“Mom, don’t pretend. This is exactly what you wanted.” Dad stepped forward and tried to force himself on me, just like he did when I was a child…
“Jacob, we raised you. We fed you and clothed you. We gave you everything.”
He raised his eyebrows. “The least you can do right now is help us.” I met his gaze.
“I already did. For years.” I leaned toward him. “And you thanked me by kicking me out of your life.”
Mom’s lips quivered. “We thought… you’d understand.” I sighed loudly and shook my head. “Oh, I see.”
I looked at her. “I realize I was never part of your family. Just a purse.”
Silence again. But this time it was oppressive and suffocating. I turned to Eric, who had been pretending he wasn’t there the entire time.
“What about you? Do you have an explanation?” “You’ve had years to grow up. Take control of your life.”
I was just starting to do something. But you didn’t.”I stopped and, looking him straight in the eye, said the last thing I had to say:
“Because you knew they would always take care of you.” I narrowed my eyes. “And when they left, you just thought I would.” “What can I say to that?” Eric finally blurted out.
“I didn’t ask for it.” I nodded slowly. “Of course you didn’t ask for it.”
“You just took advantage of it.” He opened his mouth, then closed it. I said nothing.
Mom made one last attempt at sympathy: “Jacob, we’re family. And family takes care of each other.”
I looked at her for a long moment, then replied slowly, “Exactly.” “Then why didn’t you ever take care of me?” She froze.
No words. No apologies. Nothing.
I took a deep breath. I felt lighter than I had in years: “I did it.”
I turned around, went back into the building, and slammed the door in my face. Before I could even reach the couch, my phone vibrated. A text from my dad:
“After all we did for you, did you really let us down?” I smiled and replied, “No, you let me down.”
“I finally accept it.” I texted and blocked their number. But I had no idea it would only make things worse.
