Eric grabs James by the arm, not letting him leave. “I’m too drunk to fight off Dad. He stays, Ma.”
I close my eyes and fight tears. This is happening. Our secret is about to be exposed. In front of the neighbor no less.
“Fucking say it,” Mike snaps, making me jump and my eyes pop open. “You fucked up your life in New York, so you thought you’d fuck up your life you have here too?”
“Mike,” Mom hisses. “Stop it. You’re angry and saying things you don’t mean.”
Eric’s eyes well with tears. It breaks my heart to see him so upset. I sniffle as a hot tear streaks down my cheek.
“I’ve been fucking my sister, er, stepsister,” Eric blurts out, slurring more than before. “I’m sorry.”
I clutch my hand to my chest. Pain there makes it feel as if my heart might burst. It hurts. It really hurts.
“No,” Mom whispers.
Mike storms over to Eric and snatches him by his ugly sweater. “What the hell did you just say?”
“Mike,” James says gently, “step back, man. He’s wasted. Not the best time to hash this out.”
I rush over to them and tug my stepfather away. “It’s not all on him. We did it together.”
He whirls around and glowers at me. “How long? Since you two were teens? My God we’ve been so fucking stupid.”
“Mike!” Mom barks out. “Enough. You’ve had too much to drink too. We’re not having this heavy conversation tonight.”
“I’ll get him out of here,” James says. “Come on, man.”
I sob quietly as James helps Eric put his coat on. Eric can’t even look at me. He’s too ashamed. I ache to go to him, but that’ll only make it all that much worse. After a few minutes, James ushers Eric out and they disappear into the night.
I’m left picking up the pieces of this all by myself.
“What the hell is wrong with you two?” Mike demands, pain etched in his face. “How could you?”
Mom’s chin wobbles and mascara streaks her face.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I should go.”
“No,” Mom cries out. “It’s not safe.”
“I’ll be fine. Frosty needs to eat and be let out.”
I grab my stuff and hightail it out of there. At least, at home, I’ll be free to cry all night in bed with my dog. I can’t stay here another minute.
My life is ruined. In one, careless moment, it was ruined.
Honorable mention.
We didn’t win the gingerbread contest, and I don’t even care. In fact, I don’t care about anything right now. It’s been two days, and Eric is missing. Not totally. He was thoughtful enough to send me a text to let me know he’s been crashing at James’s place. But, all contact thereafter, was ignored.
I’m all alone.
Again.
My phone buzzes and I snatch it up hoping to see something from Eric. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, it’s not him.
Casey: Come over. Brayden will make something yummy.
Me: Me and Frosty are watching movies. Too tired.
