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“Gene, get some ice for his machine.” She directs my father, then turns to Casey. “Go get your father some pillows. I’ll get dinner started. Henry,” she turns to him with hopeful eyes, “are you staying?”
If I were blind, deaf, and in the building across the street, the way my mom flits around, barking out orders, and making plans for and with everyone in the room, but Lily wouldn’t go unnoticed. It’s irritating the hell out of me. She can’t pretend she doesn’t know we’re together. She’s being unwelcoming and fucking rude on purpose.
I also see how Lily is doing her damnedest to let it wash over her. She’s taken every dig in stride. I’m the one who’s struggled the last few days. Blame it on the pain, but my patience is at an all-time low.
“No, Dee. I need to get home and relieve Trou—I mean Ashleigh. The baby didn’t sleep much last night or today.”
Mom nods. “I expect to see that baby before I leave.” She turns to Lily, and all the warmth she had for Henry turns to a block of ice. My teeth grind, but Lily gives me the subtlest of nods. “And what about you… dear,” Is she fucking serious? Is she really going to pretend she doesn’t know Lily’s name? What kind of childish bullshit is this? “Will you be joining us?”
I’m trying to be calm. She doesn’t know Lily lives here. She only knows we’re together.
But I can literally feel my blood pressure rising. There’s a tight thumping behind one eye that spreads across my forehead. My face feels like it’s on fire, and my head feels stuffed with insulation.
Hot-headed. I get it now.
And Lily just fucking smiles at her. What the fuck is going on here? My girl is an amazing actress, able to perfectly fool everyone in the room into believing she’s a sweet little, well-mannered angel, but this?
When the hell did our roles reverse because I’m about to lose my shit.
“Yes. I’ll be here.”
My mom hums. Fucking hums.
Henry catches my expression, his eyes getting wide. “Um, when are you leaving, Dee?” Like a good best friend, he tries to change the subject and alleviate the tension.
I could’ve told the dumbass that wasn’t the question to ask.
“I’ll be here until Liam is out of that chair, at the very least. As you said, you have a new baby. Casey has school. There’s no one to take care of him.”
That’s it. I’m over this passive-aggressive bullshit.
I take a breath and the color drains from Casey’s face. She looks at Henry with wide, pleading eyes. “Uncle H, can you take me home, please?”
“Casey, what about dinner?” Mom asks. God bless the woman. She has never been able to read a room.
“She can go. We aren’t having dinner,” I growl.
Henry and Casey don’t waste time running for the door. Casey practically climbs over him, trying to get out the door first.
“Liam,” my mother scolds when they’re out the door. “I know you don’t feel well, but that’s no excuse to be rude to your best friend and your daughter.”
“Oh, my best friend and daughter know exactly why I’m fucking pissed. And it has nothing to do with pain and everything to do with you being rude to Lily for days. You’ve just disguised it with your dears, sweethearts, darlins’, and bless your hearts.”
My mom’s mouth falls as she spins to face my dad. “Gene, are you going to let him speak to me like that?”
My dad meets my eyes. Pride fills them as he nods slowly. “It’s his house, and he’s right. You have been rude to Lily.”
“Maybe I should go get dinner and let you have a family conversation,” Lily suggests. To anyone else, it would appear she’s trying to get away from the awkward conversation, but she’s truly just giving me the chance to speak with my mother alone.
There’s one problem with what she said. She is my family, and one day she will be my parents’ family too, if I have anything to say about it.
“Yes, I think you should,” my mom says. At the same time, I say, “You are my family.”
My mom snaps her head toward me with wide eyes. “Stop with the looks, Mom. You know we are together. Stop treating her like an intruder, especially in her home.”
“Her h… She lives here? Liam, you cannot be serious about her?”
“Deanna, watch it,” Dad warns as he glares at her.
