to hurt her more than she can
hurt me. “Go ahead. Kick me
out. Hunter and I will go live
with Dad in Albuquerque.”
Okay, that was semivicious.
The look on Mom’s face
is indescribable—a mixture
of disbelief, panic, and rage.
She tries to sputter an answer,
but Scott interrupts her. Over
my dead body will you take
this baby out of here. Have
you gone completely insane?
He would be dead in a week.
What is he talking about?
The anger, hot and red inside
me, boils over completely.
“Do you really think I’d kill
my fucking baby? What kind
of a person do you think I am?”
I notice Jake, standing in the
archway, staring. “What the fuck
are you looking at, you
freaking little monster?”
Now Hunter does start to cry.
I reach toward him, but Mom
shakes her head. No. Jake,
please take Hunter upstairs.
I expect a heated spew, but
she stays completely calm.