Page 81 of The Other Side of Green

“Ever wondered how you managed to get your fancy job in a college, or even get into college if you were wanted by the police for questioning in an attempted homicide?”

“Mom. I hate to break it to you, but Miriam’s parents paid for me to get into college—a dirty deal I struck. It had nothing to do with anyone else.”

“You left town the night a man nearly died.”

“It wasn’t me!”

“I know! It was Luca.”

I dropped the jar of coffee, scattering grains of brown all over the side and across the floor. “What?”

In answer, she reached forward and cuffed me again. “You think I’m an idiot.”

I caught her hand. “I don’t.” I held onto her, mainly because I needed a tether but also in case she hit me again. “How do you know?”

“Seriously, you and Luca have been best friends since you could walk and you’re wondering why I could recognize him as he ran though my house like an out-of-control ninja turtle. Have you even spoken to him about that night?”

“Mom, he didn’t exactly give me the time to hang around and chew the fat about it.”

“So he’s never told you that it was me who pushed your father toward him? I knocked him off balance and straight onto Luca.”

“Straight onto the knife?”

Wow.

I had nothing.

“Does Phillipe know?” I eventually muttered.

Mom gave me a pointed look. “Why’s he protected you? Me?”

Now I thought about it, Lyra had told me right back when we reconnected that the police had only ever wanted to question me. They’d never actively searched for me. Otherwise Mom was right. I wouldn’t ever have got into Berklee, and if I had they would never have let me work with the freshmen while I was in my second year. I’d had to pass a background check.

I’d never once thought of that.

I think the only question that still remained was how much of a dickwad I was.

“Let’s talk to Phillipe when he gets home.”

“Mom, Luca has handed himself in. He’s going to admit what he did.”

Mom shrugged. “He protected me. He heard screaming and ran in.”

“Like I should have always protected you.” My voice lowered and Mom stepped closer.

“No. Like I should have protected you, tried to, although I failed on every level.”

I gave into her hug, wrapping her tight in my arms until eventually I pulled back. “I’m going to call Lyra.”

“Sure.” Her smile was wan, almost transparent. For a moment the bloom of her new life ebbed away and my mother looked damn old. I didn’t want lies between us anyway. Lies exhausted us, twisted us into something we weren’t.

“Mom, I need to talk to you about Lyra.”

She nodded. “And I need to talk to you. Phillipe will be home soon, so let’s hold fire for a few.” She smiled, brightening her face. “You hungry, son?”

I shook my head. “I’m going to go and lie down for a bit.”

I did feel so tired. So battered by fighting, dealing, trying to survive one way or the other.