“No, you’re not. You’re standing here acting like a child and pitying yourself. You’re not a prisoner here, Jameson. It’s simply a new place to call home. Nothing changes in your contract.” She shakes her head and tries a different approach. “You are the one who wanted this.” She slips closer, reminding me of the words I once spoke to her, but standing here, I can’t remember if they were ever even mine, or if they were planted like a seed, and called upon at the precise moment she planned for, the skill she’s perfected that’s led her to courtroom victories, time and time again.

She’s a cold woman, and she never should have been blessed with children, let alone daughters—a fact she’d agree upon.

I shake my head. “My dad would be so disappointed in you.”

“Yes, well.” She nods. “The weak always are.”

Her blatant disregard for her deceased husband is sickening and steals the air from my lungs, but she either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care as she goes to turn away.

“Are you not going to tell me Happy Birthday?”

She freezes, her eyes slicing to mine.

“You flew here, passed me off. You’re officially free of kin duties now, but would it kill you to smile, and say ‘Happy Birthday, Jameson?’”

My mom studies me curiously, slowly turning to face me once more. “Honey, please don’t tell me you went and turned into your sister?”

My eyes widen. “Are you serious right now?”

“Are you?” she counters. “Have you truly strayed so far that you now need the validation in the form of an adolescent’s wasted wish?”

“Do you hear yourself?!” I shriek. “Can you even see me?! Am I fucking invisible!” I clutch my chest. “I tried to open up to you yesterday, something I have never done, and you basically spit in my face! You’re my mother! Can you not see that I’m not okay?!”

My mother sighs. “Jameson, keep your voice down—”

“Fuck off!” I throw my hand out, sending everything on the counter crashing to the floor, and everyone else in the room quickly rushes out of it.

“Fuck. Off!” I scream. “This is your fault! Everything is your fault, I—” I break off in a numb chuckle, my hand flying up to my forehead as I look away. “I’m broken. I’m... I’m a fucking mess.”