It's a Fugly Life (Fugly #2)(48)

I looked at Patricio. I knew he’d been eighteen or nineteen when he’d slept with Mabel. I couldn’t claim his actions to be horrific or evil—teenagers are, after all, not the brightest lights at the disco—but he had apparently broken the girl’s heart.

“Apologize,” I said to Patricio.

He gave me a shocked look as if he did not understand.

“You heard me. Apologize to them.” I indicated Max and Maxine.

Patricio’s eyes shifted around the room. “But I—”

“He will not apologize!” Bibiana seethed. “That girl was a slut.”

“What?” Maxine snapped.

“Okay. Now you have to apologize.” I pointed to Bibiana. “That was out of line. How would you like it if someone called one of your daughters that because she had sex. Unmarried.” I zeroed in on Bibiana with my eyes. She’d told me ten minutes earlier that she’d slept with some man and then married Patricio’s father.

Bibiana got my gist and snapped her mouth shut. She looked down at the ground. “I am sorry.”

“Now your turn,” I prodded Patricio. “Tell them you’re sorry for causing their family any pain.”

Patricio’s mouth flapped a little.

“You might be a dad someday. Think about how you’d feel if Mabel had been your daughter.”

Patricio looked up. “Fine. I am sorry for touching your daughter.”

I could see that Max wasn’t going to let it go. He had hate written all over his face.

“Max, tell Patricio that you’re sorry for beating the crap out of him. Twice.”

Max folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not sorry. He deserved it.”

I let out a breath. “But you should be, Max. Because if you can’t see that almost killing someone—someone’s son, by the way—because you’re upset is wrong, then you’re not really the man I thought you were. Honestly, what kind of father will you be?”

Max’s hazel eyes narrowed on my face. “I’m sorry for almost killing you.” He glanced at Patricio, and Patricio answered with a nod.

I knew these two families would never like each other, but I felt good knowing that they now had a chance to move on. Even better, they might leave my apartment.

“Okay. So, thank you, everyone,” I said. “But I have to—”

“Uh-uh, young lady,” my mother seethed. “I think you’re missing someone.”

Goddaaaammit. I really just wanted them to go. I needed to be alone with Max because he still had a hell of a lot of explaining to do. I mean, yeah, I understood that Max didn’t think like a normal guy, and he often did ridiculous and strange things, such as waiting for the right moment to address an issue, but he couldn’t do this to me anymore. He couldn’t put me on hold and leave me hanging until everything was perfect or he had just the right words for whatever apology. Life was messy! And if he wanted to be a part of mine, he had to be there for me. He had to tell me what the hell was going on, not shut me out!

Uhhh…you should talk, Miss “I’ll tell you I’m pregnant later, Mom.”

Dammit. Look at me calling the kettle black.

I slowly turned to my mother, feeling the sting of shame. “I’m sorry, Mom, for not telling you I’m pregnant.”

She crossed her arms. “And whose baby is it?”

“Max’s,” I replied.

My mother’s eyes snapped to his face like she just might kill him.

“Sorry?” he said.

“You just wait, young man,” my mother shook her finger at him, “until Lily’s father hears about this.”

“Okay, Mom—everyone!—that’s enough,” I said. “You all need to go now.”

“We’re not done yet,” said Max. “One more person in this room needs to apologize. Make that two, since, as you’ve pointed out, Lily, kicking the crap out of people isn’t the way to handle your anger.”

Oh. Yeah. I had punched his mother. I’d sorta forgotten about that. I almost laughed. I had put myself up there on a pedestal. But leave it to Max to set me straight. He was good at that, always telling me like it was. Ugly truth or beautiful truth. I could depend on him to give it.

“You’re right.” I nodded and looked at Maxine. “I’m sorry for breaking your nose.” But I secretly hope it heals crooked and serves as a constant reminder of your general horribleness.

Maxine stared with those cold hazel eyes.

“Mother?” Max warned. “We have an agreement. You want to be a part of our lives, you will apologize. You will get help. You will not hurt us or Lily anymore. It’s now or never. Die alone or change. Because we’re done taking your sick bullshit.”

She regarded him for a moment and then drew a breath, but no words came out.

“You made a promise to Mabel,” he growled. “You made a promise to me. So while Dad will never come back, you still have a chance to make things right with us.”

Max’s father finally left Maxine? That was news. According to Max, his father had been afraid of the woman and never stood up to her, even for his children’s sake.

Maxine cleared her throat and looked at me. “I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you and your family, Lily.”