Page 125 of Off The Ice

“You’re being dramatic.” Her mom huffed. “I’m fine.”

“That’s what you always say, but you’re only getting worse.” Cassie sounded so broken and lost.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I was sick, now I’m better. They wouldn’t have let me go if I wasn’t,” her mom said, sounding pretty damn sure of herself.

“But—”

“You know, honey,” her mom said swiftly, “I’m really glad you have a new boyfriend. This one is very handsome,” she said, holding a hand up conspiratorially as if she could block me from hearing.

“I—” Cassie fumbled. “Mom—”

“You know, her last one,” Cassie’s mom said to me, and I caught her eye in the mirror, “dated her for years and wouldn’t propose. Aren’t you sorry you wasted all that time now, honey? Just like I told you.”

“This isn’t about me.” Cassie was getting flustered.

I didn’t know what to do. My mind was whirling at the turn the conversation was taking.

“And she’s so bright, but she’s stuck in that little job of hers. I keep telling her she needs to go back to school, find something better.”

“I like my job, Mom,” Cassie said defensively, every part of her voice tight with tension.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Her mom shook her head with a smile. “You’ll never be able to support yourself on a teacher’s salary.”

“She doesn’t have to worry about that,” I interjected, hating the way Cassie’s entire being was deflating right before my eyes. “We do okay.”

“Still, I don’t want her to end up alone and poor,” her mom said. “If she couldn’t get the last one to commit—”

“Mom,” Cassie’s voice rang through the car. “Would you give it a rest? Just stop.”

“You’re so defensive.” Her mom frowned. “I’m just trying to help you, sweetheart.”

“I’m twenty-four years old. I make my own decisions,” Cassie countered. “I’m so sick of you coming at me because you’re embarrassed of your own life.”

“I’m embarrassing you?” her mom countered angrily. “You’re the one making a scene in front of a stranger!”

I tried to interject, to assure her she didn’t have to be embarrassed in front of me, but Cassie was fuming, her voice rising to an octave I’d never heard.

“He’s not a stranger. He’s Liam. He’s my—” Cassie paused. “Stop derailing the conversation. You need to get help. I can’t keep living like this over and over again. Worrying about you every second of the day. It’skillingme.” Cassie’s voice was pure agony, and I gripped her hand tightly as something inside of me broke.

“You’d think you’d be a little nicer to me. I did just get out of the hospital, you know.”

“How do you turn everything around on me every time?” Cassie laughed sardonically. “I’m concerned, mom. I’m scared for you. You’re going to die if you don’t stop drinking. The doctors told me that three hospitalizations ago. You willdie.”

Cassie’s mom fumed silently, turning her chin up and out the window. It was as if she put a wall up to shut Cassie out entirely.

“I never knew I was such a burden to you,” she said, voice flat and emotionless.

“Mom, I—” Cassie started but then stopped.

I pulled my car up to the address that Cassie had put into the GPS and turned the car off to show Cassie I wasn’t rushing her. She could take her time. Go help her mom settle in.

But the second we pulled up, her mom was already opening the door, as if she didn’t want to linger a second more than necessary.

Cassie opened her door, too, but her mom held up a hand to stop her.

“Stay in the car, Cassie,” she said firmly. “And don’t worry. Next time I need help, I’ll make sure not to bother you.”

And then she was gone.

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