Bleed Through

by Arrington, Adriana

  After a few miles, Allison got ahold of herself. She wiped away her tears and sniffed. “Don’t think Grandpa’s illness gets you out of trouble. What was the hold up back there? Why did the policeman repeatedly interview you?”

  He ran a hand through his hair, slicing his fingers on tiny shards of glass still embedded in his red curls. “Because he had access to my records. He looked for a reason, any reason, to put me behind bars again.”

  “Are you telling me the truth?”

  “What do you mean?”

  She kept her eyes on the road in front of her. “Did you really think I wouldn’t remember you hallucinated about a car accident at that exact intersection yesterday?”

  A flutter of hope surged in his chest. His mother was beginning to understand.

  She said, “At first, I wanted to know how you set up the accident. Then I wanted to know why. To fulfill some sick vision you had? You put other people’s lives in danger to explain away your fantasies?” An expression of revulsion crossed her face.

  The flutter died, replaced with a thud.

  “Are you kidding me?” He turned his head to look at her and immediately regretted it. His neck muscles and ligaments, tender because of the accident, screamed at him. “You think I made an accident happen to justify a delusion?”

  She shut off the radio with a quick jab of her thumb. “What other explanation is there, Liam? It’s too much of a coincidence.”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  “Try me.”

  He kept his mouth shut. No matter what she might say, she’d never give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, he didn’t feel comfortable discussing his secret skill in Mrs. Channer’s car. She probably had it bugged. For all he knew, the tacky tree air freshener could be where she’d hidden her recording device.

  Allison, though, held no qualms about discussing family matters in the Channer’s car. “If you worked as hard on real-life issues as you do with your delusions, you’d be the most successful man on the planet. Instead, you’ve totaled Isaac’s car, leaving us with one vehicle. Since Isaac drove to pick up Tasha, I had to borrow Sara’s car to pick you up.”

  Love you, too, Mom.

  Despite her patronizing and infuriating comment, he took advantage of the turn in the conversation. “When are Isaac and Tasha getting home?”

  “Early this evening.” She tugged on her ponytail.

  He designed imaginary patterns on his shorts and tried not to look relieved. He could still escape tonight. The Hyundai would be back in plenty of time for his exit. He’d face a challenge guarding Tasha against Cull for the rest of the day, but he could do it. He had to. And once he left the house, his family would be safe. “I know you’re worried about me living in the same house as Tasha, but you won’t need to for much longer.”

  “Don’t I, though? You just proved I can’t trust you. How am I supposed to let you near your sister?”

  “I told you. It’s not going to be an issue.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean? What are you planning?”

  “You’re not the only family I’ve got.” He twiddled his thumbs. “I can live with other relatives. Like Dad’s brother, Pete.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “What?”

  “Yeah, after Dad died, Uncle Pete said I could stay with him if I ever needed to.”

  Doubt and relief dueled for dominance on her face. “How come you never mentioned this?”

  Because he hadn’t actually talked to his Uncle Pete in years. The man hated him more than Isaac did. He correctly blamed Liam for ruining his father’s life and driving his health into the ground.

  “I didn’t think I needed to. I thought our arrangement would work.” He tapped his foot on the floorboard.

  They drove the next few miles without speaking. If Liam knew his mother, she was weighing all of her options. She didn’t know how to live with both Tasha and him under the same roof. He didn’t blame her. He’d yet to figure that out either.

  The car shuddered over a pothole. She placed a light hand on his knee. “You know I love you, right? I want you to be in my life. You’re not a burden. You’re my son.”

  He leaned his head against the window. “Easy to say when I offered you a chance to ship me away. When you’ll be free of me. Like before Dad died.”

  Her voice cracked. “You think I don’t want you near me?”

  “Don’t lie. You want a normal life. ‘Normal’ doesn’t happen with me.” The words burned his tongue like acid.

  “I need you to really hear me, Liam. Are you listening?” She thumped his knee for emphasis.

  “All the time.”

