“Youact like one!” I shout as I put the kettle on and turn around to face him.
“Your mother and I have bent over backwards to make this as easy as possible for you, and you don’t get to be a little shit any longer. It ends now, Callan.”
“You didn’t need to bend over backwards. You should’ve just let me stay with Nan, and we’d all be fucking happy.” My fingers dig into the edge of the counter, and I swear to God, if Da continues with this bullshit, I won’t be responsible for my actions.
“Grow the fuck up, Callan. I’m not having the same argument repeatedly. Your mother and I have explained ourselves over and over.” Some of the anger fades from his face as he steps up to me. “You’re our son. Our responsibility. You know we worry about your mental health. We?—”
“If that was true, you’d have left me behind in Ireland,” I shout, instantly enraged. “I’m way more depressed now than I was after the Liverpool trials.”
“Callan, no.” Tears glisten in Mum’s eyes as she lays a hand on her chest. “Don’t say that.”
“It’s the fucking truth. I’m miserable here. I want to go home.” The button clicks on the kettle, and it switches off.
“This is your home now.” Da’s jaw pulls into a tight line. “The sooner you accept it, the easier it will be for all of us.”
“I don’t want to accept it!” I roar, throwing my hands in the air. “I don’t want to fucking be here! Why can’t you get that into your thick skulls!”
“You listen here, you ungrateful little prick.” Da pushes himself all up in my face.
“Tony, no!” Ma tries to slide in between us, but neither of us is budging. “Don’t do this, please.”
“Stay out of this, Ma. This is between Da and me,” I say without looking at her. I know if I see tears on her face, I’ll back down, and I’m sick of Da thinking he has the upper hand all the time.
“This impacts all of us, Callan. This isn’t just between you two.”
“This is all your fault, but you’re still trying to blame me!” I say, shoving Da’s shoulders. “Get the fuck out of my face, old man.”
Da grabs my shirt. “You really don’t want to push my buttons right now, Callan.”
I sneer at him, loving I have the height advantage. “You really don’t want to push mine.”
“Tony, please. This isn’t the way,” Ma cries, attempting to pull Dad away from me.
“I hate you,” I hiss, glaring at my dad, hoping he feels every word of it. “You have ruined my life.”
“I’ve given you every fucking opportunity! We could’ve bought a place in the city to be closer to my job, but we settled here because the high school has one of the best soccer teams in the state. Not to mention the soccer scholarship opportunities at Bennington Turo. We give you a generous allowance so you don’t have to work and have the time to commit to training and matches. We pay your gym membership at the most expensive gym in town because you said it has the best facilities. We even bought you a fucking truck, and your ma has all these plans fordoing up your room so you’ll feel more comfortable here. Right now, I’m questioning the whole damn thing because you don’t fucking deserve any of it!”
“Then you know what to do, right?”
“Stop it!” Erin raises her voice to be heard over the shouting. “Stop fighting all the time,” she cries as Ma rushes to her side.
Fuck.
I take a deep breath as Dad and I automatically separate, putting distance between us.
“I’m sorry, princess.” Dad leans down to kiss Erin’s brow.
“Why do you and Callan have to argue all the time. It makes me so sad.”
Well, double fuck. Guilt jumps up and viciously bites me.
“Don’t worry about it. It’ll all be okay,” Dad lies without looking at me.
Tears are rolling down Mum’s face as Erin clings to her side, and I feel like the biggest dickhead.
Da kisses Ma, quietly whispering in her ear, before he grabs his briefcase and exits the kitchen, taking all of my anger with him.
“Sorry, Pixie,” I say, crouching in front of her.
