Deal With It

twenty six

"I'm not lying," she said softly to try and stop her voice from cracking. "You were right the other day Tyler, I am a terrible mother. You two have tolerated me for so long but when you finally spoke it was like a wake-up call," she sniffed. "I'm going away for a while but you'll need someone to look after you. So I called him." She walked towards me. "I promise it's only for a little while," she cupped my cheek but I moved away.

"We don't need anyone, certainly not him. I'm eighteen, I'm an adult. We'll be fine Mum, trust me!"

"No, you need to trust me and listen to me. I don't want any arguments, I need your support. Please," she pleaded before Heidi and me. As hard as I found it to refuse her, I just couldn't let him stay.

"He needs to leave. And he should take his excess baggage with him," I seethed, referring to his two companions. His wife and son. The ones who actually seemed to have any importance in his life.

"Tyler, please!" Mum begged. I knew she felt helpless, there wasn't anyone else she could have asked but honestly, we were better off alone than with him and his new family.

"No, Mum, Tyler's right. He's not our Dad, he's nothing to us and he can't suddenly expect to return," Heidi agreed with me.

"Honey we should leave, I am not going to be disrespected anymore. Come on," the bitch tugged on her husband's arm.

"No, I'm staying right here. I was called here and I'm not leaving unless Kirsty tells me to go. I want to make things right," he focused on Mum when he spoke. She still loved him. I saw it in her eyes when he said her name. I hated that after everything, he could still affect her by saying one damn word.

"This can't be fucking happening," I muttered but considering the small space we were all stood in, everyone would have heard. "I swear, if you stay I'm going to make your life a living hell," I warned.

"Guess I'll have to get used to being in hell, then," he replied.

I locked eyes with my mum and shook my head before stomping upstairs.

-

About half an hour later my door was knocked on. "Come in unless I hate you," I grumbled. Seeing my Dad, his monster of a wife or Kyle wouldn't have helped my mood and I knew I'd end up with my hands around one of their necks.

Heidi slipped through the door and smiled. She sat on my bed and I automatically knew she was here to give me some long ass speech. Hopefully in my favour. "Mum's really upset," she started. "You should apologise." I should have known she wasn't here to tell me I was right.

"I thought you agreed with me? I have nothing to apologise for."

"I do agree, I am on your side. But don't forget Mum's also on our side Tyler, she's going to rehab for us more than herself. If we want this to work we need to support her and that's by listening."

Mum definitely talked to her for her to have such a sudden change in opinion.

"You don't understand! I can't let him stay here after he ruined everything! I hate him," I argued.

"And you think I don't? I never got to know him and he suddenly turns up with his wife and stepson!" A tear fell from her eye.

Stepson. That explained why he looked my age, the woman had him from a previous relationship.

"Don't cry," I told her. I never admitted it but I hated seeing my baby sister upset. Especially over someone who wasn't worth her tears. She sniffled and wiped away her tears using the sleeve of her cardigan. "It's just hard. He'll be living under the same roof as us enjoying his life whilst his wife rubs it in our faces. And Mum, she'll be in fucking rehab trying to get her life back together," I spat. That man is to blame for everything.