Chapter 22

 

        Sean woke up the following day in a real good mood. He didn't have to worry about putting up with his father or brother like he sometimes had to in the mornings. It seemed that things would maybe start turning out for the better from now on.

        The black-haired youth was currently at his locker getting the things he needed for his first few classes. A small smile was on his face, something that was never usually seen unless he was around his aunt or Alex. It was a bit cloudy outside, but to Sean, it was nothing but a sunny day.

        “Hey Smith, get the hell out of the way,” one of the Sophomore boys said as they walked over. “I want to get to my locker.”

        “Okay,” Sean replied.

        Sean closed his locker door and stepped to the side as he swung his backpack over his shoulders. The boy was a bit surprised by how Sean easily agreed to move like that when Sean usually showed some signs of irritation. The look that was on his face resembled this and Sean chuckled a little quietly to himself as he walked off.

        “Hey,” Sean heard several seconds later.

        Sean looked to his side to see Alex walking alongside him now.

        “Hey,” Sean said back, his voice having a bit more cheer to it than it usually did.

        “You're in a good mood today,” Alex stated, the small smile that was on his face growing a little. “Something good happen?”

        “Yeah,” Sean said. “I'm finally going to be free from my father.”

        “Really? That's great!”

        “Yep. My aunt came to our house yesterday when my father was beating me. She saw it and she took me to go stay with her.”

        “Good. I'm happy for you.”

        “Thanks.”

        The bell then rang. They both said their good-byes before they parted ways to head to their first period classes.

 

        School that day went by pretty quickly for Sean. When it was over, he headed out to meet Alex at his car. They drove off and Sean told him where Aunt Kathy's house was so he could drive him there. Once the car coasted to a stop in front of the house, Sean kissed Alex on the lips before getting out. As he made his way up the porch, he heard Alex driving off. When he got inside the house, he saw Aunt Kathy sitting on the couch watching television. Sean slipped his shoes off next to the door where his aunt's shoes were.

        “Hi, how was school?” his aunt asked him.

        “Good,” Sean said with a smile on his face.

        “That's good. I went to your house earlier to pick your things up. All of your clothes are already in your dresser and closet.”

        “Thanks.”

        Sean headed up to what was going to be his bedroom from now on. Some of his other things were there too, which were all sitting on the nightstand and desk. He crossed the small bedroom and put his backpack down on the floor. Wanting to get a small snack before starting on his homework, Sean went downstairs and into the kitchen. As he reached the fridge, the doorbell rang.

        “Can you get that please?” Aunt Kathy asked him from the living room.

        Sean made his way over to the door and opened it to see his father standing there. A faint smile came on the old man's face as he looked down at the dark-haired boy, who took a small step backwards.

        “Hey, I came to see if I could maybe talk to you for a minute,” he told Sean.

        “What are you doing here?” Aunt Kathy asked as she walked over now. “I don't want you around this house.”

        “I want to talk to my son,” Sean's father told her.

        “Why do you – “

        “It's fine, I'll talk to him,” Sean cut in.

        Aunt Kathy looked at Sean, who looked back at her and gave her a small smile. She didn't say another word as she stepped back some to allow them to talk.

        “I wanted to say I'm sorry for the things I've done to you,” his father began. “I know I did wrong by hitting you like that all the time and I learned to never do something like that to you ever again. Now can you please forgive me and come back home? We need you back there.”

        Sean looked at his dad for a moment, who had a pleading look on his face. A couple seconds later, the boy shook his head.

        “Sorry, but I don't want to go back there,” Sean replied a little quietly. “Not after what you've done to me for all these years.”

        “I promise I'll stop. Let's just put this all behind us.”

        “How can I tell you're actually going to stop?” Sean asked, a small hint of anger in his voice. “You've had plenty of time to stop before, but you never did. Instead I had to feel like I was living in hell for nine years of my life. I think it's a little too late to apologize. The damage has already been done.”

        “Sean – “ his father began.

        “You heard him!” Aunt Kathy interrupted. “He doesn't want to go back. You have your answer and now you can leave.”

        “No, I won't go until I get my son back!” Sean's father said.

        “Good-bye Phil,” Aunt Kathy said as she slowly shut the door. “I'll see you in court in a few weeks.”

        Sean's dad put a hand against the door to prevent Aunt Kathy from closing it. His father looked at Sean, the pleading look still on his face. It looked a lot more serious than the previous one did. Sean almost thought he maybe saw sorrow in the old man's eyes too, as if he was truly regretting what he had done to his son all those years.

        “Sean, please,” he pleaded.

        “Phil, get off my property!” Aunt Kathy demanded. “If you don't leave I'm going to call the cops.”

        Sean's father looked at Aunt Kathy with a furious look on his face. After a moment, he turned around and walked down the steps. When he got near the garden that was right next to the porch, he picked up a garden gnome and threw it. It hit the wall right next to the door and shattered into numerous pieces.

        “Burn in hell Kathy!” he yelled before resuming the walk to his car.

        After getting into the driver's seat, he slammed the car door and backed out of the driveway. Aunt Kathy and Sean both stood there at the door and watched Sean's dad speed off down the road.

        “Ugh, that darn brother of mine!” Aunt Kathy said a little angrily. “Guess I better clean up the broken gnome.”

        Aunt Kathy stepped just outside of the door to pick up the shards of what used to be the garden gnome. Sean just slowly walked over and sat down in an armchair, his face showing a contemplative look. What if his father really meant all of what he said? What if his father would stop if he went back? Did his family really need him back?

        Once the pieces were picked up and thrown in the trash, Aunt Kathy sat back down on the couch. She looked towards Sean, who was staring off into space as he sat there.

        “Don't pay any mind to your father dear,” she told him. “He wouldn't change a single bit if you went back. If you ask me, he's probably just trying to save his butt from going to court.”

        Sean nodded.

        “Thanks,” he said as he stood up now. “Guess I should go start my homework before I have to go to work.”

        And with that, Sean headed up to his room without another word.

Reviews

[Amy]

Really good chapter, I like his Aunt Kathy very much but i agree with Amund, she's not real enough...
The chapter was good though!!

[Amund Schofield]

Sean's Father Phil... I like that name... anywho Phil's small bit of anger seemed a bit unrealistic, I would expect him to be swearing up a storm at Kathy, and Kathy the same way. She seems too jolly... maybe during the next few chapters, give her a moment of down time, make it so she has a few minutes to be sad, and un-Kathy like. Just a paragraph or two would do the trick to make her, well more real. At least to me.