Chapter Five

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ETHAN’S P.O.V.

We all sat on either side of the table as if there were two sides; good and bad. Sophia, Kari, and I sat at one side of the table while Richard sat at the other. Avory was busy in his room filling his backpack with all the things he would need when he left with my parents. Sophia already packed Serena’s bag; breast milk, diapers, clothes, that’s it. Oh, and maybe a rattle or something. “Richard,” Kari spoke first because I wasn’t going to step up to the plate and Sophia wouldn’t have started out too nice. “We need to talk about last night.”

“No,” he shook his head. “I don’t think we do.”

I had my hand in Sophia’s and the more he talked, the more she’d squeeze the life out of my hand. I don’t know what it is about her but she loved to torture me for something I wasn’t a part of. Perfect example; a few weeks ago, she had trouble at work with that nurse she always talks about and she continued to give me the silent treatment the whole night. Question; what the hell did I do? “Yes,” she hissed. “We do!” I nodded, hoping she’d give my hand a bit of relief… she didn’t. “Dad, you locked Avory in his room!”

“He could have gone through the bathroom door and through my room,” Richard simply stated as if a seven year old was going to go through the room of a man who locked him in the dark. But, you know, I really don’t blame him. I chose nearly breaking down the door than going through his room… Richard is nothing nice.

“Do you really think he’d think of doing that? He is seven!”

Richard smirked, and this irked all of us, the stubborn bastard. “Age obviously has nothing to do with it seeing as none of you went through my room. Doesn’t really matter, though, I locked that door too.” He said this as if it gave him an award of some sort. Believe me when I say I was this close to socking him in the face. I would love to break that old nose of his and send the arthritis in all of his joints screaming… but I don’t pick on the elderly. “And you,” he turned to me and propped his elbow on the table. I could feel Sophia stiffen so I gave her hand a reassured squeeze. “Sending your kids away so you can have-”

“Richard,” Kari gasped.

“-with my daughter. Let me tell you something.” He stood up and leaned over the table so we were face to face. A little bit too face to face but I kept my cool and showed no ounce of fear. Actually, I felt like I was looking pretty frustrated. I sure as hell felt frustrated. “You make me sick.”

I took a deep breath because I had a lot to say to him but Sophia stood and caught his attention. “Should I remind you whose house you’re in?” Good one, I wanted to shout but I only nodded.

“Having Sophia finish what you started?”

Grabbing Sophia’s leg, I pushed her back down into her seat and rose so that I was towering about Richard. It’s funny because the ones that like to talk a lot of shit are usually the midget ones. Prime example; Richard. I was so much taller than him that it seem like he was shrinking away from me while I stood. “First of all,” I held up a finger. “I didn’t start anything. You’re the one who thinks they can run someone’s house differently. You did notice that Avory doesn’t even look at you now, right?”

“You watch how you speak to me you-”

“No,” I slammed the table. This was going on far too long for me to ignore it. It’s different when he targets me but, anyone else? That’s where we meet a problem. “You watch how you speak to me. Do you have a problem with me?” He didn’t answer, only looked away. Kari and Sophia were quiet, knowing I was also sticking up for them. “If so, speak to me about it. Don’t run around and try to control things you can’t. Understood?” God, I felt so bad for speaking to him that way but it was actually needed. I sat down, Sophia taking my hand once more; this fight was over. We weren’t going to stay on this subject anymore, it was too tiring.

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