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“We both figured that would be the deal. Your dad would apologize, and your mom would enable her.” I shrugged. “It’s how parents are.”
Or so I learned after moving in with my adoptive mother.
“I don’t understand how I’m the bad guy when Lacey stole my money.” Lucy stared at the passenger window. “It’s always been this way. She could murder someone, and they’d still ride to her rescue. Me? They threw me into the deep and told me to swim.”
That. That right there would always piss me off about parents, even in my cases, I found there was one parent who nurtured the fuck out of their kids and there’d always been an abusive parent. There were the rare cases where both parents were unfit, but it was usually one or the other. The exceptions to all the rules were the cases like Hunter’s, the parents who didn’t even know a child existed.
Lucy was right about one thing last night. I judged him too harshly. It was clear Hunter had no clue Destiny existed. So why did I examine him too closely under that microscope?
“You know what burns my ass,” Lucy said, drawing me from my thoughts. “The fact my father won’t stand up to my mother.”
“It’s fucked up, that’s for sure,” I agreed. “Why is your mom so bent on protecting your sister when it’s clear she needs help?”
“That’s like asking why the sky is blue or the trees are so tall. They’re so glaringly obvious. My mom loves Lacey more than me and will implode our relationship to protect her.”
The depth of sadness in Lucy’s voice twisted my insides. I didn’t know what to say to make the situation right because excuses weren’t answers.
“Well, you’ve got me. You’re doing the right thing, Lucy. Your mom might not see it now...” I shook my head. Lucy didn’t deserve to have smoke blown up her ass or false optimism. “She might never see it. No use in holding onto hope she will either. Sometimes parents are just blind to what their kids do.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” We pulled up toFlameand, like Mack promised, our cars were exactly where he said they would be. I sent half the payment for the Uber to Lucy, then got out. “What are you doing this weekend?”
I had a case to work on for Monday. After the incident with the Millers and the subsequent court hearing I attended, the court had wanted to do drug tests on all the remaining children within the household, along with the baby Mrs. Miller had been carrying. Unfortunately, she’d gone into pre-term labor and baby Reece was in the NICU. Her situation was a bit more dire than the others.
“Prepping for court on Monday,” I said. “I have a horrible case I am working on. To be honest with you, I’m tired of giving fifth and sixth chances to families, especially when they screw me over.”
That was the frustration talking.
“Well, I know no matter what happens, you’ll do the right thing. You always do.” Lucy lifted her chin to her car. “Before you do that, want to grab some breakfast? You still haven’t told me much about your Viking God. Beyond the whole make out and leaving part.”
I groaned. “I did a terrible thing.” I linked my arm with hers as we walked to our respective vehicles. “I’ll show you when we get to the little diner on 8th.”
“You’re on.”
I never shared my crushes or infatuations with others. Never really told Lucy, or anyone, about who I thought was attractive or my type. I’d always kept that information close to my chest. As a child, I learned early in the system, everything I said or did, or even didn’t do, could be used against me. So, I buried those feelings and interests. As an adult, and as a social worker with a degree in sociology and a minor in social work, I came to recognize the signs of reduced function of my prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. In simpler terms, I didn’t have the tools to properly understand social cues or the intimacy of social interactions. I had to learn them at an older age, when I felt safe.
Even today, I had to believe the reason I was a twenty-eight-year-old virgin had been because of my stunted growth. Sure, having Lucy as my friend along with some of my colleagues helped, but the vital parts I needed as a child, I’d never regained or acquired as an adult.
When we arrived at the diner, the afternoon rush was already there. The idea of spending time within the crowd of people sent a shiver of dread down my spine. The things I’d learned about myself over the years, included confined spaces with large groups of people, weren’t my thing. I guess it’s why when I got those invites to be with Wes or July or even Waverly’s birthday, I’d been so relieved when my work phone rang on the way out.
“Ugh,” Lucy said, as if reading my mind, “too many people for my brain after last night. Let’s get it to-go and head back to your place.”
A sigh of relief passed my lips as I nodded. “Or we could grabTino’s Pizzaand watch a game for a couple of hours before I have to buckle down.”
“You drive a hard bargain, sister.”
Before getting back into our respective cars, I put in the call to Tino’s for a couple of pies and some of their tiramisu. While Lucy headed to my house, I grabbed our food, then met her there. On the way up the stairs to my apartment, I made a small confession before putting the key into my lock. “You should know, I drunk texted Hunter last night.”
Lucy sucked in a breath before turning her head slowly toward me. Any other time, I would have found the motion extremely hilarious. Right now, I wasn’t sure if she was going to scream or blurt out something inappropriate. “What did you say?”
I pushed into my apartment, holding the door so Lucy could enter. “Something wholly inappropriate and indecipherable.”
Instead of her nodding her head, accepting my word, she held out her hand as I placed the pizzas on the kitchen island. “Phone. I need to see it.”
I sputtered, giving her what I hoped was my best, “are you crazy?” look. “I haven’t even answered him yet.”
“All the more reason for me to see what happened.” Lucy made gimmie hands, and I was powerless to resist her. “It’s embarrassing.”
“I bet it is,” she said with a hint of teasing. “Look, you wouldn’t have said anything if you didn’t want help. So, let me help you.”
