A/N: And now, a summarized representation of the following chapter...
😗🎶 🗣️😯 ☹️😤 😠😡 🤬💥
Take 1 tablet every night by mouth before bedtime for mood control.
I read the medication bottle and simultaneously nudged the front door shut with a free foot, not in anger of course. I sauntered inside the living room balancing a heavy paper bag on one arm and my medication in my hand. A delectable fragrance lured the rest of my senses to what my wife, Vivian, had prepared in the kitchen and it brought a smile to my face. Although it was only the two of us alone in this huge house, she managed to create a warm and cozy atmosphere in our home that I could never bring, only provide. She'd make some modern aesthetic changes here and there, like swapping furniture pieces, replacing curtain drapes, and using warmer color palettes with accentuating bric-a-brac. Her visual prowess echoes not only in our living room but throughout our home. She had hand-painted her vision into every room seamlessly, marrying the various pigments and patterns, etching beautiful works of art into her interior design. Her talents put people who can only draw stick figures, like me, to shame and I'm fine with that.
It's what she enjoys and honestly, being welcomed into her colorful world brings warmth to my heart that I'd gladly silence the cynicism that naturally followed me just so that it wouldn't stain this utopia she created.
As I entered our home, I guess the smell of stew clouded the rest of my senses because I was met with a foreign, near-lifeless dwelling, cloaked in darkness, opposite of what I was used to seeing. It had me questioning for a moment whether I was in the right house.
"Vivy? I'm home," I announced, my steps echoing as if I were walking into a deep abyss.
Even as I wore my sunglasses and was drawn to the bright island in the kitchen, my smile receded and was replaced by a frown of concern when feminine muttering vibrated the acoustics like an unspoken opera.
"I-I'll let him know. Thank you, Sher—,"
I strolled into the kitchen and found her leaning against the island, looking vacant but once her eyes met mine, she winced and gasped, nearly dropping the telephone out of her hands. The fear in her gaze vanished in a millisecond, and it only confused me further. Vivian thought she could change her expression quickly, but I was able to catch her.
"Damnit, Zach, you startled me," she remarked, clutching her chest.
"Who was that?" I probed, studying her.
It was as if I caught her in the act. She wandered around the kitchen island, reached for a random towel, and started wiping randomly on the countertops. I followed behind her, and what did she do? She circles the other way around.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, it's nothing,." She answered from the other side, feigning innocence, "I didn't expect you home so early."
My brows furrowed when I turned to look at the stovetop clock, "Um, it's 4:30, I wouldn't consider that early."
"Must've lost track of time. How did it go at therapy?"
"Fine..." I answered slowly, giving her another look, "What's going on?"
"Are you hungry, babe?" She dodged my question and inserted her own.
I could feel that familiar tick in my jaw and tried to ignore it as well as the tea kettle sitting on the stovetop serving its function. I have to remember what my doctor told me and remain calm. Slowly, I placed and balanced the grocery bag on the counter and flashed her a knowing glare. I know what's going on. It's something that she's been doing lately, and I understand, to a point, why she was behaving this way.
"What's going on, Vivian?" I repeated lowly, not realizing I hadn't relaxed my glare, even with my sunglasses still on.
I crossed my arms and had to let out a sigh as she stood there hesitantly, unsure how to answer back. I get that I'm an assertive person at times, but geez you'd think my wife would get me at this point.
In the past, I've had friends and even family, Vivian included, tell me that my tone can seem menacing when I'm serious; it's enough to send the wrong message to those who don't know me very well. I don't mean to sound terrifying, her words—not mine, but I couldn't help it. Maybe I have that going for me to get things done but asking a simple request from time to time from anyone makes them feel like I've purposedly made my requests law or something like that.
To add more to that, I've been blessed or rather cursed with what the common folk call, 'resting bitch face.' Whatever the guy's version of that is. Even when nothing is bothering me, I look like I'm pissed off all the time. Coupled this with the fact that I'm taller than the average giant and let's just say, I struggled with making a lot of friends in my teenage and college years.
And now, because of what happened a few years ago, I have to undergo anger management therapy before our human kids can even get near me. And that's what crushed me the most.
It's my fault, I can't see them and bring them home.
Vivian's sigh of resignation brought me back from my musings, as she slowly rounded the kitchen island and walked closer to me. At this point the kettle began to whine steadily, breaking the silence around us, but I still kept my gaze on her.
