Releasing 10 (Boys of Tommen, #6)

by Chloe Walsh

“You are my baby, and I will always look after you.” She tickled under my chin and smiled. “And you must never let anyone make you feel like there is something wrong with you.” She tickled my chin again. “Do you understand me, Lizzie?”

didn’t like it when I made her mad. It made me feel bad. It made my face grow hot. It made my nails get scratchy.

I had to make my family love me. If I didn’t, they were going to send me away.

Do you remember even one of the many positive things our daughter’s teacher had to say about her? No, of course you don’t, because you only hear the negative when it comes to Lizzie.”

I liked it when people were happy with me. It made me feel warm in my belly, not like the burning-hot feeling when I made them sad.

They always made me promise not to tell. That was easy-peasy for me because I was good at keeping secrets. After all, I kept lots of secrets for them. Especially Mark’s secret superpower.

“You’re my big brother.” I rolled my eyes to the heavens, but I knew he was right. We might not have had the same parents, but Gerard Gibson was my brother.

Aside from the four months I’d been alive longer than him, I’d never known a world without the curly-haired troublemaker beside me. It was strange because I didn’t think of him as a friend like Patrick Feely, my best friend from school. I thought of Gibsie in the same way I thought about my little sister Claire.

Claire was loud and funny, and she made me feel happy. Shannon was quiet and calm and made me feel safe.

A little while later, the teacher brought another girl over to sit with us. She wasn’t shy like Shannon or strange like me. This girl looked like sunshine. Everyone wanted to sit with Claire Biggs and be her best friend, but she only wanted to sit with us and be our best friend.

“You’re different, Lizzie Young.” “I am?” She nodded and smiled. “You’re special.” “Is that bad?” “No.” She shook her head, still smiling. “You remind me of Joe.” “Your brother?” “Yep.” She nodded again. “And that’s a very good thing.”

Mam had kind eyes, dark blue like Caoimhe’s, and she had my favorite voice. It was soft and gentle and wrapped around me like a hug. Daddy had blue eyes, too, but they looked pale and sad. Like mine.

Nobody talked to me, but I didn’t mind. I was used to it.

I was used to disappointing people.

“You don’t need to learn everything right now. Just turn your mind off and enjoy being a kid.”

I liked it when Caoimhe was happy with me. I wanted everyone to be happy with me.

Gibs was always looking at her, and on the rare occasion he wasn’t, Claire was looking at him.

Sometimes it was nice to not talk and still be friends.

Nobody had ever said that about me before. But Claire did. She said she wanted me. My heart thumped with excitement.

“Then it’s official,” Hugh said, turning to smile at me. “You’re one of us now.” “I am?” “That means we keep each other’s secrets and stick together, no matter what.” My heart leapt. “No matter what?” “Yeah, Liz.” Hugh smiled. “No matter what.”