The porch door slams and I glance up to see my mom walking in looking like she’s in a snit. I have a good idea of why. Still, I wait for her to engage.
“What the hell are you thinking?” she hisses.
“I think a lot of things. Do you want to be more specific?” I set down the progress reports I’d been working on for my class and lean back in the chair.
“Of all people, you go after Shadow? Why? You hate your sister so much you’d go after Bolt’s dad?”
“First of all, Shadow came after me, and you don’t know the entire story. There’s more to it.”
“I know how it looks to the club. You don’t fuck over your family like that. We raised you better.”
“Me, but not her, right? Because everything she does is okay? Did you love her father more than mine? Is that why she’s so clearly the favorite?”
Her jaw drops. She stands still, and covers her heart. “How could you even think that?”
“How could I not?” I cross my arms under my breasts. “You think I didn’t notice how differently we were treated all this time? I did, and I’m sure as hell not the only one. How you kept this secret so well, all this time, I can’t say.”
“He had no right to tell you,” she seethes.
“Umm, yes he did. But it wasn’t him. It was your precious firstborn who let the cat out of the bag. If I were you, I’d be worried about who else she’s running her mouth to.”
“She would never do that,” my mother says vehemently.
“And yet, here we are,” I reply.
“You’re such a sweet girl. I don’t understand how you can be so unsympathetic to your sister. Do you know what it was like for her, finding out your Dad wasn’t her real father? She lost her identity, and everything became shaded with glasses colored with insecurity and favoritism. You’ve always been more like your father than me. The two of you gravitate toward one another. You’re partners in crime, and she began to see that as something it wasn’t.”
“Oh, boo-hoo. So what…he wasn’t her blood. He loves us exactly the same. There was no difference in his treatment until she got a hold of this sensitive information, and I’ll bet she lorded it over your heads.”
My mother glances away.
“You’re not denyi
ng it.”
“It was a lot to realize. You know who her father is. I never wanted her to know that. It soured her.”
“Because you let it. Instead of standing your ground, you folded and she fed off that.”
“You’ve never been a parent. You don’t understand.”
“I’ve come pretty damn close,” I say, thinking of all I’ve sacrificed and done for Bolt. “The fact of the matter is we’ve all suffered for your indiscretions.”
She reaches out and slaps me.
My face goes up in flames. I press my palm against my cheek, stunned.
“The fuck is going on here?” Shadow roars.
I watch, horrified as he walks down the hallway. “You put your hands on my Old Lady.” He grabs her wrist and shoves her back, stepping in front of me. “You out of your damn mind, Pixie? I couldn’t give a fuck less that you’re her mother or Psyhco’s Old Lady right now.” He shoves her away.
She stumbles. “You’d better watch yourself. This is a family matter.”
“Not when it’s about me. You want to be mad at someone, blame that viper over in county.”
“You don’t talk about her like that! She’s the mother of your child.”
“Yeah, and she’s done a stellar job of that. We both know Blue has been his mother in all but blood. If I’d had my way in the first place, she would’ve been. You ever wondered why he’s named Bolton? It’s the closest I could get to Bluebell for a boy and have it be masculine.”