Page 102 of Releasing 10
I shook my head.
“You’re going to take one of these pills every night,” he continued to threaten. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“I don’t want to,” I cried, hating the sensation of the pill sliding down the back of my throat. “Please don’t make me take more medicine.”
TWO WEEKS TOO MANY
Hugh
JANUARY 17, 1997
SINCE STARTING FIRST CLASS LASTSEPTEMBER, LIZ TOOK THE THREE O’CLOCK BUShome from school with me. However, two weeks had passed since we’d returned to school after Christmas break, and Lizzie still hadn’t returned.
I knew what that meant.
She was sick again.
After tormenting my mother for days to call Lizzie’s mother, Mam finally gave in last night. After spending half an hour on the phone with Catherine, Mam returned to my room to assure me that Lizzie hadn’t gone back to hospital, but that she was at home in bed with the flu.
Maybe she was, but none of it sat well with me, and I was losing patience fast.
By the time Mam left for work on Saturday morning, I had reached my limit. Sneaking into the kitchen was a doddle when Caoimhe was in charge because she spent most of her time with her tongue down the cretin’s throat.
Thankfully, she didn’t bring him inside too often when she babysat during the daytime, choosing to hang out in the garden instead.
Dialing the phone number that I learned off by heart at the age of seven, I held the receiver to my ear and listened to the shrill ringing sound.
“Hello?” a familiar voice came down the line.
“Hi, Mike, it’s me,” I replied, keeping my tone even. “Can I speak to Lizzie please?”
“Elizabeth’s still under the weather, Hugh,” her father replied in a friendly tone. Mike liked me a lot, and while the feeling wasn’t entirely reciprocated on my end, I always made an effort to be polite. “She’s upstairs resting.”
“Yeah, I know she’s sick,” I replied, careful not to let my emotions get the better of me when all I wanted to do was screamput her on the fucking phone. “But it’s really important that I speak to her. I wouldn’t ask you otherwise, Mike.”
“Hold on, son,” he said, giving in way quicker than I had anticipated. “I’ll go and see if she’s up for a chat.”
“Thanks, Mike.”
Several nail-biting minutes ticked in silence by before Lizzie came on the phone. “Hello?”
“Liz.” Gripping the phone like my life depended on it, I sagged against the wall and exhaled a relieved breath. “It’s me.”
It took her longer than usual to respond. “Hugh?”
“Yeah, Liz, it’s me.”
“Hi.”
“Are you okay?” I managed to ask, while my heart thundered in my chest. “I heard you have the flu?”
“The flu?” There was another long, exaggerated pause, before she mumbled, “Oh yeah.”
“You don’t sound good, Liz.”
“I’m okay…just…tired.” Several seconds ticked by before she added, “I have to go now, Hugh.”
“Liz, wait—”
