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“Do you wanna talk to her?” he murmured.
I shook my head and then sighed. “I have to.”
Carmine stepped aside.
“Mother. Father.”
“Is that all the greeting you have for us?” Mother demanded.
“You disowned me. I very much doubt hugs and kisses are appropriate, not that they ever were,” I said boldly.
Carmine growled lightly from behind me.
“You’re dismissed. This is a private family matter,” Father informed Carmine.
Carmine’s eyebrows hitched. “Did he just dismiss me?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes.” I wanted to let Carmine loose on them, but it wasn’t worth it. I laid a hand on his arm and turned to my parents. “You can say anything in front of him. I don’t have any secrets from Carmine.”
“No? We’ll see. Now, Molly, we need you to pull the plug on the foolishness you have going here. It’s not viable for South Dakota—”
“Enough. Do you know how many times I and others have said South Dakota hasn’t a volcano? How many times we’ve said laccoliths don’t erupt? I’m not crazy or a crackpot. I’m not running around spouting unsubstantiated theories. Believe me, I’m well aware of the geological structure of South Dakota. I’m a fucking expert on it now. Nevertheless, the situation is escalating rapidly.
“EROS was recording the same data as me but not acting on it. We wasted three years not studying this phenomenon, thanks to Dr White’s agenda. I never claimed there was a volcano under South Dakota. But that is what Dr White heard, and he saw an opportunity to tear me down and took it.
“And now you’re here to do his dirty work? Why? My theory was based on facts, not fantasy, but neither of you gave me a chance to explain. You both immediately believed Dr White’s report without talking to me and acted. Why? I was your daughter; you should have given me the courtesy of hearing me out,” I cried.
“The rubbish you were spewing would have damaged our reputations too!” Mother stated.
“And that’s all you care about. Well, what about your careers when it comes out you ridiculed and disowned your own child? When the community learns that no matter what is said, there is fuckin’ volcanic activity here, what then? And learning you chased away the person who recognised that? That you had your head so far up your own asses you were willing to risk hundreds of lives rather than listen to your daughter’s theory.
“The glory from this discovery will go to Molly, Dr Jones-White, and their team. You’ll be the ones laughed at for being closed-minded. Idiotically, you threw away the chance of a lifetime. And as for being Molly’s parents? The fuck you are. You’re a sperm and egg donor. You’ve never been a family, I know about the Christmases she spent alone, unloved. How youfarmed her out to boarding school and forgot about her. Call yourself a mom and dad?” Carmine snapped.
I stared at Carmine in surprise. There was emotion behind Carmine’s words, and the hateful glare he sent at Mother and Father was genuine. Damn. A slow feeling snaked its way through me, and I realised that’s what it felt like to be cared about.
“How dare you talk to us like that!” Father exclaimed.
“Tell me it’s not true,” Carmine taunted. “You can’t. You look at Molly as an extension of yourself. Neither of you care what hurt and humiliation she suffered. All you worry about is yourselves. Well, get on with it. You threw Molly away. That means she’s mine to keep, and she now belongs to my family. Take your asshole attitudes and walk. There’s nothing here for you.”
“Is that your last word?” Mother asked me. “Are you going to let him talk for you?”
“Why not? You let Father speak for us. If Carmine’s wrong, answer me this. When is my birthday?” I inquired.
Father’s face went blank, and Mother gained a stricken look.
I let out a bitter laugh.
“You can’t even tell me when I was born. Something any parent would know, but if I asked when Stromboli erupted…”
“Twenty-nineteen,” Father stated instantly.
“Wow. Seriously?” Carmine asked with pure derision. “Babe, we’re done here.”
Carmine opened the door, and I climbed in. I didn’t bother looking at my parents. They didn’t even know when my birthday was. Carmine shut the door and walked around to climb into the driver’s seat.
“Okay?” he asked.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. Yeah, I was fine. I always was.
