Page 31 of Between Desire and Denial
“I was doing what I wanted for once. What my mother had always told me to do.”
“Your mother,” she scoffed. “As if I didn’t have a hand in raising you up to what you should become.”
“Raising me? Mymotherraised me, Georgette.” I wouldn’t take away that credit ever.
Georgette’s eyes narrowed, and they burned with that evil fire I knew she had in her. “Your father should have smacked you harder across your face the night you left. You were always ungrateful, and here you are, bringing her up in my house. Being ungrateful again.”
And that’s where the problem has always lied with us. I wouldn’t erase the memory of my mother. Ever. “This ishermother’s house, actually.” I raised my chin, ready to go to war with her, but then I held up my hands. “You know what? It doesn’t matter right now. Nothing matters but my brother. I’m not here to get into it with you.”
She flexed her thin fingers on the tumbler before she downed all that was in her glass. Then, she reached for mine. “Fine. Then, leave. Call your father about Knox. He’s the one running around with him half the time. I only took Knox to the doctor for his anxiety because your father was busy.”
“Dad was busy?” I deadpanned. Of course he was. Busy like he was when Mom got sick too.
“He’s taken much more of an interest in Knox as of late. They have actually been working on business outside of Paradise Grove.”
“What type of business?” My father had always been very involved in the film industry, but he made time for nothing else.
“Well, that’s not your concern. They’re providing for this household.” She said it so fast and in a high-pitched voice. I narrowed my eyes to try and find the lie. Something wasn’t right as I watched her smoothing her hair like she was irritated that I’d even ask. “Plus, it’s good for your brother to make connections in high places. Networking helps with success.”
“But with who? And if it’s the wrong sort of people, and he’s acting like this—”
“You think your father wouldn’t have your brother’s best interests at heart? Also the doctors prescribed this dosage.” She justified it again, as if his temperament was fine as long as doctors were involved. “We have worked on it, and we have balanced everything.”
“That’s not balanced.” I pointed upstairs, fury in my voice as I said it.
“How would you know?” She rolled her eyes and poured herself more vodka. “You haven’t been around.”
“I’ve… been working.” It wasn’t a good enough excuse. I knew that. I took a deep breath as I settled on what I knew had to be done. “But he needs someone.” He needed support. He needed a family. He needed our mom.
But she wasn’t there. And I couldn’t bring her back. All I could offer was myself.
“Well, he’s got his friends and us.” Georgette checked her watch, making it obvious she wanted me gone. “Anyway, if you’re waiting to see your father, you won’t.”
“Knox’s also got me. I’ll be here.” I was going to make sure I’d be here whether he wanted me to be or not. I chewed my cheek as I stared at the stairs.
Georgette didn’t seem to care about the proclamations I was making. “Whatever. I need to get back to work. So you need to leave. And don’t go bother Knox with a goodbye. He’s quiet, which means he’s asleep. Next time, call before you come over too. Unannounced visits aren’t best for our family.” She waved me toward the front door, making it clear she didn’t feel I belonged in that family of hers.
I didn’t. And my brother didn’t either.
I wiped away the tears forming in my eyes and told myself I needed a new plan. Suddenly I’d discovered the roots I’d had in Paradise Grove were all tangled up and buried deeper than I realized as I thought of my brother being a shell of a human here in this place. I wouldn’t leave him here.
Not again.
I tried not to talk to a single person on the way back to Dimitri’s. I stalked down the sidewalk, passing a couple of homes with my head down, but I was just one house away when I heard, “Olive Bee? That really you? You’re back?”
I winced before looking up and seeing Jameson standing on the porch of the house next to Dimitri’s.
“I go just by Olive now, Jameson.”
He chuckled that familiar laugh that used to give me butterflies. “Aw, well.” He shook his head like he wasn’t going to listen. He was a few years older than me, but we’d always found a way to hang out when we were young, and then we sniffed around one another as we got older. He’d come back from college for my mother’s funeral and walked with me for hours that day, telling me leaving home would be the best thing I could do if that’s what my mom had wanted for me.
“You finally home to stay?” He lifted a dark eyebrow that matched his almost jet-black hair.
“For a while.” I crossed my arms and rocked back on my heels before I saw a little girl come running full speed out of the house. She didn’t even hesitate when she got to the porch stairs, and I gasped just as Jameson caught her in his arms without even turning his head.
The smile that spread across Jameson’s face showed me that he was attached to her. “She’s practicing being a flying squirrel.”
“Oh.” I didn’t really know what to say. Jameson with a kid was surprising enough, and him being responsible was even more so. “You have a daughter.”
