Emotions had been running high since Iris had gotten back from spring break. With everything that had happened with Minnie, Iris knew that she should leave the conversation that her and her mother needed to have. She had been staying with her dad since getting back from break and she hadn’t so much as spoke to her mum. She had only gone home to grab a few things - she thought that Bridie was out - and she sighed as Iris came downstairs to be face to face with her mum. Iris didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to talk to her. She had no words and she knew that she would just get angry at the other woman. “Hey.” Bridie smiled, trying to keep things light and normal. She didn’t want her and her daughter to be at odds. They had been all each other had, had for a long time. “Did you have a good time on holiday?” She asked her - and only got an eye roll in response. “Okay, I don’t know what your dads been telling you but are you not even going to let me -” Iris spun to face her mother then, though, cutting her off. “Don’t you even dare bring him up!” She growled. Because Iris wouldn’t have it. After everything that her dad had told her that had happened, Iris wasn’t going to let Bridie try and make herself into the good guy. It wasn’t going to happen. “Iris, stop.” Bridie sighed. “Will you just stop and listen to me. Because I think your father and I have very different -” Once again, Iris cut her off, “DON’T!” She shouted at her mother. “Don’t try and make out like he is so unreasonable, that he would make up some story! Because we both know him and we know he wouldn’t. We know he’s always been too fucking good for someone like you! We knew it would be a matter of time before you fucked this up, didn’t we? Because of course you would. You can’t think about someone else for more than two seconds, can you?” Iris screamed at her mother. She had never spoke to Bridie like this but she was so angry. She hated what her mum had done to her dad, to her. Iris had never resented Bridie for the way that things had been. She just thought that, that was how it was. She had never thought of her mum as a bad person. Not until now, anyway. She couldn’t believe that Bridie would ignore how both Iris and Johnny would feel if she started things up with Elias again. She just didn’t understand what her mother was thinking. Bridie felt like Iris had slapped her around the face as she shouted, though. She and her daughter had never had this kind of relationship. They had never really shouted at one another. She hated that they were having this now, when this was something that Bridie was excited about. Elias was back. She thought that, that was a good thing. “You ruin everything that you fucking touch, Mum and I’m sick of it! i’m sick of having to pick up the pieces because you can’t look after yourself. I’m done.” She shook her head. Iris loved her mother. She adored her but this was her limit. She was so over not being put first. She was done with being treated like this by her own mother. But Iris knew, just by looking at her mum, that she wouldn’t have it. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that, Iris! Your dad has been filling your head with all of these lies! I always put you first. I always have! You cannot actually stand there and tell me otherwise and as for the rest of it - That’s between me and him, not you. You don’t have to be like this. You don’t have to pick sides in this!” Bridie didn’t know what to say to her, though, not really. Because they had never spoke to one another like this. “You are the most selfish person I’ve ever met, mum.” Iris whispered, though her tone was harsh. “You don’t even see how you destroy everything in your path and it’s not fair. I’m not going to let you do that to me anymore. I’m not going to let you hurt me or my dad like that. I hope you and fucking Elias Hayes have a nice fucking life together because I won’t be a part of it.” She wanted her mum to know that. She meant it. She never wanted to be near her mum again. She was completely done with her. “Iris, are you joking?” Bridie cried, shaking her head, “Are you joking? It has always just been us and you’re picking him because - why? Because he’s filled your head with this delusion that I’m some toxic person to be around? That I’m this horrible fucking woman -” Once again, Iris started shouting over her mother. “You are toxic! You’re toxic and manipulative and a drunk! You can’t put anyone in front of your need to drink, your need for Elias fucking Hayes and it’s a joke! You’re forty years old and you’re still doing this shit. It’s fucking laughable!” Iris screamed. She got in her mothers face then, before she spoke again. You don’t deserve either of us!” She growled at her mother.. Because Iris needed her mum to know just how much this was hurting her. There was tears in her eyes as she spoke next, “I never want to see you again.” She hissed at her. Iris picked up her bags then and started heading to the door. Bridie was still shouting behind her but Iris wasn’t listening anymore, “You’re a spoilt fucking child, Iris! You think that you’re so much better than me but you’re not! You think that you can speak to me like that and get away with it but you can’t! So yeah, just leave! Don’t come crying to me when Johnny lets you down all over again! Because I won’t fucking listen! I’m not going to be here to pick up the pieces!” She screamed. But as soon as the door was close and Bridie was alone, the tears came. She had never thought that this would be her and her daughter and she hated that they were now in this position. She wished, more than anything, that she could do something to fix it but Bridie was never that person. She had always destroyed everything that she touched.
