Page 163 of The Secret We Keep
My dad sighs, his jaw ticking. “And?”
Paddy tears his gaze off me. “And I told her I couldn’t because she wasn’t well.”
You’re never going to get better.
“What did you tell her exactly?”
“That I needed to get her home. That’s it. That’s all I said.”
My dad nods. “We’ll look after her from here.”
Paddy lunges in my direction. “No. I’m not fucking leaving her.”
Surprising me, my dad embraces Paddy, calming him. “Alright. Alright.”
Paddy grabs at the back of his shirt, gripping it firmly as he looks at me over my dad’s shoulder.
I’m struck by my father’s compassion. “Why are you upset, Paddy?”
The look on his face is like I’ve just signed my death warrant. His eyes are wide as if he’s unsure of what to do or how to react.
My dad lets him go, and he wipes under his eyes. “I’m fine, curly fries.” He looks at Dad. “Holly should be here any minute.”
“I’ll grab a few things and wait for her,” Dad replies.
Paddy nods in his direction, then comes to the side of my bed.
“You’re crying.” I lift a hand to the side of his face, feeling the stubble on his cheek.
“I’m good.” His hand raises to the back of his neck, but he stops himself, seeing me watching him. “I was worried about you. That’s all.”
You’re never going to get over this.
“Why?”
He blows out a ragged breath. “Because you mean so much to me, curly fries.”
Dad makes his way back into the room with my brother close behind him. “Here.” He passes my mother something, holding out a glass of water.
“Take these, Morgan,” she says.
I sit up slowly, eyes looking between everyone. My body’s weary. My muscles ache. “I’m tired.”
Mum looks at me sympathetically, holding out her hand as she replies, “You had an episode, love.”
“Julie,” Dad warns, but Mum shakes her head.
“No more, Bill.”
He gasps, and even Jerry looks at me, worried.
“Look at her. Look at our child.” Her eyes brim with tears as she reluctantly encourages me to swallow the tablets in her hand. “Look at what we’ve done to her.”
“We did what was best.”
Mum shakes her head, a valley of tears leaving wet tracks on her cheeks. “It wasn’t best for her.” She looks at me with remorse haemorrhaging from her. “Paddy was right.”
There’s no comment. No words of disagreement. No nothing from anyone as they all stand and stare at me.
