Chapter 43: _ Damn her to hell
I choked on my toast. Liam’s statent was a contrast to his wide innocent eyes boring into
right now.
"What... What do you an, Liam?" I forced out.
Liam pushed his bowl away, the spoon clattering on the table. "The pack won’t find who’s doing it," he repeated, his voice surprisingly firm. "Because it’s soone inside the pack, gami."
There was sothing about how he had suddenly made a switch to calling
gami again. Kylo called
that when he was being sweet. Now, for Liam, why do I get the feeling that it was the opposite?
Panic clawed at my throat. This couldn’t be happening. Liam was just a child, picking up words he didn’t understand. Yet, his unwavering gaze sent shivers down my spine. "Liam, honey, that’s – that’s not sothing you should say," I stamred, trying to dismiss his words as childish imagination.
But Liam wasn’t finished. "I’m not a child, Ms. Isleen. I’m twelve and I sure know what I’m talking about."
"No, you don’t!" I banged the table. "We don’t have proof, we don’t have anything to back up this claim. Sure, the killer is in the pack to be able to pull such feats, but you should leave that to the adults. What you should be worried about right now is going to school, eting your friends, and getting good grades."
To my surprise, Liam stood up. "I don’t have friends, Ms. Isleen. And you are right, I should worry about that. So, let’s go to school."
Liam’s abrupt maturity sent a fresh wave of unease through . His words had weight and were unlike the ramblings of a scared child. There was more.
However, he was grieving, and in due ti, I’d know. I did and said worse when I lost my parents.
Trying to maintain composure, I cleared my throat. "Alright, Liam. Let’s be on our way. But listen, whatever you hear, rember it’s important not to jump to conclusions. The pack is doing everything they can to find the culprit, and spreading rumors won’t help."
Liam nodded and mustered a grin for . I could worry less now. We should get going.
I held his hand, and together, we left the house. It was more crowded outside every Monday morning and such was the case today also.
People getting their kids to school, people going off to work and even those with nowhere to go flooded the streets.
"Ms. Isleen?" Liam grumbled, tugging at my clothes.
I glanced down at him. "What’s up, Liam?"
"I’m hungry."
Hungry? Didn’t we just finish having breakfast?
"Huh?" I frowned but Lupe didn’t permit that conversation to comnce.
From behind us, "Isleen?!" She squealed.
I turned abruptly to find Lupe waving vibrantly at
with a handbag hung on her shoulder. Standing beside her was a chubby woman.
I waved back, albeit with a lesser enthusiasm than Lupe’s. "Lupe." I sighed, brushing my hair aside.
"Good morning, Lupe!" I greeted, them as they neared
and Liam. "This is...?"
"This is my mum, Brenda!" Lupe chirped, beaming. "She is going to drop
off at work and head to the hospital, that’s where she works. I told her all about what you are doing for Liam and she said she’d love to et Liam! Isn’t that great?"
Oh, God. A few hours and Lupe had already rambled so much to her mum. My heart beat so fast that I wondered just how many more she might have said.
Like —
and Gamma Rhett.
"Hello, Brenda. Happy to et you." I tried to sound jovial but my voice betrayed .
Brenda offered a thin smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her eyes were peering at
awkwardly. It was a hostile gaze, I realized with a jolt, cold and appraising.
While Lupe rattled on excitedly about their jobs, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being scrutinized. Lupe’s mum didn’t like . It wasn’t a surprise too. I was quite the popular one in the pack for so many reasons everyone already knew.
When she spoke, her voice pierced
like Ice. Or maybe I was overreacting again.
Brenda’s gaze lingered on Liam, lingering a little too long, then shifted back to . "So, Ms. Isleen, I heard you’re Liam’s teacher bad are adopting him?" Her voice held a curious edge.
"I have adopted him." I corrected, wondering what her business was.
She curtly squinted and scoffed. "Hmm," Brenda’s smile beca even thinner. "Well, you seem awfully young to be taking on such a responsibility. Not to ntion how reckless I’ve heard you can be. And — And with all these...troubles the pack is facing..." She trailed off, letting her insinuation settle on .
She need not say too much. I knew where she was driving at. This was just another form of bully. There was never an end to it for .
Lupe finally noticed the awkwardness, and interjected with a bubbly laugh. "Oh co on, Mum! Isleen is great! And Liam is lucky to have her."
I had no idea when I began to squeeze Liam’s hand in mine. I could not believe this was how I was going to start my week. Being judged without even being known or understood.
Suddenly, Liam tugged at my hand. "Ms. Isleen, please?" he said out loud. "Can we go now? I really am hungry."
Oh, thank you, Liam. At least, I could walk away from this judging woman who was probably worse than I was but could condemn
openly like she knew
at all.
If only she wasn’t Lupe’s mum, I’d have damned her to hell.
"Yes, yes. You should go now, Isleen. Byeee!" Lupe sheepishly grinned as she scurried away to save
from her mother’s condemning eyes.
Bless her but bless Liam first.
"Ms. Isleen?" Liam called
and I had to tear my gaze away from Lupe and her mother’s retreating figure to look at him.
With a smile, "Yes, Liam?" I asked.
"She doesn’t like you, does she?"
"Hm hm. I don’t think so."
"Then she’ll be sorry."
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