“Your problem, not mine,” she replied, popping in another grape. “As I said, Ethan loves you. However, he also hates you.”
“Hates me?” I scoffed. “And here I’ve done nothing but love and defend him.”
“Then why did you abandon him?” she asked casually as if she expected me to answer her like it was not a heavy question.
“Oh, you don’t want to answer.” She went on when I didn’t speak, “Fine. That’s your cross to bear. So, bear it. Did you really think there would be no ramifications for dropping the whole world on his shoulders? He wasn’t even twenty—”
“My son was older than I was. He was smarter and stronger—”
“And weaker in another way, too. But you don’t see it because you are so confident that your son is the best and he lives up to it, right? You all broke him so he could be king, and now you are upset that he doesn’t run back into your arms? My existence annoys you because it reminds you that Ethan isn’t mio bel leoncino. That he will never look up to you like he did when he was a child like you were the sun, the stars, and the moon. You were, then you left him in darkness, and now the sight of you only irritate his eyes—”
“Shut up!” I snapped, rising from the couch. “You may think you know everything. But if you did, you wouldn’t have ended up with a bullet in you.”
“And if you knew everything, you wouldn’t have fired the gun.”
When did I allow myself to be spoken down to by the likes of her? Ignoring her, I moved back to the door.
“I am not the enemy! I just played one to get you here because we need you here to finish this. I don’t need to heal 100%. I don’t want to wait, either. I want this over.”
“Do you think I give a shit what you want?” I did my best not to holler. “You are Pandora’s box of lies, betrayals, and misery. A tool now rebelling on your makers. I don’t care how sad your past may have been. Your life means nothing to me.”
“Duh. I know. I’m counting on the fact it means something to your son to get you to help me—”
Turning around, I marched up to her bed, kicking the side of it, which sent her bed down, and I grabbed her morphine drip, hunching over her. “Listen to me very carefully, just because my son fucks you and calls you his wife doesn’t mean I won’t kill you. Don’t use my son against me, and watch your tongue when you talk to me, or I will cut it out of your mouth.”
She stared up at me, completely unbothered. “Then do it. You wouldn’t be the first mother I had who tried to take my life. I’m not scared of you. If you want my respect, then respect me, too. I’ve done nothing but help your precious son.”
“Oh, please, you’ve all but used him to save yourself—”
“Isn’t that what all marriages are? People coming together to save themselves? Emotionally. Physically. Financially. Isn’t that why Liam married you? To save his family? Have you treated your husband perfectly?” she sneered. “No, I’m not perfect, but I am perfect for Ethan. And he is perfect for me. So, get over yourself because unlike anyone and everyone you’ve ever faced before, you can’t win, Melody. Not unless you want to give up on your son.”
I pressed the damn morphine drip button, wishing I could kill her right this second.
“What is going on?”
I froze, hearing Ethan’s voice behind me.
“Your mom was just helping me. I wanted to rest a bit more,” she lied, looking directly at my face. “Thank you, you for the help, Mom.”
I dropped the drip and turned back to see both Ethan and Liam standing together, looking at me.
Saying nothing, I marched out of the room, going to the bathroom, stopping up the sink, and then turning on the water. I watched the bowl fill all the way to the top before putting my head inside. I stayed there, trying to calm myself down.
I couldn’t shake this anger, this frustration…this hurt.
That’s what it was…hurt.
I was hurt. My son, my little lion, was no longer little, and now he was swiping at me. It fucking hurt. And that girl…it was her who somehow brought up that hurt.
Coming up for air, I brushed my hair from my face, breathing in slowly.
“Grandma?”
Jumping, I turned to see Gigi staring at me wide-eyed, holding a stuffed dolphin. I just started at this little one like she was an alien. Then she grinned wide.
“I wanna try!”
“No,” I snapped at her.