Page 71 of Make Me Bleed

I don’t like it at all.

“Don’t fucking talk to me like that. You have no idea what it’s been like. I’ve just been trying to survive, Gabe,” I snap, eyes coldand pinned on the side of his face. He winces, and I know I’ve gotten through to him.

“Look… I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying… fuck. I’m sorry.”

I don’t answer him for a while because my throat has closed off, and I can barely even breathe. But when I finally can, I murmur a choked, “I know.”

“Let’s go downstairs and wait for your mom to show up. I’m sure she’s gonna bring some food with her, and I’m fucking starving,” he says to lighten the mood a few minutes later, and I push off the wall with a wet snort.

“All you care about is food,” I mutter as I follow Gabe down the stairs, and he throws his head back with a laugh as he rubs his belly.

“I’m a growin’ boy. I’ve gotta eat.”

“Yeah, dude. Sure,” I acquiesce.

By the timeMa makes it to the house, Gabe, our roommate, Michael, and I are practically passed out on the couch with a movie playing for background noise.

“I brought food!” Ma announces when she walks in, and Gabe jolts from his spot, practically springing to his feet to help her into the house.

“Here, let me get that for you.”

“Aren’t you a doll. Thank you, honey.” She leans forward and kisses him on the cheek as he takes the slow cooker from her and disappears into the kitchen. The smell of roast wafts through the house, and I groan. Oh, how I’ve missed Ma’s cooking.

When Michael sees Mom walking toward me, he gets up with a groan, stretches, says hi, and then makes himself scarce.

“I sure know how to clear a room,” Ma says as she drops down beside me, and I snort.

“It’s me, not you,” I tell her, and she rolls her eyes as she takes part of my blanket and covers up with it. She curls up next to me and looks over at the T.V. I follow her line of sight and watch the screen for a few minutes in silence.

“He’s been calling me,” I finally admit.

“I know.”

“How…?”

“Because I know you. I’ve just been waiting for you to tell me. How long?”

“Since Abel left.”

“Even after the no contact order was put in place?”

I nod. “Even then. They haven’t stopped. But they’re not very frequent. Once every couple of months. Just enough time for me to start to let my guard down, and then, he’s calling all over again. It’s like he doesn’t want me to relax.”

Mom reaches out and squeezes my arm. “That’s exactly what it is, baby.”

“I know.”

“I wish there was something more I could do.”

“You’re doing everything you can. I’m sorry I’ve been so…”

“Don’t apologize to me again, Peris. We’ve gone over this, and I’ve forgiven you. I want to move on, okay? Try to forgive yourself.” Ma squeezes me again before pulling me into a half-hug. I tower over her small frame, but she doesn’t care. “I love you, Peri. Don’t forget that.”

“I know you do, Ma. I love you, too.”

“You better,” she teases and pulls back with a grin. I narrow my eyes. “Now, when were you going to tell me about a certain someone coming back into your life so… permanently?”

I throw my head back and groan loudly. “I’m gonna fucking kill Gabe. Seriously. Commit murder.”