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Chapter 16

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"I'm sorry. I can't take this anymore."

Mom's text message keeps playing in my head.

Jake speeds through traffic with Anna in the back who's squeezing my shoulder, telling me everything will be okay. The shock and panic on their faces prove this is an unexpected nightmare for them. But not for me.

I'm used to suicidal threats. They haunt my sleepless nights, debilitating any plans to start my own life. Because after all, her unhappiness is all my fault. If only I wasn't so selfish. If only she didn't have me for a daughter.

She spoon feeds me the shame and I lick it clean. Who's really to blame? Who's really sick? Now here I am, dragging innocent people with me.

Jake's phone rings through the speakers. The car screen displays a female caller ID and he answers.

"Hey, Naomi."

"Where are you?" A deep, authoritative voice says.

"Out. A little tied up right now." His eyes harden and I tilt my head, never having seen him so tense before.

"Are you serious?" She snaps. "Jake, you're supposed to be in a meeting with dad. What are you doing right now? Why aren't you there to help him?"

"I'll talk to him later, don't worry about it." He says with finality.

She sighs. "And you wonder why he doesn't trust you. You act like a kid."

How can she say that to him? The guy works six days a week and uses his only day off to paint a fucking kiosk at a park that no one cares about.

I bet he's never killed a spider in his life. He's probably one of those people who nudge them in a container then walk outside to free them under a bush.

"You done, Naomi?" Jake snaps. His knuckles tighten around the steering wheel. Naomi takes a minute to respond. I squirm with awkwardness.

"Are you with her?" She asks with distaste.

"Yes." He grits, nostrils flaring slightly. "Now end it."

"Alright," she grumbles and clicks on him.

Okay...so it doesn't seem like we're on her 'good enough to be with Jake' list.

Wonder if it's the ethical code violation, the threat to his MBA, the financial crisis of his family company... What could possibly bother her? Go figure.

I look at him."Jake, you should go take care of—"

"This is more important." He cuts me off but when he glances my way, his features soften again and he takes a deep breath. "This is more important."

~

He parks on my mom's street and I take off my heels to dash out of the car. Adrenaline and dread numb the cold pavement beneath. My breath is in my throat, pulse ringing in my ears. I can't believe this is happening.

How is it possible to relive these games again and again as if for the first time? Never fails to shrivel me and shred me to pieces. The unknown of what I might find. I'm like a puppet with strings that can never be cut.

I fling myself towards the gate, yank the lock open, sprint to the back house and slap my palms on her door. Jake and Anna are right behind me.

"Mom? Mom, you there? Mom, please answer!"

At first there's nothing and my knocking becomes frantic. The space closes in. My muscles weaken. I hear Anna whimper something behind me but I can't hear.

I stop breathing when the lock slowly turns. Is she okay? Did she hurt herself? Why is she so slow? What's taking so long—

Reeking of alcohol, sweat, and perfume, my mother stands in a skimpy dress that might as well be a tank top. Her blonde hair is stuck to her scalp and her eyes are narrowed with a sly smile.

"See? I knew you cared."

It's like a thousand bricks hit me at once.

I might as well have a sword slice me in half. Everything stops. I can't even blink. I'm frozen in the mocking sparkle of her eyes and the small, sadistic chuckle that spills past her cracked lips.

Something snaps. Like a rubber band that's been stretched too far. Years and years of suppressed fury explodes like a long postponed time bomb.

"You... you... you mother... fucking... cunt!" I shout with a throat splitting cry.

Her smile drops. "What did you just say?"

"How... how broken do you have to be to do this to me?" Tears pour down and my shoulders slump. "I'm your daughter! How do you not feel anything?"

Anger hardens her eyes. "Who do you think you are coming to my house and talking to me like this? Have you completely lost your mind?"

I laugh. "Are you... do you fucking hear yourself? You need help! You need fucking help, mom! Please, I'm begging you! You can't go on like this!"

She looks me up and down with a scowl. "What are these theatrics? Are you practicing for an audition?" She looks at Jake and Anna over my shoulder. "Oh, are you acting for your audience? I see. Bravo, Mia. Way to humiliate me."

"Oh my God." I cover my mouth, it's hard to breathe. "I can't do this. I can't do this." They're here. I completely forgot that they're here. This is humiliating.

"I don't know what's gotten into you. But this is getting out of hand. I'm not the one that needs help." She glares at me like I'm filth.

"I need help too!" I put my hand on my chest. "I'm getting it! Been getting it for years. But you won't! Don't you see how much you need it?"

She scoffs. "I'm not naive like you to think that those fake doctors care about me. You're all alone. You have no one. Why do you think that is? No one cares."

"I care about her." Anna frowns.

My mom raises her eyebrows. "Well I don't doubt that she's found people just like her."

"Don't talk to her like that." I say.

She smiles. "I just love how you pretend to be this caring person. But when we're alone, you show your real self. Your cold-hearted and ungrateful—"

"That's enough." Jake warns.

I look over my shoulder to see his eyes piercing into my mom.

"Jake—" I murmur, but he wraps his arm around my waist and yanks me to his side as if to tell me to be quiet. He stands still with threatening calmness.

"Nobody will talk to her like that. Not even her mother."

"And who..." she narrows her eyes. "The hell are you?"

"Me?" He raises an unimpressed eyebrow at her. "None of your concern."

"That's right, we got her! Because she deserves nothing less and we'll do anything for her!" Anna shouts on my other side.

"Congratulations." My mom drawls. "I don't care. Mia's dead to me."

She shuts the door and leaves us dumbfounded. I really shouldn't be surprised anymore. She probably has a book of narcissistic games she practices every night. I just feel bad for Jake and Anna for being here.

Rage and humiliation course through my veins. I attack the door, kicking and slapping until my palms burn and my toes break in half.

"Dead to you? How original, mom! Did you forget that you said that last week? I'm bored already! Heard it from you, from dad, from your piece of shit parents! I don't get it, do you have a monthly meeting where you rehearse this script?"

Jake and Anna peel me back and drag me away. The straps of my dress have fallen off my shoulders, my skin stings, my hair is all over my flushed face.

Yet somehow, I feel so relieved.

"Are you okay?" Anna puts her arm around me as we walk out on the street.

"Yes. I feel like a lifelong constipation finally got released."

"You don't have to put on a tough act for us." Jake interjects and shakes his head. "That was not okay. None of that was okay."

"I know and I'm so sorry for putting you guys through it." I look down at my dirty feet and try not to wince.

"Stop with that. I'm so glad we were here. I wouldn't want you to go through this alone." Anna says.

"You don't ever have to be alone." Jake scoops his arm behind my legs and picks me up in a bridal style. "We'll always be here, okay?"

"I'm fine. I don't want that." I squirm against being held like a weak person. I don't need his care. But I'm also so tired. And I like his warmth. 

"Stop guilt-tripping yourself! This is what people who care about each other do." Anna glares at me with worried affection. "And you'd do it for us."

Some of my tension softens. "I'm sorry... you're right."

"That's better."

"I'm sorry—"

"Stop that." Jake says, his mouth close to my ear. "You have nothing to apologize for."

My chest squeezes at the comfort that surrounds me. I force myself to accept it, to not feel so undeserving. I close my eyes, press my forehead on his neck. Let the warmth of his skin and his scent wash my mind.

"But you should apologize to the door. You beat the shit out of the poor thing," he smirks.

Anna giggles and I smile, tightening my arms around his neck.

~~ A/N ~~

Damn, son! What a turn of events.

If you enjoyed this chapter, please vote and leave some love <3

Armenian Translation: "Miqich shat ches habrge du" basically is "aren't you stepping out of your line?"