  “I’m sorry. For many, many mistakes. But mostly for making you feel unwanted. I never wanted to spend a day apart from you. But your father and I had very different ideas of how to treat your illness.” She paused. “Do you remember how he used to play along with your hallucinations?”

  Liam remembered.

  “Sean thought he could bring you back to reality if he lived in the same world you did. I didn’t think that strategy helped either of you. At some point, your father came to the same conclusion. But, by then, we didn’t trust each other.” She moved her hand from his knee and flexed it before gripping the steering wheel. “Your dad claimed you’d be happier with him and wouldn’t hear of me retaining custody. And despite whatever mistakes he made in the beginning, I can’t deny Sean was always the better parent. No matter how hard I tried, I never had the connection you two did. So I let you go.”

  The dark water of Bonita Bay swirled below as they crossed DuPont Bridge. Liam’s throat ached with an unreleased sob. “I understand. It’s difficult to be around me.”

  “Having schizophrenia doesn’t give you a monopoly on being difficult. All proper Murphys are challenging.” She gave him a half smile. “You’re my son. I’ll always love you. No matter what you’ve done.” Her smile withered.

  His hand tightened around the passenger seat. The foul stench of unneeded forgiveness flooded his nostrils. He hadn’t purposefully caused any accidents, nor had he killed anyone.

  “So you agree I need to leave?” he said.

  She sent him a sidelong glance. “Are you sure you want to live with your uncle?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “We’ll have to talk with your probation officer and see if this is even an option.” Allison sighed. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

  “You and me both.”

  rs. Channer hid behind the pink hibiscus bush she fretted over daily and lifted her left hand in a mechanical wave as Allison pulled into her driveway. Her meticulously flattened hair defied all laws of humidity and descended down her skull without a single strand springing out of place. A flesh-colored sling covered her right arm.

  “What happened to her?” Liam asked.

  “A few weeks back she had a freak accident while gardening. Apparently, she fainted in the afternoon heat. She fractured her elbow and got a concussion from the fall.”

  “Huh.”

  His mother shot him a concerned look. “Don’t mention her injuries. The whole episode really upset her.”

  I bet.

  The door to Mrs. Channer’s sports car opened without a sound. She kept the hinges well-oiled.

  Allison said, “Sara, thank you so much for letting me borrow your car. Sorry it took longer than I expected.” The keys swung from her hands, clanging against each other like wind chimes.

  “I’m always happy to help,” Mrs. Channer said. She clasped both the keys and his mother’s hand. Bright red lipstick bled past her lips into the tiny cracks and wrinkles around her mouth. The corners of Allison’s mouth started to pull down like gravity had suddenly become too hard to fight. Then she matched Mrs. Channer’s fake smile with one of her own.

  Liam kept his eyes on Mrs. Channer as he edged out of the car and crossed the street, trudging up the slight incline of Isaac’s driveway. Though he now intellectually understood t
he woman wasn’t a replica, he still distrusted her. Old habits were murder to kick.

  The scent of pot roast filled the house. His mother must’ve thrown it in the crockpot this morning. No minor crisis would catch her off guard.

  Cheerful meows resonated from the hallway, followed by a blur of dark fur. RP wrapped his tail around Liam’s calf and rubbed against him.

  “I’m gonna miss you.” Liam scratched RP under his ears. He’d love to squirrel the animal away with him tonight, but he couldn’t think of a practical, quiet way to do so.

  “You could’ve thanked Sara,” Allison said. She clicked the door shut and leaned against it.

  “I could’ve. But let’s not talk about Mrs. Channer right now. I’ve got a crazy idea instead.”

  Allison arched her eyebrows. “I’m all ears.”

  “For one evening, let’s pretend we’re happy. No calling probation officers, no arguing. We’ll return to our routine in the morning. Tonight, let’s be a regular family. For Tasha.”

  “No.” His mother shook her head. “Not just for Tasha. For all of us.” She circled the air with her pointer finger.

  He rested against the wall. “Dinner followed by a board game?”

  A white halo appeared around Allison, who stared at him with an unreadable expression. He cringed, anticipating seeing his younger, saner self.

