Chapter 27 #2
I decided to throw in my two cents. “Speaking for myself, it took years of trying to get my bar. That was definitely not a first-time-success thing. Hell, it took five, six tries before I was able to buy a house.”
Gage pointed a finger at me. “See? And he’s an incredibly successful man.”
“Oh.” Cooper glanced between us. “I guess…I guess I just believed you had to get it all right on the first try. And there’s no way in hell I can do that. I mean, isn’t that why Dad left you in charge?”
I pursed my lips in a soundless whistle.
So daddy dearest abandoning his kids for most of their lives was behind some of this, eh?
Cooper’s therapist was going to have fun unpacking everything and putting this kid back to rights.
Also, I hoped Gage caught the subtext there.
Cooper compared himself to Gage, much like a child would to a hero.
Gage didn’t think Cooper valued or respected him, but it was quite the opposite from what I saw.
Gage groaned, but it sounded more like a string of curses. “No, Cooper. Dad left me in charge because I’m older than you. No other reason. Also, he’s a piece of shit. He neglected us both and parentified me. That’s abuse in anyone’s eyes. He’s not a good father.”
Cooper’s eyes dropped and he nodded sadly. “I think I knew that, deep down. It’s why you resented me, because you were a kid too and I shouldn’t have been your responsibility.”
“You’re still not my responsibility. I’ll help pay for your therapist and life coach, and I’ll pay for rehab, too. But the days of me acting like a parent are well over. Okay? No more of that. It’s not good for me or you.”
Look at him setting a healthy boundary and even explaining why. Super proud of him for doing that. He was right, too, and if Cooper was going to heal his relationship with his brother, he needed to learn how to treat Gage like a brother. Not this pseudoparent.
“Mom—”
“Is going to have to learn how to be an adult herself. She’s still clinging to any man she can force responsibility on, but she’s a fucking adult. If she starts on us, we have to push that right back onto her, whatever she’s trying to offload.”
Listening to them talk, I got to thinking. Why did both of us have such terrible parents? I swear, it should be mandatory for people expecting children to take parenting classes.
I took the chair in the corner and let them talk. I felt like it was probably the first time in years they’d had an honest conversation, and I would not interrupt them for love nor money. I could sit here and scroll on my phone until Gage was done.
Ooh, let’s look up my old therapist, see if she was still practicing. Hey, she was! Perfect, I could recommend her to Cooper. She was an old hand at taking troublesome young adults and fixing them. All right, therapist possibly sorted. Life coach?
I saw several pop up on Google with good ratings. Might have to try a few out to see who would be a good fit for Cooper.
“Logan, whatcha doin’?”
I turned my phone around to show Gage as I lifted my head to answer him. “I’m looking things up. Cooper, my therapist is still practicing, want her number?”
“Oh, sure!” Cooper looked intrigued by this option.
A whirlwind hit the door in the form of a short woman wearing sweats and Crocs. She must have been dead asleep when she’d gotten the call. Her hair was dyed reddish copper, but those eyes, those Prussian blue eyes, said clearly she was Gage’s mother.
Her hands fluttered as she took her youngest child in. “Cooper! My baby, you look awful. Tell me you’re going to be fine, I just can’t take this!”
Cooper let out a gusty, tired sigh. “I’m mostly fine, and I’ll heal—”
It was like she couldn’t hear him. She whipped around and started screaming at Gage. “WHAT WERE YOU DOING THAT HE ENDED UP LIKE THIS?!”
I expected anger in return, but Gage just stared at her, expressionless as a wax figurine.
Ohhh shit, that wasn’t a good reaction. I recognized it all too well.
I’d worn it for years whenever I’d dealt with my parents.
His reaction told me he had nothing left in him for this person.
Not anger, not respect, not love. Nothing was left. He was just managing her at this point.
She kept screaming, and I wasn’t about to stand there and watch it happen. I got up, grabbed Cooper’s water glass, and splashed it right in her face.
She rocked back on her heels, spluttering, staring at me wide-eyed. Gage let out this huff that sounded like he’d just bit back a laugh, so I knew he wasn’t mad. Cooper gaped at me in shock.
“This is a hospital,” I told her flatly. “There’re other patients in here who need rest and quiet. At least have some goddamn decency and keep your voice down.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she looked abashed.
“Also, for the record, Cooper is an adult. What Cooper does or doesn’t do is completely on him. You trying to make Gage the scapegoat for your bad parenting is both wrong and disgusting. It’s no wonder neither of your children like or respect you, with how badly you’ve managed things.”
My words were like a punch to the gut. Her face turned white and she stared for a long second before rallying. “Who are you?”
