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FACE UP

"Lee, what happened?"

The man had almost forgotten Sana sat beside him.

"Oh, em, well. Dylan went to a party, got boozed up, smoked a few splifs, and ended up Crossfading. Candy snuck out to attend, and she had to nurse him. Her mother is pissed, as she should. Dylan feels like shit, I feel like shit, and I want to dump my shitty load on somewhere.

Sana understood it wasn't the moment to play silly. Otherwise, the shit would be on her.

On the other side of town, Camille slipped on her trainers and prepared to leave.

"Camille, Camille," Janet yelled as she watched her wife dash from one corner of their bedroom to the other.

"I've got to go."

"Go where? What's the matter?" Janet asked.

Without an answer, Janet grabbed Camille's shoulders, "Hey, talk to me. What did Lee say?"

"It's Dylan; he'sㅡhad an overdose."

One could trust a mom to aggravate; then again, it was the exact reaction Lee hoped for when he used the word overdose. Yes, any parent would panic if the word were mentioned and associated with their child.

"What?"

"I need to go," Camille repeated, shrugging off her wife's hands.

"Camille wait, what exactly did Lee say? ㅡ In which hospital is he? ㅡI'll come with you."

Janet, too, felt the drill. Dylan wasn't just her spouse's son. The boy was part of her family. Janet's heart raced just as much, perhaps even a bit more than Camille's, as she realized her potential responsibility for the incident.

All knew Dylan overworked himself to keep the union between her spouse and Lee. He made an effort to accept Janet for his mother's sake. The woman knew that Camille was only hers because of Dylan's support.

Camille had told Janet how Dylan encouraged her by saying she wasn't only his mother. She was also free and had the right to love and be happy with whomever she fancied. Dylan gave his mother wings, allowing her to touch a cloud of happiness.

What had the women done for his happiness?

Like most, Janet thought of herself alone. It was all about her wife and her wanting a child.

Where did she place Dylan in the equation?

Janet unconsciously classified the boy as Lee's bundle from the moment she wished to become a mother.

Only then did Janet feel the cloak of shame drape her as she rushed to get ready. She followed Camille to the car only to realize Lee didn't say where he was.

"Text him," Janet urged.

Camille did as suggested and received a blunt at home where else text from Lee.

Thirty minutes later, the women arrived. Both were surprised to see Sana. News traveled fast at the company Sana and Janet worked. It was only a short time before the head of finance discovered that Sana stayed at Keela's. Camille had laughed; Sana got served right, in her opinion, for interfering in her affairs. There Camille didn't have time to ponder on Sana's return.

"Where is he? Why didn't you take him to the hospital?"

Lee crossed his arms, "don't be daft. Do you really think you can take an intoxicated kid to the emergency without having social workers involved? Haven't you caused enough damage than to beg for them to have Dylan in a Foster home?"

Camille smirked, "they wouldn't do that."

"Are you sure? We'd come off like bloody irresponsible fuckers who cause stress and disruptive behavior. Don't you get it? We're making Dylan live in a toxic environment."

"Stop yelling, Lee," Janet yelled.

"Oh, shut your trap, will you," Lee returned.

"Leeㅡ," Sana began.

"Hey, nobody rang you. All this is your fault. If you hadn't opened your mouth, we wouldn't be here," Camille yelled.

"Oh, you can talk," Lee shouted.

The rising voices made Dylan want to crawl under his skin before prompting his blood to boil. Enough was enough. The boy stormed out of his room and headed downstairs to find a scene where hands flew, and eyes gawked while his parents screamed at the top of their lungs.

Dylan was sick and tired; he wanted the world to stop and for his parents toㅡ.

"SHUT UP!"

All turned to stare at him, and Dylan realized he had let his thought out.

"Dylan, are you okay?" Camille said as she rushed to his side and began to turn his head left, right, and center as if the episode could leave bruises only to be shrugged off by the boy.

"Leave me alone," Dylan said. He stepped back and looked around the room. None understood him. None knew the torment he had lived through since his parent's divorce.

"Dylan, can you tell us what happened?" Camille asked.

"What do you want him to say? Our son needs help," Lee replied.

"How do you know what I need and what I want? You think you know me, but you don't."

"Dylan."

"What? None of you know or care, and here you are making noise as though you do."

"Dylan, listen, I understand you're angry," Janet said as she, too, attempted to approach him.

"Angry?" the boy covered his eyes and giggled, "Yeah, I'm pissed, and I want you all to get lost."

"Dylan, why don't you sit?" Sana began.

"Who do you think you are? You're not my mother."

"Dylan," Lee yelled.

"What she isn't, but neither is she," Dylan replied, staring sadly at his mother, "ㅡwhy did you call her dad? She doesn't give a shit. ㅡyou never wanted me. I was always just another addition to your heterosexual camouflage, right?" Dylan said, stepping up to his mother. "You used Dad and me."

"Dyㅡ," Lee didn't have time to finish off.

The slap was immediate and rapid. It made the boy tilt his head to the left before flushing his cheek scarlet red.



Hi guys,

Emotions are running wild in this chapter!

This whole story is such a drama pot.

Thank you to everyone who left me a birthday wish. I got more love from you guys than out here in France.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Take care!