"I just got off the phone...with the Sheriff."
My face paled learning that the phone call was with Hudson and at this point, I wanted to kick myself for not being here to answer the call, the cry for help from my kids who couldn't stand a chance against the threat that was bigger than them.
"Zachary, just know that the kids are okay. Sheriff Russell is with them right now."
All of a sudden, everything around me just became annoying. My face tightened and I clenched a fist at my side, watching my wife withdraw as her concern quickly evolved into fear of my brewing wrath. Even though she knew that I'd never strike her, whatever was in my reach, however, would be the thing to feel my anger. Walls, cabinet doors, and tabletops would easily suffer at my hands. I'm not quite there yet, but I can feel it inching closer within me, almost as if I were the kettle sitting on the stove, and having the pressure increase and eventually explode out of my body.
"What happened to our kids?!" I demanded through clenched teeth. "Are they alright?!"
Vivian was struggling to find her words as I think she was trying to collect herself just before I got home but didn't have the time to process the conversation.
"Russell said something about little giant girls finding the house and trying to get it to open."
My eyes expanded at her confession, and of course, what followed was the pounding in my chest and the increased rush of blood that coursed in my veins.
Clammy hands ran through my dark, golden locks of hair. This is what I feared when I agreed to that fucking court order! They had no idea what they were talking about, and it only flew me into a rage. I removed and threw my sunglasses away, feeling the strain overtaking my eyesight, becoming the familiar red color I'd been used to seeing at this point.
"Babe, please watch your blood pressure." My wife reasoned, "Remember what the doctor said, you need to take a few breaths and remain calm."
My growing anger veiled Vivian's words and created a hole within me, mercilessly filling my head with hypothetical scenarios and cruel imagery as to what could happen to our children. I didn't want to hear anything else, I wanted to react. I wanted to harshly reprimand those who did them wrongly.
I wanted to save my children.
"Zachary, what are you doing!? Stop!"
Vivian's voice echoed behind me from a darkness I didn't know had consumed me. Once I came to, I looked down and realized I had my right hand firmly on the doorknob. I hadn't realized that I left the kitchen much less noticed that I had almost walked out of the house. A gasp slipped past my lips, shocked that I didn't have a recollection of ever getting to this point.
Had I been blinded by rage?
If it hadn't been for my wife, I don't know what would've happened. Would I have just marched into the human settlement like what happened all those years ago, where I just reacted without thinking?
That technically was the only other time I recalled where I had been that angry.
Seven years ago, I was arrested and sentenced to a month in jail, receiving a court order that I could not be within twenty miles of the human settlement. All because of the way I handled a situation with humans and their mistreatment of their children. Thank God for my lawyer, and with his help, I was able to sponge my record, so that way I could start the process of fully adopting Mia and Casey once I got the chance.
Of course, both the giant and human courts decided to make it difficult for me and my wife, sentencing me to undergo anger management therapy in fear that I was going to lash out at my kids for anything they did wrong. In hindsight, I ultimately did this to myself after snapping at the giant courts for making me do that.
◄◄
Mr. Zachary Taylor, we here at the 51st Human District have closely collaborated with the 8th Regional Giant Justice court and hereby sentence you to undergo anger management therapy for five years. We feel that you must be cleared by a professional before you can adopt Mia and Casey Gardner.
I served my time in jail, and I went through several psychological evaluations that cleared me to adopt! The courts are now coming up with excuses and bullshit to keep my kids away from me! Why?!
Order, order! Sir, you need to calm down!
Zachary shut up! Let me handle this.
I've played this game for too long! I need my kids with me now!
If you continue this aggressive and explosive behavior, we will take action. Your public image will be compromised, and you will be dismissed as a regional representative, sir. Now you must agree to these terms...
Objection! If this pleases both courts, I hereby offer that my client continue anger management therapy and still gain custody of his children.
What is the meaning of this? This giant isn't fit to take care of children!
Aren't they humans? He's probably only doing this for political gain.
Doesn't Zachary Taylor hate humans? His entire administration is anti-human, is it not?
I DON'T HATE HUMANS! Get your hands off me!!
Mr. Taylor calm down! That's an order!
Please, please, your Honors! Let me finish! Should any report be filed against him that his anger be turned on them, they are to be removed from him immediately.
