day, I was a good kid. People in school didn’t know what was going on at home. After Mandy was gone, my symptoms got worse; I started fighting at school, showing up late or not showing up at all. I stopped trying; stopped caring.” He sighed. “It could have been that I was ten years old and, at the time, diagnosed with ADD; it could have been the fact that I had just lost my sister to something vicious; or it could have been the years of abuse from my father. Whatever it was, after a couple of weeks at school, everyone knew I was never going to be the same.”
His thoughts about staying silent to Charlie about that night drifted, as being able to speak about it left him feeling a solace he hadn’t experience in years.
“This,” he pointed to his chest, “This happened the night she disappeared.”
The flash came quickly as his father’s words boomed in his ears. ‘Where the fuck were you, you little asshole!’ his father said as his mother was wailing in the kitchen, trying to prepare an already late meal. ‘Dad, I’m sorry, I was…I was out back. She said she had to run in to get my Batman…’ His mother raced through the hallway to bury her head in the toilet. The echoes of her retching could be heard throughout the house. ‘Come here, you little fucker. I’m gonna teach you a lesson!’ His father brought him to the stove and pulled out the sizzling fillets with his bare hands. After picking the pan up by the handle, he splashed the hot vegetable oil across the kitchen, spilling half the pan across Jesse’s clothed torso. His father sat and enjoyed his fish dinner with a smile while Jesse curled up on the floor, writhing in pain.
He squeezed his eyelids shut, blocking the rest of that night from his head. But his ears continued to ring, hearing his father’s voice. Several minutes passed as he finished his cigarette in silence.
“I started drinking, smoking, and staying away from the house all night. It probably wasn’t even a month after Mandy was gone that I was thrown into foster care. And Dad didn’t even care.” His glare continued, shaking his head. “Hell, I think I can even remember the smile on his face when they came to pick me up.”
After setting the ashtray aside, Jesse turned to Charlie. Gazing at the peacefulness in her expression as she lay fast asleep, he smiled softly and leaned into her, giving her a kiss on her forehead and covering her with the sheet.
It’s probably for the best you didn’t hear all of it anyway.
Sleep, baby. Sleep.
He continued to stay awake, his mind stirring about his family and the hell he left behind that day.
With his thoughts adrift about what social services had said that afternoon, he mimicked the echoes of his memory: “John Sanborn? We’re here for your son.”
Those were his last words before he finally settled down onto the bed. He pulled Charlie close to him and slept.
Charlie lay perfectly still with her eyes closed and tried to fall asleep.
Part II
Samuel
Chapter One
A week earlier…
“Again, Sam! And this time, focus!”
Grinding his teeth, Sam wiped the sweat from his brow and took his position again on the mat. He cracked his neck from side to side and took a deep breath.
Bowing to Sifu Yang, he attempted to regain his focus, but wasn’t successful in burying his thoughts about Charlie.
What a bitch. Of all the goddamned motherfucking all-time lows for a woman to pull. I ask her to marry me and she sleeps with the first guy she can get her sleazy little hands on.
Overcome with rage, Sam began sparring with Yang; but the fluidity of Sam’s movements had vanished, replaced with frigidity, anger, and fear. The force he had charged Yang with was instantly used against him as Yang’s palm hit Sam’s chest, simultaneously sweeping his leg and crushing Sam down to the mat.
“Who do you think you are? Bruce Lee? Don’t bring that energy into my house!” Yang offered up a hand to help Sam. He
His thoughts about staying silent to Charlie about that night drifted, as being able to speak about it left him feeling a solace he hadn’t experience in years.
“This,” he pointed to his chest, “This happened the night she disappeared.”
The flash came quickly as his father’s words boomed in his ears. ‘Where the fuck were you, you little asshole!’ his father said as his mother was wailing in the kitchen, trying to prepare an already late meal. ‘Dad, I’m sorry, I was…I was out back. She said she had to run in to get my Batman…’ His mother raced through the hallway to bury her head in the toilet. The echoes of her retching could be heard throughout the house. ‘Come here, you little fucker. I’m gonna teach you a lesson!’ His father brought him to the stove and pulled out the sizzling fillets with his bare hands. After picking the pan up by the handle, he splashed the hot vegetable oil across the kitchen, spilling half the pan across Jesse’s clothed torso. His father sat and enjoyed his fish dinner with a smile while Jesse curled up on the floor, writhing in pain.
He squeezed his eyelids shut, blocking the rest of that night from his head. But his ears continued to ring, hearing his father’s voice. Several minutes passed as he finished his cigarette in silence.
“I started drinking, smoking, and staying away from the house all night. It probably wasn’t even a month after Mandy was gone that I was thrown into foster care. And Dad didn’t even care.” His glare continued, shaking his head. “Hell, I think I can even remember the smile on his face when they came to pick me up.”
After setting the ashtray aside, Jesse turned to Charlie. Gazing at the peacefulness in her expression as she lay fast asleep, he smiled softly and leaned into her, giving her a kiss on her forehead and covering her with the sheet.
It’s probably for the best you didn’t hear all of it anyway.
Sleep, baby. Sleep.
He continued to stay awake, his mind stirring about his family and the hell he left behind that day.
With his thoughts adrift about what social services had said that afternoon, he mimicked the echoes of his memory: “John Sanborn? We’re here for your son.”
Those were his last words before he finally settled down onto the bed. He pulled Charlie close to him and slept.
Charlie lay perfectly still with her eyes closed and tried to fall asleep.
Part II
Samuel
Chapter One
A week earlier…
“Again, Sam! And this time, focus!”
Grinding his teeth, Sam wiped the sweat from his brow and took his position again on the mat. He cracked his neck from side to side and took a deep breath.
Bowing to Sifu Yang, he attempted to regain his focus, but wasn’t successful in burying his thoughts about Charlie.
What a bitch. Of all the goddamned motherfucking all-time lows for a woman to pull. I ask her to marry me and she sleeps with the first guy she can get her sleazy little hands on.
Overcome with rage, Sam began sparring with Yang; but the fluidity of Sam’s movements had vanished, replaced with frigidity, anger, and fear. The force he had charged Yang with was instantly used against him as Yang’s palm hit Sam’s chest, simultaneously sweeping his leg and crushing Sam down to the mat.
“Who do you think you are? Bruce Lee? Don’t bring that energy into my house!” Yang offered up a hand to help Sam. He
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