The Lies We Tell Read Free Page A

and I can call you on that.”
    Todd clenched his fists. His mother was sick —couldn’t the bitch see that?
    “Not a quitter,” Maria mumbled.
    “Then let’s paint this house, okay?”
    “Stupid,” Maria said.
    “Scared,” Sia shot back.
    Todd flicked Paul a glance and was astonished to see his brother casually turning a page, as if he didn’t realise what was happening in front of him.
    Well, if Paul wasn’t going to act, he would.
    “That will do.” He spat the words out as he strode across the room. He yanked the paintbrush that Sia held out to his mother from her grasp.
    “It’s not time to finish.” If he’d been astonished before, he was absolutely gobsmacked when Sia snatched the brush back. She reached down, wrapped his mother’s useless fingers around the wood and lifted Maria’s hand in her own.
    “Ready?” she said.
    “No,” said Maria.
    “Right,” Sia said then she moved the brush over to touch the canvas. Shaking, Maria’s hand pressed a wobbly line onto the painting as Sia guided it into an oblong.
    Todd moved to stop her but then he noticed a familiar glint in his mother’s eye. She was focussed, working hard, trying to make it perfect. He couldn’t stop something she was now committed to.
    “Terrible,” Maria said.
    “Fixable,” Sia said, taking the paintbrush and dipping it in the glass of water by the leg of the easel. “You can’t fix a paint stroke that isn’t on the paper. How many times have I told you — you’re not a painter until you put colour on the canvas. No matter how badly you do so.”
    “Tough woman, Sia,” Maria said but Todd heard the affection in her voice.
    Sia laughed and kissed the older woman on the forehead. “You like that about me.”
    “We’re done?” Finally Paul spoke up.
    “We’re done,” Sia said.
    “Good.” Todd didn’t ask, or give her a choice. He grabbed Sia by the arm and hauled her out of the room and into the lounge room.
    Once there, he let her go. Even that small thing had made him too aware of her — despite her small stature, she was strong. His hands wrapped right around her arm and he had felt the softness of her skin on every inch of his fingers and palm.
    Damn her for being so freaking beautiful.
    “When my mother says no, she means no,” he said. “I won’t have you bully her.”
    “I’m not bullying her.” Sia gently fingered her arm, as if he’d hurt her. Part of him hoped he had. The other part shrank from the thought. “But there’s a line of strong encouragement that she has always liked, always reacted well to and I’m not going to treat her differently because of the stroke. Too much of her life is already too different.”
    Todd planted his fists on his hips and loomed over her. He was used to using his height to intimidate. “So now you’re the guardian angel. Guilt over killing my other parent, right?”
    Sia’s eyes widened and her mouth opened, as if she were about to defend herself. Then she slammed it shut and took a deep breath.
    “I like your mother very much,” she said softly. “She’s an amazing woman — strong, determined, generous, caring. I’ll do whatever it takes to help her get better and it has nothing to do with your father’s death.”
    “Right.”
    “Todd.” He was aware of her shifting her weight, her hand twitching and for an awful moment, he thought that she might reach for him. But she stayed still. “I am so sorry about what happened to your father. It was very unfair, for you all.”
    “Fuck. So now you’re trying to win me with condolences? Ten years too late, Sia.”
    “I said sorry at the time. You weren’t ready to listen.”
    “I’ll never be ready to listen to the person responsible for my father’s death.”
    She stopped breathing. He heard it. He noticed her chest not move. Then she said, so softly he barely heard it, “I’m sorry.”
    “Yeah, well sorry won’t bring my father back.” He turned, unable to look at her any more. Then he