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I folded my arms and glared at her. “Obviously, you don’t want me here, so I’ll go and stay at Gran’s. At least she wants me.”

“You’re being fucking stupid now. I never said that; I just told you to grow up.”

“Can you honestly say you want me here, other than to take care of Logan when all you and Brian want to do is go on the piss almost every night? The fuck, Mum? I have a life, you know.”

“You? A life? Pull the other one; it’s got bells on. The day you get a life is the day we win the fucking lottery.”

“Maybe you should keep a tighter rein on your husband. Do you know where he is right now?” I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, but my anger was rising, along with my blood pressure.

“Well, he’s out,” she blustered. “Out with his friends.”

“Has he messaged? Called?” I looked at my watch. “It’s one in the afternoon, Mum. Pubs closed hours ago, unless he’s somewhere you don’t know. Maybe you should ask him when he gets home. In the meantime, I’ll stay around today, seeing as you don’t know where he is, but next time, sort out childcare. This is the last time I’m doing this.”

I’d had enough. Seeing Mac with his family, how kind they were to each other, how the kids played, and how everyone had been nice to me made me realise how dysfunctional our family actually was.

I was having no more of it.

“You can’t do that.” Her voice rose as she spoke, her face red, a light perspiration forming on her forehead. She clutched at her chest, finally realising what she’d said to me, and that soon enough, she’d have to care for her son herself.

“I can and I will. I’m done, Mum. Enough. You’d best go, or you’ll be late for work. I’ll see you later.” And with that, I brushed past her and climbed the stairs to my room.

I paused on the stairs and listened.

“Brian, you piece of shit. Where the hell are you? You’ve been out all night with fuck knows who. You’d better have a good explanation when you get home.”

I’d best make myself scarce when he came home. The last thing I needed was for him to think I said anything to her. Looked like I was spending another night at Gran’s.

I heard the back door slam and the clack of her heels on the path. Why had it taken me so long to stand up to her? Had meeting Mac finally removed the veil from my eyes, letting me see them for the bastards they were?

I’d always known Brian was one, but somewhere deep inside, the little boy in me hoped that Mum would see me. That she’d remember me as a baby. Gran said she doted on me at first, but when Dad left, all that changed, and I became the boy she didn’t want.

Maybe I was still living with that trauma. Maybe it was why I still stayed where I wasn’t wanted.

I gazed around my bedroom. There was nothing here to make it home. The few clothes I had hung in the wardrobe, my underwear in a tiny drawer next to my bed. It told you something when you looked and saw Logan had the bigger of the two bedrooms.

I inhabited the box room in a bed barely big enough for me to stretch out in. I was the poor relation, but it was time for a change.

I grabbed my only backpack and began to pack, my meagre possessions barely filling it. Toiletries could wait until later. I wouldn’t be leaving today. I’d bide my time, then when the time was right, I’d make my move.

Maybe I’d stay a couple of days. It was a big step, and I’d need to ask Gran first, although she’d always offered to let me go there.

I’d love to say that Brian caused everything wrong in this house, but he didn’t. It was a fact I needed to get to grips with.

Why hadn’t I seen it before? Deep down, I knew I had; I was just too cowardly to do anything about it.

I thought about contacting Mac, but he’d mentioned wanting to get some sleep before work tomorrow, and the last thing I wanted to do was bother him.

At some point, I must have nodded off, as the next thing I knew, Logan was banging open my bedroom door.

“I’m hungry. I want food.”

I checked my watch. A little after four. “What do you want to eat?”

“McDonald’s. I want nuggets, fries, and a milkshake.”

Of course he did. I was sure he lived on nuggets and fries. I didn’t think I’d seen him eat anything else.

“I don’t have any money. I’ll go find you something in the freezer.” I swung my legs over the bed and stood up, knocking my backpack onto the floor, the contents spilling out.