Page 18 of Releasing 10
“Well, I’m going back to Cork to my family home—where I belong, where that monster can’t find us!”
“Back to the back-ass of nowhere in Ballylaggin? And where do you expect me to work? Or do you expect me to pack up my family farm and take it with me?”
“You know I have money, Michael. That’s never been something we’ve had to worry about. For Christ’s sake, our children’s children won’t even have to worry. My father saw to that when he left me the family estate in his will.”
“I’m not living off your family’s generational fucking wealth, Catherine.”
“But it’s perfectly fine for us to live off the farm you inherited from your father?”
“Have you considered Caoimhe’s schooling? She’s halfway through sixth class and has switched primary schools three bloody times already, and that’s not even considering what another move will do to Elizabeth. You heard what her teacher said. She’s barely managing junior infants as it stands, and she has the other children terrified from her outbursts.”
“It’s called trauma, Michael, and you of all the people in the world should understand how she feels.”
“Don’t go there…”
“She’s an extremely bright girl, and you’d know that if you paid her a minute of your time. Do you remember even oneof the many positive things our daughter’s teacher had to say about her? No, of course you don’t, because you only hear the negative when it comes to Lizzie.”
“Can you blame me?”
“How dare you! There is nothing wrong with our daughter, but there is something very wrong with her father. What a coward you are, letting your fear blind you from loving our little girl.”
“That’s rich coming from the woman who hasn’t walked in my shoes.”
“In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one looking after Lizzie. I’m the one taking her to every appointment, not you.”
“I’ve paid every doctor you’ve taken her to, haven’t I?”
“And I’ve already told you that I have more than enough money to pay for them. There’s more to being a father than writing checks.”
Humming under my breath, I wrestled with the soap, trying to squish it between my hands. My eyes looked at me from the mirror and I frowned. I didn’t like to look at my eyes for too long. They scared me when they changed colors. They talked to me when they got dark. Inside my head. Whispers, whispers, whispers.
“And were you planning on leaving your cancer behind ya when you up and run again? Hmm? Because you’re halfway through your third round of chemo and in no fit state to leave the house, let alone the county!”
“They have hospitals in Cork, too, you know, and at least that horrible creature won’t find us in my hometown.”
“I’m not moving again, Catherine. I refuse to.”
“Fine, if you want to be stubborn and stay here to tend your farm, then go right ahead. But I’m going home, where it’s safe, and I’m taking our girls with me.”
“Look, can we just talk about this calmly before jumping the gun?”
“What’s to talk about? That monster found us, she took my child, and I’m leaving before she can do it again.”
“Yes, but she didn’t hurt her. She took her for a couple of hours and brought her back.”
“Without telling her mother she was taking her! Jesus Christ, Michael, the girls don’t even know the woman. Don’t you understand how dangerous this was? Anything could have happened to Lizzie!”
“Liz?” Caoimhe poked her head around the bathroom door and smiled. “There you are.”
I frowned when I saw her. She never smiled at me. She was always cross with me.
“Nothing happened. She brought her back without a mark on her.”
Caoimhe’s smile turned into a sad one. “Come on.” She held her hand out for me. “Come with me.”
“Why?” I asked, feeling confused.
“This time. What happens next time? What if she takes a turn and decides to…”
