Chapter 57

Chapter 57

‘What the hell has he done to you?'

Archie was crouching down by his mother, who lay curled up on floor, breathless and tearful from her ordeal.

‘It's nothing, I'm OK,' Jackie protested, wheezing. ‘Just didn't get to my inhaler in time.'

She took another long pull on it, drawing the all-important vapour into her lungs.

‘Don't lie to me,' the teenager retorted. ‘ He did this to you, didn't he?'

His eyes flitted to the opened presents, the birthday cards.

‘What happened? What was the argument about?'

But his mother just shook her head, saving her breath, gathering herself.

‘It's his bloody birthday, for God's sake. The one day of the year that he should be in good mood. And he does this ?'

‘It's OK, I'm fine,' Jackie replied, struggling up onto her feet. ‘It was just a silly misunderstanding.'

‘Where did he hit you?' Archie persisted.

‘Please, love, can we just let this go?' she implored, reaching out to him.

‘No, no, we can't just "let this go". We always "let this go". Which is why he always treats us like shit.'

Marching towards the counter, Archie swept the cards and presents onto the floor. They crashed to the ground, then there was silence. A heavy, loaded silence. Archie, sweating and angry, caught sight of himself in the mirror, then turned away, horrified to see his features contorted in rage. Jackie stared at him, tearful and bereft, then stepping round her son, she bent down to start picking up the cards.

‘Leave them.'

But she paid him no heed, gathering the scattered cards together.

‘I said, leave them!'

‘And have the place looking a mess?' Jackie replied, her words jarring in their false brightness. ‘I don't think so. It's a special day today, I've put loads of effort into getting everything ready, I won't have things ruined at the last minute.'

She turned to find her son staring at her as if she was mad.

‘You're not seriously going to go through with this, are you? You're not going to carry on as though nothing's happened?'

‘Nothing has happened.'

‘He hit you, Mum. He left you in a heap on the ground.'

‘You don't know what you're talking about, Archie. You weren't here.'

‘I don't need to be. I know him, I know what he's capable of …'

He was about to expand further, reeling off his father's numerous crimes against the family, but Jackie stepped forwards purposefully now, laying a finger on his lips.

‘Please, baby, not today. I know things are difficult, I know you're unhappy, but please can we not do this today.'

Her sad, tear-stained eyes locked onto his, beseeching, imploring.

‘Please, for me, can we just pretend it never happened? That we've had a nice family day?'

It was outrageous, preposterous, a charade that would surely fool no one. But faced with his mother's desperation, her torment, what else could he do? So, swallowing down his bile and pasting a pained smile on his face, Archie nodded slowly, before taking his mother into his arms, clinging onto her for dear life.