A Family Podcast (english)

Chapter 48

Thea

I threw my bag into the corner and was about to go upstairs when my gaze fell on the wall. Confused, I stared at a fist-sized hole in the wall. Someone had hung a picture frame around the hole. I examined the peculiar artwork a bit more closely, and my eyes landed on a note stuck under the picture frame. "Hole in the wall. Artist: Liam McClaren."

What had I missed this time?

"You knew about this the whole time and didn't say anything?" I paused as I heard Jackson's angry voice, perplexed.

I couldn't make out Taylor's response, so I set my backpack down on the stairs and opened the door to the living room.

"What's going on?"

"Did you know Dad is back? He even has an apartment, not even twenty minutes away from here," Jackson asked angrily, and I looked at Taylor in surprise.

"He's just..." Taylor rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Nicole broke up with him. He's not doing well right now. Give me some time to sort this out."

"That's not your decision," Jackson interjected angrily. "I want to see him."

As Jackson turned around, Taylor reached out for his arm.

"No," Taylor said firmly, looking at him resolutely. "None of you are going to him." He also glanced at me, and I nodded.

"But..." Jackson was about to protest when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Taylor ignored the doorbell and instead placed his hands on Jackson's shoulders.

"I understand that you want to meet him, but let me talk to him first. We can invite him for dinner or-"

"Um, Taylor..." Noah appeared in the doorway, pointing behind him. "We have a visitor."

I paused in confusion as the woman from the child welfare agency appeared behind Noah. Melanie, or something like that.

Taylor tilted his head back and sighed.

Unfazed, Melanie raised an eyebrow. "We need to talk."

Taking advantage of the moment, Jackson slipped past Taylor and disappeared into the hallway. Taylor made a move to follow him, but he knew he couldn't just leave Melanie standing there, so he reluctantly gave in with a growl.

I watched as Jackson vanished outside and nervously chewed on my lip.

It was clear what Jackson was going to do now. And it was a stupid idea. Jackson was only going to get himself into trouble again.

"Jackson, wait." I quickly grabbed my bag and followed my brother. "Where are you going?"

Jackson ignored me and stomped outside. I followed him, trying to keep up. "Jackson, stop it. Taylor must have his reasons for not saying anything."

Jackson snorted dryly. "There's no good reason for that. We have a right to see him. He's still our father. Damn it, Susan is only six. We still need him."

I lowered my gaze, contemplating his words. Jackson was the one who clung to Dad the most out of all of us. But even he had to realize that Dad had been gone for a long time. Not really there. Not the way we deserved.

"No more," I whispered, looking at Jackson determinedly. "We don't need him anymore."

Jackson looked at me for a moment, surprised, before shaking his head and continuing on.

Well, that didn't work. So be it.

"Taylor said-"

"I don't care what Taylor said," Jackson interrupted me irritably, and I sighed.