Page 62 of Patrick

I take my seat at the end near Kathleen and my mother. To their credit, no one hovers or jumps to my side to help me like I’m an invalid.

“How’s the headache?” Dad says from the other end of the table.

“Better.” I shovel a pile of bacon onto my plate. Kathleen frowns and adds eggs and potatoes before I have a chance.

“Food cures everything,” she says, blushing.

“You’re probably right. Either way, I’m all in.” I give her a grin, ready to enjoy the breakfast and my family surrounding me, in spite of their surreptitious glances like they want to figure out how I’m doing from a look because they don’t trust what I say. I don’t blame them.

I stuff a forkful of food into my mouth, simultaneously satisfying my never-ending food craving and giving me an excuse not to answer any questions, when there’s a knock at the back door that opens off the kitchen.

My mother rises instantly to open the door and Kathleen goes to the cabinet to get another plate. They’re both smiling, if puzzled.

“Anyone expecting a guest?” Mom asks before she pulls the door open.

For no possible reason, a lump of some kind of crappy feeling fills my throat, and I stop chewing while my heart speeds up like I might need to run any second.

Everyone at the table shakes their heads, all watching expectantly as she pulls the door open.

“Hi, you don’t know me. I’m Pammy Pledge. I’m here to see Trick—Patrick.”

Fucking shitastic. I stand so fast my chair stutters backwards, and I almost fall back down because a wave of dizziness, followed closely by nausea, assaults me.

But my eyesight is clear as day as I meet Pammy’s eyes, and I almost spit out my food because I know what she’s going to say next.

“I’m Trick’s girlfriend.”

The room falls into shocked silence. Then everyone turns to me, for confirmation I assume.

And this is where I feel the screws to the vice squeezing the life out of my chest tighten, and then tighten some more.

Keeping my eyes locked on Pammy’s, I try to read her mind and try not to scream at her, what the fuck are you doing?

She pleads so blatantly with her eyes that I’m glad no one else is looking her way right now or they’d know she’s a damn liar. I should call her out, turn her away, and tell everyone there’s a big misunderstanding.

But knowing my family and them knowing my reputation, they’d only blame me for said misunderstanding.

Daniel catches my attention when he gives me animosity so hard I could swear I hear him growl.

I clear my throat and go with the only option I have that’s not going to blow up my life right now.

“Hi Pammy.” I stand, and my knees actually fucking shake. It must be the concussion getting to me, plus Pammy’s girlfriend bomb at breakfast. That can’t be good for a person.

“Everyone, this is Pammy Pledge.” I swallow hard. “My girlfriend.”

Daniel is the only one who doesn’t smile and nod and say hello. I can’t help meeting his glare, and he mouths WTF with such animosity behind it that I know something is seriously wrong. But hell if I know what. It’s almost like he knows I’m a fucking liar.

Almost like he knows why I’m lying. Fifi.

Shit.

I manage to walk to the door, ignoring the comments like “You old dog” from Pops and “This is an unexpected surprise” from Kathleen, all while Mom pulls Pammy inside and wraps her in a warm hug, happy to meet her whether or not she’s skeptical about her girlfriend status. Mom’s willing to give us the benefit of the doubt, and everyone else follows her lead.

When Mom’s finished with her, I give Pammy a hug, not hesitating because I take the opportunity to whisper in her ear.

“What the fuck, Pammy?”

She whispers back, “It wasn’t my idea. I’ll explain everything as soon⁠—”