Page 5 of Tempest Awakening
"Where's Whiskey?" I asked instead, desperate to change the subject and locate my sole source of unconditional love in this stifling place.
As if on cue, my portly ginger tabby waddled into view, his solitary green eye fixing me with a bemused look. A ragged purr rumbled in his throat as I scooped him into my arms, burying my face in his soft fur. At least someone was glad for my company.
"I still can't believe you insisted on keeping that mangy stray," she sniffed, eyeing my cat Whiskey with naked disdain.
"Don't talk about him like that," I warned, the words a low growl as I scooped up my precious fur baby.
Kendall snorted. "Please, Tempest. That creature is a blight."
Clutching Whiskey tighter, I nuzzled his soft fur, drawing strength from his familiar scent and the steady thrum of his purr against my cheek. "He's more than you'll ever be." The whispered retort slipped out before I could stop it.
Kendall's eyes flashed dangerously. "What was that?"
I straightened my spine, mustering what little courage I had left. "I said, Whiskey is more supportive than you've ever been."
"Supportive?" She scoffed. "Is that what you call enabling your pathetic delusions? Dragons, werewolves, and now you're talking to cats? You're not just disappointing anymore, Tempest. You're deranged."
A voice in the back of my mind warned me to stop talking. I knew from experience that each word I said would only fuel her anger. But something in me couldn't stay silent.
"They're not delusions, Mom. The Unveiling happened. These beings are real, whether you like it or not."
She advanced on me, her voice rising to a shrill pitch. "Real or not, they're nothing but freaks and monsters. Just like you're turning out to be." Her eyes raked over me dismissively. "Look at yourself. Thirty years old, fat, working as a waitress, living with your mother. You can't even focus long enough to hold down a real job. You use your ADHD as an excuse, but it's just another failure. You're a complete and utter disappointment."
I flinched, biting my tongue. Don't respond, I told myself. It'll only get worse. But the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "I’m here for you. And I'm trying my best—"
"Your best?" She interrupted with a cruel, mocking laugh. "Your best is worse than most people's rock bottom. Madison never needed to try. She just succeeded. But you? You're nothing but a waste of potential and a constant source of shame."
The comparison to my perfect sister felt like a knife twisting in my gut. I knew I should stay quiet, let her tirade wash over me until she ran out of steam. But the hurt was too deep, the words too sharp.
"I'm not Madison, Mom. I never will be."
As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. I could see the rage building in her eyes, knew that each response was only throwing fuel on the fire. But it was too late now.
"Oh, believe me, I know," Kendall sneered, disgust etched into every line of her face. "Madison knows her place in the world.She's not chasing ridiculous fantasies or consorting with freaks. She has a real career, a loving husband, and she's not an embarrassment to this family."
"And what?" I snapped, my patience finally breaking. "Your unconditional love?"
Kendall's face contorted with rage. "Love? You want to talk about love? Let me make this perfectly clear, Tempest. I don't love you. I tolerate you. And even that's becoming too much to bear."
Her words hit me like a physical blow. I stumbled back, clutching Whiskey to my chest like a shield.
"You're a disappointment in every possible way," she continued, her voice cold and cutting. "You can't even manage to attract a normal man. Instead, you moon over some flea-ridden werewolf who probably sees you as nothing more than a desperate, easy target."
I felt tears welling up but blinked them back. "You don't know anything about James, or me, or—"
"I know enough," she spat. "I know you're throwing your life away on childish dreams and magical nonsense. I know you're too weak and pathetic to make anything of yourself. And I know that every day I look at you, I regret ever bringing you into this world."
In that moment, something inside me shattered.
"You're right," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I'll never be good enough for you. And I can't do this anymore."
"Do what, exactly?"
I gestured wildly around the room, my heart pounding in my ears. "I can’t deal with the constant put-downs, the backhanded compliments, the emotional manipulation. I'm not going to do this anymore."
Kendall's eyes narrowed to icy slits. "Don't be overdramatic, Tempest."
"I'm not being anything!" My voice cracked with years of repressed anguish. "You manipulate me, control me, make me feel like a disappointment for simply existing!"
