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“Hayden?”
“Margie has told me how shitty you are to her at work. I’m not having it, Reagan. She’s told me how you bully her. How she had to ring your superior and tell him about it. She cried. I think it’s you that needs to take a good look at herself. You’re not all that, Reagan.”
“Me? Hayden. How could you say that? You’re my brother.”
“Margie and I are together and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Mom’s happy for us. Why can’t you be?”
“Because she can’t fucking fool me. Not anymore.”
The door opens behind us and we all look at the same time. Mom and Margie walk in together, laughing.
“Oh, Reagan. Hey, sweetheart.”
“Mom.” I nod, swallowing past the dryness of my throat.
“Hey, Reagan.” Margie lifts her hand up in a wave. “Hey, Ruby.” Her light and breezy voice annoys me to no end, I want to rip her fucking head off. I’m so sick of this sweet and innocent act when I know so much better.
“Margie,” my brother and I say at the same time.
“Ask her,” I tell my brother in a low voice.
With narrowed eyes and tight lips, he turns to Margie.“I have to ask you something… Where’s your family?”
Right on cue, it’s like someone’s turned on a tap and the waterworks start. Her eyes turn glassy and she drops her head to look at the floor as she whimpers. “I’ve told you, Hayden, they’re dead. I hate talking about it.”
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry.” He goes to her, wrapping her in his arms and cradling her head.
“When did they die, Margie?” I ask not giving a fuck. She’s not even crying. She can turn it on and off like a switch.
“Reagan,” Hayden snaps.
“A while ago, but it still really hurts. I just can’t bear to talk about it.”
“Where did you get your qualifications, Margie?”
“I’m putting a stop to this right now,” Mom butts in. “Reagan, you’re my daughter and I love you very much, but this has to stop, right now. I won’t have you come to my house and accuse this poor girl of things that are out of her control. The poor girl has nobody but us.”
“She’s crazy.” I close my eyes and an impatient sigh leaves my lips. “Can you not grasp that? She’s trying to turn you against me because of something innocent that I did at college.”
Mom’s eyebrows pull together as she looks between us, her eyes narrowing slightly. College? What’s this got to with college?
Twisting my lips up to the side, I look at mom then Margie. Now she has to listen to me. “College is where it all started. Obviously, we didn’t know that until today.”
“Oh Reagan, college has been a while ago now. You’ve always had an overactive mind.”
“She wants my job. You both know my job is my life and you’d see me with nothing?”
“No, we want you to see a doctor. We’ll stand by you. You have a stressful job. You just need a break sweetheart.” “Yeah, so Hayden has already said.” I burst into laughter and I shake my head in disbelief. “Thing is, I’m not the one who needs help.”
Mom steps up to me and takes me firmly by the shoulders, “go home and get a good night’s sleep, everything will look better in the morning,”
“You have to believe her.” Ruby stands forward. “It’s me who found all this out, not Reagan. Margie has twisted everything. I was there when everything went down at college. I know what she did.”
With another shake of my head, I look at Ruby. “It’s okay, let’s go.”
“No, Reagan. It’s not fair. I won’t let her make them believe you’re crazy.”
Putting my hand on Ruby’s shoulder to soothe her a little. “It’s alright, honestly. I have you and Everett.” I emphasize Everett’s name and look at Margie, smirking.
