Page 49 of Until Ace

“Or the time I had the flu, but you demanded I get out of bed, clean the kitchen, and empty the dishwasher, which ended with you hitting me across the back, because I was bent over and coughed on the clean dishes? Was that also taking care of me?”

“Another lie.”

“It’s true, Mom,” Nicole states.

“Or how about when Dad ended up in the hospital with a severe anxiety attack after you guys screamed the house down while fighting, and while we were in the waiting room, terrified for what the doctor would say, thinking it was a heart attack? Was that taking care of me?”

“Lies. It never happened.”

“It happened,” Nicole says, louder this time.

“Or what about when I told you I was going to college and was moving out? Was your first reaction to say no ‘caring’ about me? And then when you saw I was not backing down and you started hitting me wherever you could reach, was that taking care of me, Mom?”

“It didn’t happen!”

“It did,” Nicole again confirms my words.

“And that’s only what’s always on my mind. We can’t forget the sweet nothings you called me or the supportive things you said to me, like calling me a whore, a nobody. Telling me I am and will always be a failure. That I’m ungrateful, spoiled, unlovable, unworthy of anything.” My voice breaks on the last words, and I take a deep breath so I won’t cry. I refuse to give in to my desperation in front of her anymore.

“So tell me, Mom, was all that taking care of me? Of family?”

I don’t know what I expected from her, but the silence I get wasn’t it. Looking at her, for the life of me, I can’t summon up anything other than the complete numbness that’s left from hurtling all she did to me at her.

I know it won’t last.

Soon, the emotions will come pouring in. But I’ll deal with them later.

“Please, get out,” I whisper.

“So, you won’t help your brother out?” She has the audacity to ask the question again.

“Get the fuck out,” Ace growls.

She looks at him, then at me. “Nicole, come. I know when we’re not wanted.”

My sister sends me a look I can’t decipher, but I nod my thanks to her. Without her, there’s a real chance my mother could convince me that I made everything up. She has that much power over me.

Or… had?

They turn to go, but Mom turns her head. “You will be sorry for this, Mandy! One day, you’ll regret what you just did.”

And with that parting shot, which successfully tore through my heart, she walks out of my home.

Chapter 10

Mandy

“I’m sorry,” I whisper in the stifling silence that remains after they leave.

God, even after they’re gone, I can still hear the words echoing through the apartment, and all I want to do is crawl under something and hide until… well, forever.

“What?” Ace snaps, making me flinch.

“I-I’m sorry,” I repeat a little louder.

He turns and looks at me. His eyes travel over my face, his gaze trying to penetrate my skin.

He stands in front of me, staring at me with a look I can’t figure out. His muscles are taut like he’s preparing to either just turn and walk out or to tear my apartment to smithereens—not that it would take too much effort to do it.