“Well”—Michael runs his hands along my shoulders, smoothing out any wrinkles—“I hope you can patch up whatever happened.”

“Me too. I’m sorry about Wyatt canceling.”

“It’s okay. The DJ is ready. We’d prefer something live, but beggers can’t be choosers. Mom is ticked, but … you know.” Michael takes a pause in front of the mirror, looking over himself again. “You seemed happy with Wyatt.”

I open my mouth, ready to say something. But no words come out other than: “Thanks.”

“You know I’ve got to talk to you about Mom, right?”

Here we go. Someone else doing the work for her.

“You hurt her feelings last night, Neil.”

“Believe me, I know.”

“Have you thought about what you’re going to say to her?”

“I need to apologize.”

“Well … yeah.”

“Is it fucked up that I don’t know if I’m sorry?”

Michael pauses. “You’re not.”

“I regret how I said what I said … but I don’t regret saying it. It’s the truth, Michael. She’s been an awful mother to the both of us.”

“Well, to you. I’ve got Dad to thank for most of my poor upbringing.”

“So you’re admitting she’s a bad parent?”

“That’s not fair, Neil.”

I immediately feel my heart leap in my chest, beating faster and faster. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, she tried her best to do what she could for us, you know?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Neil—”

“Don’t do that to me, Michael.”

“I’m just saying—”

“No, you weren’t there. You weren’t there for years. You don’t get to tell me how good of a parent she was.”

“I’m not saying she was good,” Michael says. “And that’s not fair—she helped raise me too.”

“You still don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell him. I don’t want to sound upset, but I don’t like that Michael is standing here telling me that Mother did a good job at raising me, that she was a good parent, that she did what she could. “I don’t want to hear this.”

I turn around, ready to leave the room and this conversation far behind me.

“Neil, wait.”

“You don’t get to tell me how to feel about her, Michael.”

“I’m not telling you how to feel,” he says. “I’m just saying that you maybe don’t know as much as you think you do.”

“Well, I’m sorry that she hurt me, and that I’m not over it. I’m sorry that you’re so well adjusted after Dad royally fucked you up.”

“That’s not fair either, Neil.”

“What do I care? Clearly you’re doing so well for yourself.”