‘I might have known you’d stick up for him. He always was your favourite, wasn’t he? Good, quiet, hard-working Harry.’
‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said.
‘Oh, come off it, Sis. I know you always found me the difficult one, whereas little Harry couldn’t put a foot wrong, could he?’
‘You were just very different personalities and had different needs,’ she said, suddenly realising that jealousy was the root of Jack’s anger towards her.
‘Yes.’ Jack got up from his chair and moved towards her. Too late, she realised the kitchen door had closed behind her, barring her escape. She tried to slowly reach behind her to open the door, but Jack was too quick. Before she had a chance, his hands were on her shoulders, he’d shoved her to the side and she was pinned against the kitchen wall, his beery breath in her face. ‘I needed you to get me out of trouble with the teachers and Harry needed you to pat him on the back.’
‘It was a very difficult time for all of us. People deal with things differently. That doesn’t mean I loved you any less than I did him.’ Anna hoped pacifying him would help her get away. Jack had never been violent towards her in the past, althoughshe’d always felt the threat of it, but now she realised there might be a first time.
‘Bet you do now, though, don’t you?’ Jack gave her a not-so-gentle shove.
‘I still love you, Jack, you’re my brother. It’s just sometimes I don’t like you very much.’
He sneered. ‘Oh, the feeling’s mutual. Although I’d go a bit further than that, because I hate you, and do you know why I hate you?’
Again she tried not to sound threatened by him. ‘I don’t, Jack, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.’ She could feel her legs trembling and doubted they would be able to hold her up if it wasn’t for his hands on her shoulders.
‘I certainly am. Do you know how difficult you’ve made life for me recently?’
‘What? Because I’ve asked you to help out a bit more around the house? Hardly a reason for you to hate me.’
‘No. Because you’ve turned Dad against me. Life used to be sweet, but now he’s on at me all the time. And working with him means I can’t get away from him. In fact, he’s worse when we’re at work, always on my case.’
‘What’s going on?’ They’d both been so intent on each other they hadn’t heard Harry come into the house and open the kitchen door.
Jack didn’t take his eyes off Anna. ‘None of your business.’
‘When you’ve got our sister pinned against the wall, I’d say it was very much my business. Get off her, Jack.’
‘Make me.’
Harry sprang across the kitchen and tried to pull Jack off her, but Jack spun round, landing a fist firmly in Harry’s face. Anna gasped in shock as she watched Harry go sprawling away from them, landing on the floor.
‘What the hell is going on here?’ An angry voice came from behind them. Anna turned to see her father in the doorway, his fists clenched at his sides.
‘I’m teaching these two a lesson, that’s all,’ Jack said.
‘A lesson for what?’ Andrew asked.
‘For ruining my life,’ Jack answered.
‘The only person who’s done that is yourself,’ Andrew replied. ‘And I won’t have violence in my house, so you can get out.’
‘What?’ Jack sounded shocked.
‘I said get out. I’ve had just about as much as I can take from you recently. I don’t want you living under my roof. You’ve got fifteen minutes to pack and leave or I’ll be calling the police.’
‘What for?’
‘Assault for one,’ Andrew said. ‘Now get out.’
Jack glared at him. ‘Fine. I don’t want to live here anyway.’
‘And you can find yourself another job while you’re at it. You don’t work for me anymore.’
‘Fine! If that’s the way you want it.’ Jack didn’t even bother to go upstairs to pack, but stomped down the hallway, slamming the front door behind him.