  But this time was different.

  The white shield surrounding her grew and grew until it became larger than any other projection he’d seen. It morphed into four separate images; Isaac, Tasha, his mother, and him. They sat around a table, laughing and talking like a healthy family would.

  So she did love him. Or at least a fantasized version of him. If his mother longed for one stress-free evening with her family, he’d give it to her. She deserved a night of happiness before he fled.

  A menacing growl from RP scattered Allison’s projection. The cat hunched down and lurked toward the back door, hissing all the while. Liam stiffened, expecting the air to warm with Alexandra’s return, but the temperature stayed at its relegated seventy-eight degrees. Joshua didn’t appear, either.

  Concerned less by RP hunting prey than by the fact he couldn’t see the prey, Liam walked hesitantly toward the door. Had Cull already come for him?

  Allison smirked at the gray and black demon pawing at the door. “Our cat has issues.”

  Hand outstretched and ready to turn the doorknob, Liam froze. His fears could wait their turn. Tonight, his family came first. He pulled his hand back and jammed it in his pocket. “Yeah, he fits right in.”

  Allison pursed her lips and then burst into laughter, howling so hard she had to hang on to a dining room chair to keep from falling. Unsure whether he should be amused or insulted, he stood silent.

  “Sorry. That wasn’t even funny,” Allison said. After she patted her eyes dry, she covered her mouth and unsuccessfully fought another round of giggles.

  He pivoted to amused. He’d had enough serious to fill a few lifetimes. “Oh, I’ve seen funny. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” He tapped his head.

  She sank to her knees, cackling like a possessed woman. After weeks of unrelenting solemnity, his mother’s release of pent-up emotions was contagious. He let a small chuckle escape from his lips. He’d forgotten about moments like this; moments where all his concerns and worries didn’t matter. Moments where he could actually laugh at himself. It somehow made his problems more bearable. He let his emotional wall down with an abandon he didn’t know possible and soon laughed louder than his mother. Unaccustomed to such a workout, the muscles in his lower abdomen ached, and he collapsed onto the coach. The pair roared so loud they didn’t hear the car pull into the driveway or the voices outside until the front door creaked open.

  Isaac stood at the threshold, eyes hidden behind heavily tinted aviator sunglasses. He held his hand over Tasha’s face and shielded her. “Allison?” His shoulders leaned forward, ready to bolt across the room if needed.

  “Momma!” Tasha yelled. She shoved aside Isaac’s protective arm and sprinted full force toward her mother. She ran into Allison’s open arms, and the two hugged.

  “Baby girl, I’m so happy you’re home!” Allison ran her fingers over Tasha’s soft cheeks.

  “Me, too. What’d I miss? What’s so funny?”

  “I am,” said Liam. He popped up from the couch.

  “Liam!” Tasha screamed with delight. She plowed into her older brother and sank her head into his chest. “I’ve missed you so, so much!”

  “Missed you, too.” He wished he had longer than one afternoon to share with her.

  “Where’s my SUV?” Isaac asked. A muscle in his jaw twitched.

  “I got T-boned by another vehicle. I’m sorry, but your SUV is a goner.” Liam shrugged and pretended like he hadn’t stolen the car.

  Isaac’s boots squeaked on the linoleum floor as he shuffled his feet. One eyebrow shot up his forehead, arched like a cat preparing for battle.

  “Mom and I had a productive conversation on the way home. We’ve got a plan in place,” Liam said.

  “Does this plan include you buying me a new car?” Isaac’s fists tensed. If the SUV had been a person, it’d have fallen third in line for people he loved most in this world.

  Cheeks still red from laughing, Allison walked over to Isaac and laid her hand on his arm. “Let’s talk about it in the morning, okay?”

  His features softened. “Okay.”

  Liam didn’t have to tap into his paranormal abilities to predict that their morning conversation would suck. If one stolen car angered Isaac this much, he’d be livid when the second one disappeared. Thankfully, Liam would be long gone by then. And even if Allison and Isaac didn’t fully appreciate his scheme tomorrow, at some point they would.

