Chapter 5 - MARK PICKS A SIDE
Mark asked to meet me alone.
We chose a diner halfway between our houses.
Neutral ground.
He looked tired.
“Mom is getting worse.”
I stirred coffee.
“What does worse mean?”
“She isn’t sleeping.”
“She calls Vanessa at three in the morning.”
“She keeps saying you’ve abandoned her.”
“Have you told her why I left?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“She says she apologized.”
I nodded.
There was the family loop.
Harm.
Apology.
Reset.
No repair.
Mark leaned closer.
“Daniel, I’m not saying she was right.”
“That sentence usually means you’re about to.”
He frowned.
“I’m saying she’s seventy.”
“She might not have many Christmases left.”
I stared at him.
“Emily might have had one less safe Christmas because Mom hit her.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No.”
“It isn’t.”
He looked away.
Then I asked.
“What did Vanessa say before Mom slapped Emily?”
“You were there.”
“I want to hear you say it.”
Mark hesitated.
“She insulted her.”
“Specifically?”
He exhaled.
“She said Emily belonged in a trailer park.”
“And before that?”
“Coupons.”
“Bitterness.”
“Her childhood.”
I nodded.
“How many years has this been happening?”
Mark said nothing.
“Six?”
Still nothing.
“You know.”
He looked ashamed.
“Yeah.”
“And what did you do?”
“Stayed out of it.”
I leaned back.
“No.”
“You benefited from it.”
His eyes lifted.
“What?”
“Every time Vanessa targeted Emily, nobody was targeting you.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?”
Our family always needed someone uncomfortable.
Someone slightly outside.
For years, Emily filled that role.
Before her?
Sometimes me.
Sometimes Mark’s first girlfriend.
Sometimes Dad’s sister.
I saw Mark remembering.
He rubbed his face.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing.”
He looked surprised.
“I’m not recruiting you.”
“Then why meet?”
“You asked.”
He sat quietly.
Then whispered.
“Vanessa does say awful things.”
I nodded.
“Mom lets her.”
Another pause.
“She’s always let her.”
There it was.
Not full understanding.
A crack.
Mark paid for breakfast.
Before leaving, he said.
“I’m not ready to cut Mom off.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
He nodded.
“I think Vanessa was wrong.”
“That’s a start.”
Then he added.
May you like
“And Mom was worse.”
That was bigger.
