Erika was cooking dinner and gave me her attention for a moment. “All fixed?”

“Yeah, but there will be something else next week. That car is a piece of junk and she needs to get a new one.”

“She won’t spend the money, you know that.” She told me something I already knew.

“One day it’ll disappear out of her garage and there will be a new one in it’s place. I’m not a mechanic anymore and the only engine I want to work on is my own.”

“You can’t just replace her car, Nash. She loves that -”

“Piece of shit,” I finished her sentence, and then continued, “You watch me.”

She fell silent for a moment before asking, “What time is Jamison arriving?”

I watched her juggle stirring the casserole and scrolling on her phone. “What the fuck are you doing?” I eventually asked.

She hit me with a dirty look. “I’m trying to see what the next thing is to add to this casserole. And you didn’t answer my question.”

Our brother was always late. “He’ll be here soon,” I answered as I walked towards her. “What are you cooking?”

“That beef casserole that Mum likes.”

I peered into the pot and then eyed her. “Seriously? You need to read the recipe to make that?”

Another dirty look from her. “You want to make it?”

Leaning my back against the bench, I muttered, “Well I sure as shit wouldn’t need the recipe. By the looks of it, you need to add the mushrooms now.”

She continued to scowl at me, but did as I suggested before saying, “Mum doesn’t like Carla’s boyfriend either. You know that, right?”

“I figured. Not sure why she lets him in the house though.”

“Because Carla still lives here and she respects her enough to let her live her own life.”

It was hurting my ears to listen to this shit. “Babe, you’ve got ten years on Carla and I’ve got twelve, and we both fuckin’ know that she can do a lot better than that prick. He shared his dick around the last time they were together; I’m not sure what makes her think this time will be different.”

“She’s young, Nash. She grew up with no father figure except for you and Jamison, and while you both did an amazing job, she’s suffered because of Dad leaving us. Her self worth is shot to shit and so she lets guys treat her like Jesse does.”

“Fuck, Erika, why do you always have to be so fuckin’ understanding of stuff? For once, why can’t you join the rest of us and admit what a prick he is? And that Carla needs to open her eyes and see what’s right in front of her.”

“I’m not understanding,” she huffed, “I’m just giving you my opinion on why she is the way she is.”

Before I could say anything more, Jamison made his entrance, his arms full with flowers, wine and chocolate. He lifted his chin at me before filling the kitchen table with his gifts, and asked, “You in trouble again, shithead?”

“Always,” I grinned at Erika who rolled her eyes at me. I nodded at the stuff he’d put on the table, “What are you sucking up to Mum for?”

“It’s Mother’s Day, you’re supposed to bring presents. You were probably too busy screwing some chick to go shopping, weren’t you?”

I smirked at him, “Well, if you’ve got it, use it. Next time you feel the urge to hit the shops, just send your woman over to me; I’ll take care of her for you.”

“Now see that’s where you’re wrong, little brother. The way I treat a woman when I take her shopping? Guarantees me the best fucking orgasm when I get her home.”

Erika butted in, “God, will you two ever grow up?” She’d finished with the casserole and was now cleaning up. Pointing at the cupboards, she said, “Nash, you need to set the table; Jamison, you can help me with the food.”

Anyone would have thought that Erika was the oldest from the way she bossed us around. I saluted her. “Yes, boss.”

She paused for a moment, and asked, “Why can’t you always just do what I say?”

“My middle name’s not easy, babe.”

Jamison chuckled. “You sure about that? I reckon we could find a football stadium of women who would disagree with that.”

Grinning, I nodded, “Probably right there, asshole.”

Erika just shook her head at me and Jamison continued laughing. The earlier tension between my sister and I had eased but the heaviness in my chest lingered. Mother’s Day never failed to fuck with me and today she’d dug her claws in deep.

***

“Will I see you again this week?” my mother asked as she hugged me goodbye.

“Probably not, I’ve got a lot going on at the club.”

She let me go and I reached for Carla. Wrapping my arms around her, I whispered in her ear, “You need to ditch that asshole.”

She tried to pull away from me but I tightened my hold on her.

“Nash, let me go,” she complained, fighting me.

Doing as she asked, I stepped back and caught her gaze, “You deserve so much better. I wish you could see that.”

“Yeah, like you do too,” she countered.

“I don’t fuckin’ deserve anything,” I muttered, and turned to Erika. “You still having problems with your neighbour?”

“Yeah, he’s getting worse, playing his music loud till all hours and yelling abuse at me whenever I try and talk to him about it. I actually think he’s got a mental health problem, because he’s so up and down.”