  He would take their car, but give them freedom.

  asha bounded around the house the rest of the afternoon, overjoyed to be home. Clad in a lavender leotard and pale pink tutu, she pointed a glittery baton at furniture in the living room and pretended to turn each piece into a unicorn or Pegasus or some other equally sparkly creature.

  “You must have an entire stable at this point, Tasha. What are you going to do with all these animals?” Liam asked. He wore an aged and cracking crown that at one point colorful plastic rhinestones had adorned. Now only faded glue spots remained. Tasha had dubbed him “Prince Liam of Tyndall.”

  Fingers placed to her lips, she tiptoed near the kitchen and cocked her ear to the side. The murmur of her parents deep in conversation floated across the air. She skipped back over to Liam. She whispered, “Sissy likes animals. I like to keep her happy.”

  Ice gripped his soul.

  “Did Sissy go with you to Grammy and Grandpa’s?” he asked.

  “Yep. Lucky for me. Grammy and Grandpa are nice, but they are ooold and boring. Sissy is never boring. See, she’s riding a unicorn right now. She’s gonna run into the table!” Tasha giggled.

  He tried not to vomit.

  Sissy was a perfectly rational response to Tasha’s situation. Forced to leave her parents and move someplace new, his sister had taken along an imaginary friend. Lots of kids her age would react the same way. It didn’t mean she’d develop a mental illness.

  RP batted a paw at the dining room table and growled. He arched his back and hissed as the smell of leather and cigarette smoke wafted through the air.

  “Well, this is certainly a turn for the worse,” Joshua said. He placed his elbow on Liam’s shoulder and leaned on him. “Seems you’ve rubbed off on your sister more than strictly necessary.”

  He shook off Joshua’s touch.

  “Easy there, killer. We haven’t chatted in a while. You could be more civil.”

  RP set his green feline eyes on Joshua and swished his tail.

  Joshua lowered the cigarette from his mouth, and he blew smoke circles that expanded until they surrounded Liam’s head like a hazy halo. “I do have to thank Tasha for bringing in a distraction. That little dev
il hasn’t let me rest in weeks.” He pointed his right hand at the cat and cocked it like a gun. “Boom.”

  Hackles raised, RP crouched.

  The tips of Joshua’s scraggly fingernails grabbed Liam’s cheek and pinched hard, piercing his skin. “I’m glad you’re leaving this house. I’ll be free to roam wherever you settle next without him constantly harassing me.”

  RP sprang forward one second too late―Joshua had already evaporated. Miffed he’d missed his prey, the cat prowled around Liam’s feet and sniffed the air.

  Knuckles pressed over his injured cheek, Liam reconsidered his earlier resolve to stay indoors. The probability that Cull skulked nearby frightened him to the core. He’d wanted to keep Tasha as far as possible from the murderer. Now, though, he had to also consider Joshua. Ever since the incident with Camila, Joshua’d become more ballsy. He wouldn’t harm Tasha, but he’d do his best to ruin the evening. And Liam would give his family a good memory. Besides, with Isaac watching him closer than an overanxious helicopter parent, Cull wouldn’t dare show.

  “Wanna go outside?” Liam asked Tasha. “I hear hundreds of unicorns stomping around the backyard.”

  She jumped up with a squeal. “Yes!” Her tutu fluttered against her short legs as she ran into the kitchen and tugged on Allison’s shirt. “Liam and I are going to play in the backyard.”

  Isaac raised a hand to object, but Allison placed her palm on his chest and shook her head.

  “Okay. But stay where I can see you,” she said.

  Disapproval oozed out of Isaac’s pores as Tasha ran out the back door. “Is this really a wise decision?” he asked.

  I certainly hope so.

  “You can watch us the whole time out the window. She’ll be fine,” said Liam.

  “If she so much as trips and skins her knee, you’ll regret it.” Isaac’s lips closed tighter than a bank vault.

  “Roger that,” Liam said. He flung open the screen door and pranced over to his sister like he rode a horse and tried to remember Isaac’s distrust would keep Tasha safe.