The Revelation

Downward spiral

"I don't think that was the case in this situation, Mike."

When I didn't respond immediately, Shane continued admonishing me.

"You spanked Carrie for accidentally spilling her drink at dinner. You literally spanked her over spilt milk, Mike!"

I could tell Shane was flabbergasted by the way his voice rose two octaves at the end of his sentence.

"She was being careless," I replied dismissively, not feeling the need to justify my course of discipline with the girls to Shane.

"Did she really deserve to be taken over your knee because of a little clumsiness? You know she didn't do it on purpose, Mike. I mean we're talking about Carrie here. The girl doesn't have an impure motive in her repertoire."

"Are you finished?" I asked facetiously. "Do you really want to go down this road again, Shane, about the proper way to issue discipline to our daughters?"

Shane sighed and shook his head as he looked down and scoffed derisively. He was having a difficult time accepting my explanations. He continued shaking his head as he rubbed the back of his neck in frustration.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of the girls because I didn't want to undermine your authority but you were bloody wrong in both instances."

"That's your opinion and this conversation is over. Tristan's waiting for me," I said, quickly getting up from the table and slamming my chair in before leaving.

When I returned to my room, I told Tristan about my discussion with Shane and his accusations.

"I'm sure Shane didn't mean to criticize you, he was probably just trying to be helpful," Tristan replied innocently.

"If you want to back-talk me, I can put your ill-mannered mouth to much better use," I replied sternly.

"Mike, I didn't mean to..."

I interrupted him, "Get down on your knees."

Tristan nervously tried to explain, "I wasn't back-talking you, I..."

I interrupted him again, "On your knees," I commanded forcefully, snapping and pointing to the spot at my feet.

As soon as Mike began to unbuckle his belt, Tristan quickly scrambled to kneel in front of him. Mike proceeded to dominate Tristan in ways some might consider to be cruel. Whether intentional or not, he took his frustrations, both latent and current, out on his submissive ex-boyfriend repeatedly that day.

Very early the next morning

Shane's pov

I received the call around 1am from Detective Black to collect my best mate from the police station, or he'd be thrown in jail. Having watched Mike's downward spiral since his return from spreading his sister's ashes, this unfortunately did not come as a surprise to me. The police were called to the bar when Mike got into a fist fight with another intoxicated patron over perceived advances said patron made on Tristan. When the bouncer tried to throw all of them out, Mike resisted and the police had to be called to remove him from the premises. Luckily, thanks to Neil's and my connections at the force, he wouldn't be arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct on the condition that I personally and swiftly come down to the station to retrieve him.

Once I arrived, I sadly shook my head seeing my best mate drunk and disheveled, clothes torn and stained, nose bleeding, purple and blue bruising evidencing a black eye approaching on the horizon.

Knowing a lecture would be wasted on him in this condition, I simply said, "Let's go," as I grabbed him by the arm and thanked John and the other officers on our way out.

Just after midnight at the NJC

Neil's pov

Michael has been spending every night out drinking lately and this morning Shane even had to retrieve him from the police station. I know he's having a difficult time dealing with his sister's death but enough is enough. This has to stop. Knowing he was out again tonight, I decided to wait for him in the lobby.

Michael came stumbling through the front door, clearly drunk off his ass again. Tristan wasn't too far behind and he didn't appear to be in much better shape.

"Loll way wait fer y_you lur roo," Tristan slurred, heading down the hallway, holding the walls for support.

Mike laughed, watching him clumsily make his way to his room.

"Okay, baby," he chuckled, his eyes barely open as he was just minutes away from passing out himself.

I knew Michael was feeling worthless and he was trying desperately to fill the void left behind by his sister's passing with any vice he could get his hands on.

Mike's pov

Neil grabbed me by the shoulder as I tried to make my way past him.

"You have to stop going down this slippery slope, Michael. For God's sake, pull yourself together. The excessive drinking, fighting, and mindless sex has to end. You're an embarrassment to your family and your profession. I know you're hurting but I cannot and will not stand idly by and do nothing while you self-destruct before my very eyes."

Ignoring him, I tried to walk away. I don't need to hear him lecture me. I wish he and Shane would just mind their own fuckin' business already.

"I simply won't allow it, son," he commanded. Unhappy with my behavior in general and the fact I failed to acknowledge him, he turned me towards him and slapped me across the face.

I resisted the urge to retaliate physically, knowing that wasn't the best way to hurt Neil.

"I'd like to see you try and stop me," I angrily challenged, slowly rubbing my cheek as I glared at him, a self-satisfied smirk upon my face. Even though I could see the fire in his eyes, Neil made no move to stop me so I turned to walk away again. "And I'm not your son," I spat venomously, as I confidently strode off in the direction of my room.

In his current state, Michael couldn't see the devastated look on Neil's face and despite being a world class surgeon, he would never be able to suture the wounds his toxic words inflicted upon their relationship.

Neil's pov

Stopping him dead in his tracks, I replied sadly, "If your father were alive today to see you like this, Michael, he would be ashamed."

Michael quickly turned around to confront me as he angrily unleashed, "BUT HE'S NOT HERE, IS HE NEIL? HE'S GONE. MY MOTHER'S GONE AND NOW MY SISTER'S GONE TOO. MY BEST FRIEND BETRAYED ME. THE GIRLS ARE ALREADY IN COLLEGE. I'M LOSING EVERYONE CLOSE TO ME AND PRETTY SOON I'LL BE ALL ALONE!"

My heart tore in two seeing Michael so broken down, fragile, and vulnerable. Hearing him tell me he's not my son, hurt me in ways I can't even express. I may not be his father but I want nothing more than to protect him at this moment and to do that I need to save him from himself. I will not give up on him, not now, not ever.

I cautiously took a step toward Michael, afraid he'd retreat further but he stood his ground. Slowly approaching closer, I watched him finally give in to the rage that has been consuming him since he learned of his sister's passing. I was now near enough to reach out and hold him, which I so desperately wanted to do, but I waited.

Breaking down in tears, Michael looked me in the eyes, crying out again, "I'LL BE ALL ALONE!" Unable to hold back any longer, I embraced him while he unraveled in my arms. "I'll be all alone," he repeated softly now.

Once he calmed down, I held his face firmly in my hands, forcing him to look me in the eyes.

"You're not alone, Michael. You have me and the girls. I don't know exactly what happened between you and Shane but I know he's agonized over it and he's sorry. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know it was never his intention to hurt you. We all love you and we're here for you, Michael. We'll always be here for you whenever you need us. Don't push us away."

I couldn't hold back my own tears any longer as I tried to absorb all of Michael's anguish and lift this burden of grief from him. I continued to hold him as he clung to me tightly, finally allowing me to comfort him and shield him from the pain.

"Don't push us away," I kept repeating, as we both cried. "Please don't push us away."