answer resentfully. I always have taken care of
them since I was fifteen years old. I don’t need
him or anyone else.
Aaron nods his head and goes back to work as I
try to gather my thoughts. Last month Danny
needed a new uniform, the month before that Carl
had an accident at work and was off for two
weeks. And now Ciara … I know how much it
costs Mom in pride to ask me for help and I have
to be honest, sometimes I really am afraid I won’t
be able to take care of all of them, but they are my
family and I’d live in the street in order to give
them what they need. I’ll make it. In a short while,
they’ll be able to take care of themselves, at least I
hope so. I have to hang tough another three, four
years, and then I’ll be able to think about myself,
like I’ve always planned to.
And I’ll think only about me.
1
Erin
I go downstairs the minute it’s daylight. I spent the
night in the apartment over the pub following
Rain’s advice that kept me company until the first
rays of dawn. She didn’t want me to go back home
and have to face him again. I need some caffeine
or some kind of shot in the arm after having spent
the night awake, but there’s nothing in the
apartment except the furniture and a few sparse
accessories. Nothing to drink or eat. It had been
empty for a long time before Liam moved in after
