Happy Wednesday! We survived the first days of school, first dance classes, and first music lessons. Tonight we go back to handbells and choir at church, and this Friday is my very first Irish dance class. I’m a little nervous, though my 14-year-old assures me I’ll be just fine. Easy for him to say! He’s been dancing since he was 3.
In other big news, my kids have auditions for their school’s junior show (grades 6-9): High School Musical. They’re so excited! The main stage show (grades 6-12) in February will be Big Fish.
On to the WIPpet. I’m following up on last week’s uh-oh with Jamie and the flowers he didn’t really want. This is immediately after he discovers who sent them. FYI, Mack is definitely not Jamie’s boyfriend/partner/date. He’s Jamie’s best friend. Warnings for some swears and for a “spoiler” of sorts (Jamie’s ex was never named until the end of the second book of the series.)
WIPmath: 5 paragraphs because there have been 5 full days of school so far.
“Hey.” Mack’s voice sounded funny, and Jamie wished the ringing in his ears would quit so he could hear properly. “Hey, Jamie. Breathe.”
Mack’s hand was on his neck, massaging. Jamie shuddered, his whole body seizing up. He shoved at Mack. Before he could stop himself, Jamie hurled the second bouquet across the room. The glass vase it was in shattered on the hardwood floor, and the pieces went everywhere.
“Fuck him!” Jamie repeated it over and over until the words didn’t make sense anymore. He fell onto his knees.
“Let me see.” Mack’s fingers closed around the card Jamie was still clutching. He pried it away. A few seconds later, he muttered, “That absolute asshole. How long has this been going on?”
What Mack had said was true; Sage was an asshole, but he was one with a remarkable ability to know what would go straight to Jamie’s heart. He had all the right words, every I miss you, baby and I’m no good without you and I swear I can’t go on. What scared Jamie wasn’t the thought that Sage would make good on his threats to hurt himself. It was how tempted Jamie was to go back to him. How many nights he still ached for Sage. Still wanted the familiarity, even if it came with all the pain.
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Incredibly powerful scene!
It’s amazing the hold an abuser, like Sage, can have over someone who’s managed to break away. It’s the abuse cycle, and it’s so hard to get out of. Sage is looking for another honeymoon period. Glad to see Jamie is angry about it, and I hope he stays that way.
Yes, absolutely. Sage never hit Jamie, so he never classified Sage as abusive. He left because Sage crossed a line, an arbitrary mark Jamie had set to justify leaving. He won’t be going back to Sage.
Oh, Jamie. This just breaks my heart for him. I hope he can hold strong against the pull to go back.
Jamie’s about to make a series of mistakes, but don’t worry. Sage is not one of them. He’s doing what he thinks he needs to in order to resist that pull.
Wow, I can tell how torn Jamie feels in this scene. That is good that Mack is there for him. I’m hoping that he would be able to pull Jamie out of his mood.
Yes, he is torn. Mack’s got his back, even if Jamie can’t think about that right now.
Oh Jamie. My heart breaks for him. That cycle is so hard to break, even when you know it’s no good for you. I hope Mack can give him the support he needs. As for Sage, I feel asshole isn’t a strong enough word.
Mack’s definitely there for him. Sage is complicated, but yes, he’s awful.
Now that someone who really cares for Jamie knows about this, he at least has someone to talk to. That’s good.
I could feel the panic and heaviness here. As a child of abuse, I felt the pull strongly. You’ve captured it powerfully.
Thank you. I know the feeling of desperately wanting someone’s approval while also knowing that seeking it will result in a whole lot of pain.
Mack is there for Jamie no matter what, and I think Jamie is finally realizing it.
Poor Jamie. Poor poor Jamie. Like everyone else has said, that cycle is incredibly hard to break, though maybe now Mack knows he can help him.
Yes, Mack is definitely going to help in his own way, and Jamie is a lot stronger than he thinks he is.
So sorry about the late, late comment.
I have a newfound respect for Mack for his intervention here. This is an awesome scene – very powerful. The psychological abuse is so often overlooked when authors write about these kinds of relationships.
No worries, I understand.
And thank you. Mack’s been kind of a ghost in these novels, mostly because he’s not that close with Trevor or Nate. This is a complicated situation, and Mack knows a lot more than he’s letting on in this one scene. Psychological abuse does get overlooked and even denied when it’s right there in front of people.