Ugly Duckling

The ride home from family counseling was quiet.

No one said a word.

That is, until Jesse stepped one foot in through the front door.

"Brogan, I cannot believe you! You are so embarrassing and you don't even care!"

I kept my head ducked low, practically running towards the staircase.

I turned and looked down at the foyer to see my mother, still wiping tears from under her eyes, Bill's arms slung around her shoulders.

Jesse's anger was clearly visible.

It was true.

I was embarrassing.

But what they didn't know was that I did care.

A lot.

I am not going to talk about what happened in the last half of the meeting, though.

I'm not going to say a word...

I'm embarrassed of myself.