Page 73 of Insidious

She nods faintly, seeming to understand.

“And then she came back. And lately, it’s been too much.”

Dad speaks for the first time.

“I told you, Manon. I told you that girl was trouble.”

“Yeah,” she says, in a daze. “You did say that.”

My mum looks up again. Her eyes shine with tears.

She just looks … sad.

“I thought I was helping Chloe,” she says. “I guess I always blamed you for the split. I wish I had known … Wish I had listened …”

“I know.” And I do.

“But I’m not her parent,” I say. “I’m not even her friend anymore. I can’t keep being responsible for her. I can’t get her groceries. I can’t help if her fuse box shorts. She needs to find a life, and it’s not ever going to be with me.”

Mum nods slowly.

“I see that now.”

I hesitate before I say it.

“And Luna doesn’t like her. Which means I don’t want to be anywhere near her.”

My mum’s eyes flick to Luna. She doesn’t move, only offering her a deadpan stare.

“You shouldn’t have invited her to our baby shower without telling us. And you definitely shouldn’t have brought her into the room after Amelie was born. I wouldn’t like any ex of hers within a five-mile radius of Luna,” I explain. “She doesn’t like her,” I repeat. “And she’s not wrong. And I’ve already hurt Luna enough. I’m not doing anything that makes it worse. Not for you. Definitely not for an ex who means nothing to me.”

No one interrupts.

“I didn’t realise it had come to this,” my mum says after a moment. “I am so sorry I missed the signs. I don’t know what I was thinking, bringing her to the hospital room on the day Amelie was born. I am so sorry, Luna.”

There is a different silence now.

“I’m sorry,” she says again, “for missing what you were going through, Luna. I wasn’t helping at all, was I?”

I shake my head once.

“Thank you for saying that, Manon,” Luna finally replies. “But I need time. I don’t trust you.”

Mom flinches but says nothing. I reach for my keys.

“I need you to let this go,” I reiterate, in case it wasn’t clear. “When it comes to me, I am no longer Chloe’s errand boy.”

Mum nods again. I choose to believe her. I hope this is a turning point and not the moment I have to distance myself.

“You’ve always been right about a lot of things,” I say, glancing back. “We’ve always listened.” A faint, tired smile crosses her face. “But not this time. This time, I was so wrong, and so were you.”

She exhales softly— “No. Not this time.” I nod. “Luna is my life,” I say quietly.

“I know,” my mum replies.

There’s no hesitation in it.

Then, she turns to Luna, who is settling Amelie back into her carrier.