Chapter 76

“Hey,” I’m met with my Mom sitting in the kitchen looking tense and cradling a coffee, and I realize she through here to stay out of the firing zone. I know her, though, staying close enough to listen if Rylanne loses his shit. He maybe only hit Bree once, but that was enough for everyone in the family never to trust him when he is like this. The drink is his demon, which is a big clue to him hitting the bottle again. He has been to rehab more than I have had hot dinners and has relapsed a million times more.

“Hi, darling.” She looks distracted, trying to act cool and pretend he’s not on one again, and I play along. This act we do when he’s at the start of another nosedive.

“I went for a walk along the beach. It’s good to be home.” I smile as I pass her, leaning to kiss her on the cheek, and set about making myself cocoa to make noise to cover the shouts. I need to warm my bones up, and I’m starving too. I am trying not to care about what they could be arguing about, but