“I’m Logan.”
Gage shifted to stand beside me, a hand on my shoulder. “My boyfriend. He came to help with Cooper. He’s also very right. Cooper’s actions aren’t my responsibility, they never were.” His tone was firm but almost flat, emotionless. Like he’d spoken the words so many times they’d become rote.
“He’s your younger brother—”
“Yes, brother.” A flash of frustration entered his tone, but still he stayed exceedingly calm. “Not child. You should have been the one doing things for him. You should have been the one actually parenting him. You and your deadbeat husband. I’m ashamed to call you mother.”
She was crying now, looking between both sons like she was trying to find some shred of mercy in either of them. I certainly didn’t see any. Cooper wouldn’t even look at her and just stared at his fingers. Realizing she wouldn’t find forgiveness, she cried harder.
“I don’t deserve this!” she wailed, throwing her hands into the air. “I did my best!”
“If that was your best, you shouldn’t have had kids.” Gage made a sound of disgust. “Enough. Cooper has asked to go into therapy and hire a life coach. He’s going to straighten his life out. Don’t undermine his decision.”
Why would she…? Good god, don’t tell me she would actually derail her youngest child’s progress!
“You know she will,” Cooper said with resignation. “Gage, can I stay with you until I’m healed? Logan said he’d hire me, so I’ll pay rent and stuff when I’m back on my feet. I won’t invite people over or drink or anything, and I’ll abide by any rules you set.”
“You shouldn’t be working!” his mother cried in alarm.
I looked at her and wondered how anyone could be this suffocatingly stupid. “He’s twenty-one, of course he should be working. My god, is this what your sons mean? Do you really keep him from growing up as an adult like this?”
“You shut up!” Her eyes cut to me, and I could see absolute hatred in them. “You don’t get to comment; you’re not part of this family!”
Unbeknownst to her, I’d been looking up rings. I wasn’t in any position to propose yet, not after only a few weeks of dating, but she was crazy if she thought I was dating her son for laughs. I had every intention of marrying this man.
It was unfortunate she’d be my monster-in-law, though.
Gage immediately got into her face. “He’s right and you know it.
You are the reason why Cooper’s like this.
You’re an alcoholic. You’ve been a wine mom for as long as I’ve been alive.
It’s part of why he was sucked into the path of an alcoholic so easily because he fucking lives with one!
And you’re terrified of the thought of him being independent from you.
I know I’m right because you keep suffocating him, trying to keep him dependent on you, like a child.
You literally don’t know what to do with yourself if you’re alone in that house with your children grown and independent.
It’s so fucking obvious you’re doing this for your sake. ”
She sobbed, shaking her head in denial. I mean, that one sentence had outed her. Not wanting Cooper to even hold down a job? Insane.
“I called you because you have a right to know your child has been hurt and is in the hospital.” Gage stepped back, his voice in that dead monotone again.
“But you don’t get to make decisions about what happens from here.
Nor will I act as a parent to Cooper anymore.
I’m done with being abused. Cooper, you’re welcome to stay with me. ”
“Thanks, Bro.” Cooper looked at his mother with sad eyes. “I think it’s better we don’t see each other for a while. How about you get therapy too, Mom? I think you need it.”
She let out a scream, still crying, before running from the room.
Gage blew out a breath and looked at me. “See?”
“Oh, I see the problem, for sure. For the record, that’s how my parents handle Erin.”
“God, poor kid.”
“You see why I’m giving her a space to land, so she can escape.”
“Bless you for it, too, otherwise she’d likely go crazy.” Gage turned to Cooper and demanded, “Did Logan really offer you a job?”
“He did.”
My boyfriend had a You don’t have to expression, and I held up a hand to stop it. “Hon, I’ve got a lot of karmic debt accrued. So many people helped me when they shouldn’t have. I’ve got to pay them back somehow. I think Cooper will do a good job because he wants to make something of himself.”
Cooper lifted his good arm like he was swearing in front of a judge. “Promise I’ll do my best.”
Gage looked torn but finally shrugged. “Fine. I’m not going to interfere here. If you succeed, or crash and burn, that’s on you. I’m going home and getting my guest room ready for you.”
Delighted, Cooper smiled brightly. “Thanks, Gage.”
“You’re welcome. But think about changing your phone number again, okay? So your past doesn’t try to suck you back in.”
Cooper glanced at the phone on the nightstand and made a face. “Yeah. Logan, did you change your number?”
“I did.”
“Then I’ll change it.”
Gage looked between us again, clearly wondering why Cooper was following my lead, but I’d explain in the car.
“Let’s go. We’ve got a lot to do.”