Mom lowered her head, the weight of her guilt visible in the slump of her shoulders. She was clearly aware that I was correct. She stayed silent for a long moment, picking at a loose thread on her sleeve.
"I don't have anyone I like and I'll keep it like that," I finally murmured. Ready to leave. "Having someone to f*ck from time to time is enough."
"Xavier Oslic, watch your mouth!"
"You asked, so I answered." I turned back just to throw that over my shoulder. "It's the choice I made since I don't want to hurt someone else because of this family's mess. I'll make everyone happy. I'm quite the great son, don't you think?"
She let out a long, weary sigh that seemed to echo in the quiet room.
"What? You don't think Dad would be proud?"
"Your sarcasm only hurts people," she said, her voice laced with disappointment and a raw kind of hurt. But that meant nothing to me. She was the one who had pushed me into this corner. This entire conversation was unnecessary.
