"She... pressured the point that I'm nothing but groceries, a pet cow to Eric. I'm aware that he doesn't feel things the same way but..." He takes a deep breath. "That shouldn't detract from the fact I enjoy his company."

He puts the glass down, aware of the fragility of it in his hand. "She implied I was nothing but a junkie being strung along." And that cut deeper still. After watching his junkie mother waste away and eventually OD, she can't have know how badly that would hurt.