Closed Overdue Talks

Melanie nodded, squeezing his shoulder. "They do, but even if things changed and you now suck at school... so what?" She asked him. "Then you'll find something else you're good at. Or you'll work twice as hard to get there anyway." She said. "You're talking to someone who never even did their NEWTs, honey, the fact that you and your brother both graduated made me proud enough to last me a lifetime."
 
As sorry as he felt for himself, Connor felt a quick pang of guilt for bringing this up in front of his mum. He knew that she hadn't finished school, but she was so competent that it was easy to just forget. "Right." He mumbled quietly, head down, hoping that she would just take that and leave him alone.
 
Melanie kept her arm around Connor and waited a few beats before speaking. "I don't think we're done here." She said quietly. "You've been fighting with your brother a lot."
 
Connor tensed immediately when his mum didn't let him go, head ducking more when she mentioned Eric. "Yeah, well he's moved out now." He mumbled gruffly.
 
Melanie nodded. "Yes, but he still visits a lot." She said quietly. "What are you two fighting about?"
 
Connor sniffled, trying to pass it off as a grunt. "He's still being a d*ck about dad." He pointed out.
 
Melanie sighed softly. "To you or to him?" She asked quietly, fighting hard to keep her own feelings out of this.
 
Connor snorted. "To everyone! He acts like getting to have a dad is the worst thing that ever happened to us! He treats dad like a... a f*cking cartoon villain, and acts like I'm... his henchman or something whenever I try to spend time with him! If Eric wants to be an idiot that's his problem, but he can't even let me be happy!"
 
Melanie felt relieved as Connor finally let more than a few words slip. She nodded, listening. "I see." She said. "I can talk to him about not making you feel bad for wanting to have a dad." She told him, then hesitated. "But he's allowed to feel about his dad the way he does. I'm not going to tell him off for that. He should let you be happy, but it's understandable for him to be angry at your father."
 
Connor groaned in frustration, slumping forward. "Don't talk to him!" He snapped. "Do you want him to think I.... tattled or something? We're not little kids, you can't just go give him a time out or something stupid like that. Just leave us alone."
 
Melanie frowned. "Connor, it's not like I didn't guess that was going on. I was going to tell your brother to stop giving you a hard time anyway." She said with a frown. "No, you're not little kids. But take it from me that you don't magically stop needing your parents at seventeen." She said, her voice sharp. "I know you're upset, but you don't have to be rude to me because you're having a lot of feelings."
 
Connor uncovered his eyes at last, relieved that this was an argument now instead of.... whatever his mum had been trying to do. Arguments were much easier. "So it's rude for me to tell you I'm not okay with something, but it's not rude for you to butt into my life?" He snapped. "Eric's always been a d*ckhead, I can deal with him on my own."
 
Melanie was glad she had a lot of practice staying calm, she didn't want this to escalate. But maybe arguing was easier for Connor right now, and maybe it would still let them talk about things. "Butting into your life is my job, get used to it." She frowned. "Don't talk about your brother that way. He's rightfully angry, just as you're rightfully hopeful for something more. Just because you see it differently doesn't make either of you wrong."
 
Connor glared at his mum. "I'm not a kid anymore!" He snapped. "My life is none of your business!" He tensed even more as she leaped to defend Eric, surprised at how much he hurt even though he had known this was coming. "I knew you'd side with him!" He snapped, pulling away and getting off the sofa entirely. "I never even got a chance to have a dad, I don't remember him! You and Eric are so wrapped up in sh*t that happened fifteen years ago, you don't even care what kind of person he is now! This is my first real chance to have a dad, and you two are gonna ruin it!"
 
Melanie frowned at Connor, moving away from him and crossing har arms. "You're not a kid but you're my kid, I'm going to help you as long as I am able to." She told him firmly. "I'm not siding with Eric, I said you're both right to feel as you feel." She said, feeling her own temper rise. She pushed it down. "I admit, I don't enjoy seeing your father on a regular basis. But I'm not going to stand in the way of you having a chance at having a dad. Neither is Eric. " She said, voice firm and even. "But he has a history of being unreliable. I want it for you, honey, I do. I really hope Ryan can be what you need and I'll be doing whatever I can to make that happen." She said, meeting his eyes. "But be careful getting your hopes up."
 
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