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Mom’s eyes widen. “Jeremy.”
Two shocked faces appear behind her, half hidden in the shadows of the hallway.
Nononono.
“Get out,” I say shakily, backing up, and out of line of sight of the hall. My eyes and throat are on fire. “Get out.” My heart’s racing, and it’s getting harder to catch my breath. “Get. Out.”
Mom’s mouth tightens and she glances behind her. “Boys, why don’t you go downstairs and get started on homework. Isobel, you too.” She gives my sister a nod and makes a shooing motion when she tries to argue. Izzy casts me one last look, face bunched in that way it does when she’s trying not to cry. “Fine,” she mutters.
From the hall, I hear Mason, say, “But?—”
Mom closes the door on them, leaving just the two of us.
I cover my ears and hang my head, gritting my teeth.
Go away, go away, go away.
Mom drops down in front of me, and presses a hand over my chest. “Come on, bubs. You can do this. Inhale. Count to five. One…”
I do as she says, and it hurts—hurts so bad. Burns.
And I imagine that’s exactly what’s happening.
A fire blazing through me, snuffing out all these ugly, big feelings I have. Making room for me to breathe again.
“Exhale…”
I blow out a long breath, feeling my body deflate. The flames extinguished.
Mom’s arms come around me then, and she cups the back of my head, guiding it down to her shoulder. “That’s it. Better?”
Sniffling, I nod.
“Come sit with me.”
Taking my hand, she leads me to the bed.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
I shrug, and stare at my feet kicking out along my carpet.
“Come on, sweet boy. You know you can tell me anything.”
My kicking stops, and I peek a look up at her through my messy hair. She pushes it back with her fingers and gives me an encouraging smile.
“She said Mason’s her boyfriend now,” I mutter.
Her brows creep up toward her hairline and she straightens to look off at some distant spot over my head. “I see,” she murmurs.
“Why can’t she just ever be happy with the way things are?”
Mom laughs softly at that and shakes her head, looking back down to meet my gaze. “Well, if that’s not a loaded question.” She combs her fingers through my hair. “I don’t know if I’d say she wasn’t happy with just being friends…” she says carefully.
“But she always wants more. Nothing is good enough for her. And she just…she just takes it. It’s not fair.”
Mom says nothing to that, and I hunch my shoulders, feeling real hot all of a sudden.
“Everything’s gonna be different now.”
