When I Met Him In The Summer

Twenty nine

My heart is thudding so loudly in my ears that I cannot hear myself think. Telling the truth in front of mum is one thing...but mum and dad? This is going to be yet another disappointment on his already toilet paper long list of disappointments.

I need to get out of this. But how?

Even as the idea forms in my mind, I am sure it is not going to work. But there is really no harm in trying.

I stand up and pour myself a glass of water, down it in one go, and then sit back down. When everyone is looking at me, I start to cough, and grab my chest. I lean forward and put my head between my legs, heaving out labored breaths, and I see Jake stand from his chair.

"Danny? Are you okay? Mum, do something," he says rubbing circles on my back. I smile, and cough even louder.

"Danny, get up. Whatever you're trying to do, it's not going to work," she says, and my heart drops. I cough harder and louder, but she doesn't budge. Shit. She is way too smart for her own good.

Jake pours another glass of water and as he hands it to me, and my fingers brush his bruised knuckles, causing him to wince in pain. I take the glass and drink in slow sips, to draw this out as long as possible.

"Great, everyone is here, and you're through acting. Now Danny, what did Jake do to you?" she asks.

Jake turns his body to look at me. We're sitting barely an inch from each other, and beads of sweat form on my brow when I meet his eyes.

"You don't have to fear anyone," mum says into the air, and I look away. I cannot do this.

"Mum, for the last time...I'm telling you, I fell down the stairs. I was drunk, and—" I trail off, and close my eyes. My breaths are shaky.

"Okay. Jake, tell me, what did you do to your brother? And do not lie to me," she says seriously, and Jake stiffens in his seat.

"Mum, whatever he told you—"

"Yes, Linda. You really cannot choose to just believe one of our children over the other all the time," dad cuts in, and I feel the anger bubble up inside of me again, threatening to spill to the surface.

How is it he always manages to bring out the worst in me? I mean, even when I'm protecting Jake?

"And YOU can? Let us stop pretending here. Danny, sweetheart, I heard what you told that friend of yours...I just wanted you to say it to me," she says, and I swallow.

I look at Jake and bite down on my lip. His chest is heaving angrily, and he looks just about ready to explode.

Neither of us says anything, so mum crosses one leg over the other and keeps going.

"I walked in on a conversation which I guess I was not supposed to hear at the hospital today—I have been doing that quite a lot lately," she pauses, and looks at dad. "And you can only imagine my shock when I heard that Daniel was in the hospital because of Jake."

"Linda, the boy told you, he was drunk, and he fell. Instead of playing this game, we should get him professional help," dad replies uninterested, and just keeps flipping the pages of his newspaper.

I bite down on my teeth. I can tell mum is furious too, but she clasps her hands together and levels her voice.

"Jake did you do it or not? I'll tell you again, don't lie to me, because I'll find out," she says, and Jake looks like he's going to shit himself.

Her voice is calm, but it is a threat, and she will go through with it.

"Jake cannot do something like that, he loves this one," dad says, looking at me over his glasses, and I give him a look.