Do you mean to say that we should allow him to have the Gardner children, even when he's considered a Class Five giant?
We cannot trust him!
Will he try to eat them like last time?
I don't eat humans! I never have and never will!
Perhaps consider this a probation of sorts for the defendant.
Are you serious?! More probation?! I'd rather be in jail!!
Mr. Taylor! Your actions in this courtroom are those of a monstrous beast, and you're setting us giants back hundreds of years! Can you not see that these humans are in fear for their lives just by being in your presence? Perhaps we should have Mia and Casey witness what kind of monstrous father is trying to adopt them.
...
Your Honors, please—
Wait! I'll comply. I'm sorry that my actions are frightening the humans in attendance. Please, I-I'll do anything to have and care for them. Please.
We have come to our final decision... Representative Taylor, we will reconvene on the matter of your Class status. Given the argument made by your counsel, we will grant the adoption of Mia and Casey Gardner, on the condition that you continue anger management therapy, clear the requisites of the human protocols for crossing the border, and of course, follow the requirements in the adoption process, laid out by human law. Should you fail any of the aforementioned, and or should any harm fall to the Gardner children, the human courts will remove them, and they will have our full cooperation in the matter.
Bang! Bang!
►►
Even if that was the outcome, I knew I did the right thing back then because I would do it over again in a heartbeat. Mia and Casey mean the world to me, and it wasn't right that they were stripped of the happiness they so rightfully deserved. And I know in my heart, that Vivian and I will give them everything we can.
I will admit, the courts were kind of right. I did hate humans at one point. I thought them to be selfish, hateful, and impudent little beings that weren't worth my time. Arguing with them was futile and I got annoyed easily when I had to deal with them.
But that all changed once Mia and Casey came into my life.
Look I don't hate all humans, in general, I hated their society. In recent years, I've had a few human friends I speak to from time to time outside of work and my new best friend, Roger, is a human. We get along very well, have a lot in common and I met his human wife and kids.
See, I'm trying!
With a new feeling of coolness now coursing through me, I released the doorknob and followed my wife back into the kitchen and she poured me a glass of water to further calm my nerves. After taking a few sips, my now dark red eyes met her timid blue ones.
"Were they hurt?"
"N-no, just shaken up." Vivian muttered, "I had asked the Sheriff to have me speak to Mia, but he claims that she didn't want to talk to me."
"I don't blame her." I mused, twirling the glass in my hand.
"I...talked to Casey for a little bit."
My eyebrows lifted.
"He was crying, and I tried to console him as much as possible. Most of the gifts we bought for them broke. So, I told him it would be okay, and we'd get them replaced."
I nodded in understanding but still couldn't help but wonder about Mia. The strongest of the two and it seemed like she, too, broke in that instance. I'll have to check in on her later and see if she'll talk to me instead.
"I'm worried. Russell says there's a significant amount of damage to the house." She commented.
I took a deep drink and placed the cup on the island with a loud Tink!
"I'll take care of it. I just need to make some phone calls and have Hudson file a human-child endangerment report. The more paper trail there is, the sooner we'll be able to get our permits. This is why we agreed to this in the first place."
"Well, what if this happens again, Zachary?" Vivian raised her voice, slamming her palms onto the island's surface. "I don't think I can handle news like this again!"
"Then stop thinking that way." I retorted, glaring in her direction, "Like I told you, I'll handle it."
"And what does that mean? I can't lose more sleep because our children are within reach of any danger! I-I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to them."
"Nothing is going to happen to them, Vivian," I replied firmly, sliding the empty glass out of my way. "I will get in touch with the Sheriff, and we'll come up with a plan. All you need to do is make sure that they have warm beds to come into when we get them home."
It seems that what I said did not stick because she continued to create all these scenarios and it was refueling the embers of my anger all over again. I hate that she can enable it so quickly, but she did have a point. Our kids were sitting ducks at a pond surrounded by giant hazards that can and will hurt them.
And there wasn't anything we could do.
Well, to hell with that. Call me a monster. A beast. Whatever, I didn't care. I needed to make sure our kids were safe.
Just thinking about it reignited my anger once again and was in full control as I swung at the defenseless bag of groceries, throwing, and spilling the contents onto the island and eventually rolling to the floor. As I stormed out of the kitchen, I left my speechless wife behind to, regrettably, clean up my mess and nurse a heavy heart all by herself.