21
It was long past lights out. The conversation I’d had with Jack a few hours earlier still rumbled in my head. My father killed himself to save my mother, or so he claimed and damned me in the process. Bastard. Why hadn’t Tanya been blessed with good old Jack? She was always the most stable one in the family.
Jack appeared on the bed, looking composed and thoughtful.
“Firstly,” he said. “No matter what happens, I’d like your permission to keep the name Jack. No one has ever named me, and I like the name, so I’d like to keep it.” He took a breath. “If that’s okay with you?”
“Sure. No problem.” I was confused. That hadn’t been the opening I’d expected. “Anything else?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking, and I’ve realised that I’ve approached this all wrong.” He looked down at his feet. “I hav
