Bending Under Pressure by Lindsay Paige

Author:Lindsay Paige [Paige, Lindsay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lindsay Paige
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“There’s been a change of plans,” Mom says when I crawl out of bed and amble into the kitchen around ten Saturday morning.

I frown. “What are you talking about? We don’t have plans. I’m supposed to go with Natalie and Keira today.”

“They are coming here for dinner instead.”

“What are you talking about, Mom?” The plan was for Natalie and Keira to meet me in the next town over where there are more places to eat. Natalie wanted me to meet my aunt, but I told her I wasn’t ready for that.

“You’re still going to meet them, but you’ll come back here for dinner. She called me while you were sleeping to ask if it was okay. She wants to see how you live.” Mom places a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of me.

“Then why am I meeting them? What if I don’t want her in my house?” I ask around the food I’m shoveling in my mouth. I’m starved. Last night’s game was tough, but we won. I was worn out by the time I got home, so I went straight to bed instead of eating the snack I planned on devouring.

“You’re going to the mall; and Keelan, it is our house and I told her she could come. She just wants to see you’re well taken care of. She might want to see what your room looks like. There’s nothing wrong or intrusive about that.” Mom takes a seat next to me.

Maybe not to her, but I would’ve thought I should have a say on who gets to see my room. “Why do you want her around me so much?” I blurt out without thinking. “Shouldn’t a part of you want to keep her away from me because I’m your kid? Shouldn’t you be more hesitant or something?”

Mom shakes her head. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Because you are my son. It’s because of her and her poor choices that I ended up with two sons instead of just one. If she’s living a better life and would like to know you, I think you both deserve the chance. Either way, you’re still my son. You need to stop forgetting that and worrying she will take you from us.”

“It’s not me who is forgetting,” I mumble, certain that Natalie is secretly planning a way to get me to come back to her, even though I have no reason to think so. My gut is sure of it, and that’s all I have to go on right now. Then what she says hits me. “Wait a minute. I’m going shopping with them?” I groan. Great. Just how I wanted to spend my Saturday.

Mom laughs. “I’m sorry, Keelan. Keira has a dance coming up at school apparently.”

“Speaking of siblings, where’s Cam? He wasn’t in his room.”

Mom’s worried look appears on her face. Her eyes crinkle at the corners, her lips press together, and her brows pull inward. “He asked your father to go with him to Elsie’s for breakfast. Something’s going on with him.

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