But That Makes You Family (Craig Cody)

Pt 7

Four days and Corbin was still refusing to speak to Olivia, the only time he bothered to open his mouth around her was to ask if she'd pass him something at the dinner table. Four days and Craig had also kept his distance, as asked. Olivia would be a liar if she said she wasn't upset that Craig had taken heed and listened to her.

Since Corbin wasn't speaking to her, with Carolyn and Doug at work during the day, the house was quiet and tension filled. Olivia had tried to force herself to sit down and catch up on some accounting misprints for work, yet it wasn't doing her any favours.

The more numbers she looked at, the worst she felt. Everything in her mind kept going back to her conversation with J and then Craig. Why did they have to be such...such animals?

"Corbin," Olivia knocked on the door frame to the den. "Hey, can we talk?"

Wordlessly Corbin paused the video game, his attention remained on the screen, but his actions told his mother that it was okay for her to continue.

Cross legged on the floor beside her son, Olivia rested against the couch.

"I thought we could go down to the market by the strand this afternoon, maybe we could make dinner tonight?" Olivia led in with the casual topic.

"We're going for pizza tonight." Corbin replied emotionless.

"I guess we can do that."

"Not you," Corbin shot his mother a cold glare.

Corbin spending an evening out with her mother and step-father, under any other circumstance, would have thrilled Olivia. Somehow this one stung her to the core.

"I probably deserve that." She reasoned out loud. "Well, I still want to go to the market, so get ready. You're not staying alone."

Controller in hand, Corbin's fingers traced the colourful buttons, no intentions of going anywhere. If his mother wanted something, she could wait or go without him. He didn't care if she left and didn't bother to come back.

Right now he was angry.

Angry with her. Angry with Craig. Deran. Possibly even his grandparents, but he needed somebody on his side.

"Corbin." Olivia gently pushed with her tone.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you." His words were whispered and his tone loud and clear.

"I understand that you're pissed off, but this has to stop. It's not only me that you need to be angry with." Olivia huffed.

What kind of parent threw a fit at their child? What happened to the level headed, calm mother she had always been? She should have known one day this would happen.

"Did Craig even know about me? Or did you not bother to tell him, either?"

"He knew and..." Didn't care. No, she had promised herself to never take that route. Olivia swallowed her words. "He knew."

"Why didn't you tell me, mom? Huh? I'm not some baby who can't handle the truth." Nine going on Forty, there it was.

"Corbin, honey, there are still a lot of things that you don't understand. I know that you're smart, but sweetie, you're still a child." Olivia caved, her tone softening. "When you're older, we'll talk about it, until then all you need to know is I love you and I thought I was doing what was best for you."

Parents, always trying to cover their mistake by saying it was best for their children. Corbin had heard his friends say things like this. His best friend Max had to move, because it was what was best for him and his sister, when their mom and dad divorced.

"Whatever."

"Don't start with that." Olivia warned. "Your attitude on top of this does not need to happen."

Corbin snorted, his shaggy brown hair falling over his eyes. Hunched over, sitting and stewing he looked more like Craig than ever.

Silence rang around them, Corbin sitting staring at the screen while Olivia sat with her focus on the wall behind the television. Neither one knowing what to say to the other.

How did she explain Craig and not have Corbin hate them both? What was she to say? There was no way she could or would tell him that his father was some sort of druggie criminal, who may even be out committing a crime as they spoke.

One day, far from now, Corbin would learn that on his own and it broke Olivia's heart. He was a boy and she had only been keeping him safe.

Shifting awkwardly, Corbin let the game controller slip from his hand. His mother was still by his side, no doubt trying to concoct some new lies to feed him. Craig had been cool and Corbin had enjoyed hanging out with him, now he'd probably never see him again.

His mom had a habit of dismissing things and moving on, when she didn't get her way.

"When are we going home?" He didn't want to be in California any more.

"What?" Olivia was startled by the question and the silence breaking.

"When are we going home? I don't want to stay here. I want to go home."

At home things were familiar. Here life was too complicated and mixed up.

"We have another month here." Olivia answered, a deep frown on her face, "We're not going home yet."

"Why not? Why are we even here? We could have spent summer at home." Corbin pushed. "You ruin everything."

"Hey!"

"You do." Corbin reacted, his eyes red rimmed. "You ruin it all and expect it to be okay."

"As your mother, it's my job to ruin things. So get over it." Had she really sunk this low?

"Does Simon know?"

"Know what? That we were coming here this summer and that I would be seeing your father? Yes, he knows. He was the one who encouraged me to tell you." Olivia defended.

"So he's in on it, too?" Corbin had never felt this betrayed.

Were all the adults in his life against him? What else were they keeping from him?