Chapter 5 - The Habit
His voice drops low, free of any shock.
"Mom..."
The grandmother stops sobbing mid-breath, her fingers still hovering over her swollen cheek.
"You promised never to do this again," Mark says softly.
The room goes dead quiet.
The grandfather clock in the corner ticks twice.
Sarah freezes.
The milk soaking into her white t-shirt suddenly feels ice cold against her ribs.
Her head twitches slightly to the side.
"Again?" Sarah whispers.
Mark doesn't look back at his wife.
He stays looking down at his mother, his fingers twitching at his sides.
"We talked about this after what happened with Leo's toddler bed," Mark continues, his voice flat, exhausted.
"You said you were taking the medicine."
The grandmother pulls her hands away from her face.
The tear tracks on her cheeks dry instantly in the draft coming from the hallway.
Her mouth settles into a hard, thin line.
May you like
"He wasted it, Mark," she says, her frail tone completely gone.
"Just like you used to."
