fancy education and a shiny college degree under your belt, so how can you be so fucking dense?”
“Joe—”
“How can you not see that what you’re doing here is wrong?”
“Joey, please calm down.”
Like hell I was calming down.
“You know I’d be dead without her, right?” I declared hoarsely. “This entire conversation wouldn’t be happening because I wouldn’t be here to argue about if it wasn’t for Aoife Molloy.”
