The Unknown Road

36 - Archie

WE FIND DAD IN the dining room.

Marty had clearly made him some dinner because he's surrounded by plates, and as we come in the door, he actually seems rather calm. And when we knock on the door to announce our arrival, he actually turns around and smiles.

But I always have my guard around him, and I wasn't buying it. Neither was Millie. I know he's sweet one minute and then completely bitter the next, trying to punch me, so I'm not buying anything.

"What have you guys been up to?" He asks, turning around as he dips his bread into some kind of sauce. It smells vaguely like curry, but it has a very strong garlic smell as well.

Millie takes a step forward and answers the question, as my voice is failing me as I stare at the back of Dad's head. This is why I've felt strange all day... because I knew, deep down, that he was coming back today.

I could feel my knees knocking together, and I didn't have my voice under control yet, so I was grateful to my sister.

"Not much, Dad." She answers with such surety that I feel a wave of pride wash over me. Millie may be afraid of Dad but she doesn't show it. She takes my hand behind my back and holds it tight, feeding some of her raw strength to me as I stand up straight. Dad turns around just as I stand up straighter and I swear I see him scowl.

From the way her hand is shaking, unless it's mine, I can feel that she senses something is off today, just as much as I did. He's not going to be nice for much longer, and I can tell he's wanting to get a rise out of either of us. He knows he can always get a rise out of me, which is why I think he always goes for me. But if I was being honest, I'd rather it was me than Millie. I don't know what I would do if he ever lay a hand on Millie, but I know it wouldn't be good.

"Not much, huh? School okay?" He asks, turning around again to grab another piece of bread.

I notice he's clean-shaven, and he smells showered, which makes me question whether he'd been here all day. So unless he showered before he arrived, he's been home for a good few hours.

"Where's your mum?" He asks, interrupting my thoughts and me counting in my head at the number of hours he must have been home for.

I shrug and I see his jaw bounce slightly. "She's downstairs," I say quickly, countering the fact he didn't appreciate me not giving him a straight answer. I didn't want to give him a reason to come after me if I could help it.

"Or at least she was a minute ago."

I can feel my hands shaking more as he shakes his head at me, narrowing his eyes. I have to shove my hands in my pockets to make sure he doesn't see them. So he doesn't see how much of a coward his son is.

My heart was beating at a million miles a minute, and I was trying so hard to keep my breathing under control. I could feel a panic attack coming on, and if I wasn't careful he would see me have one and I'd be toast. I try to keep my face as calm as possible, despite the mini battle going on between my heart and my lungs, with my body wondering when the fight or flight reflexes would kick in. As he stands, the fight reflex responds and I pull Millie slightly behind me.

He doesn't like that either, but we're saved when we hear the door opens behind us.

"Ri- Richard?" Mum's voice sounds unsure behind us, and I can hear the same fear in her voice that I feel coursing through my body.

"Hi Wendy," he says, his voice calm and collected. Surely this supposed good mood can't last. "Where have you been?"

She looks at us warily and I feel Millie take my hand. "Downstairs. Working on a show. When did you get back?"