Six years ago
The night of Mason's birthday part Burt had chosen to take Brooks out for ice cream. He hated to miss Mason's party but his tolerance for his wife was at an all time low. He was certain that the woman was going out of his way to pick a fight so that the party could be ruined and he could be blamed. And the last thing he wanted to do was ruin Mason's party. He just hoped that boy was having a good time.
"Are you enjoying your ice cream?"
"Yes daddy." Brooks said as he dug into the chocolate ice cream. "Thank you for taking me out today." He said and then shoved the ice cream into his mouth.
"You're welcome champ." Burt said with a smile.
The boy swallowed the ice cream and then said "I wish Buddy was here."
"I wish Buddy was here too but his mom wanted him to stay with her." Burt hated to leave Buddy behind but his wife had been adamant about staying. He did not understand why he was okay with Esther and Brandon leaving the house and not Buddy.
He then saw annoyance flicker in Brooks' eyes at the mention of his stepmother. I know how you feel pal he thought.
He then heard a familiar voice call his name, he looked up and saw a striking blonde hair woman with two young children in toe. A moment of nervousness went through him at the sight of her but it quickly dissipated as he forced a smile. "Hello Sandy." He stood up and gave her a hug and she then hugged him back. "Hey Parker, hey Eric." He said as he greeted the boys.
"Hi daddy." Eleven year old Parker said.
"Hi Uncle Burt." Ten year old Eric said.
Remembering that Brooks was there he then said "Eric, Parker this is another one of my little boys Brooks. Brooks this is your brother Parker and your cousin Eric."
"Hi." Brooks said to them shyly and the two boys returned the hi.
"So you guys out with your mom."
They both said yes and Burt looked at his former mistress. "I was wondering if we could talk."
"Sure." Burt said. "Parker, Eric why don't you sit with Brooks." He then called over the waitress. "Can we get some ice cream for the boys." He then rubbed the top of Brooks his head as he said "I'll be right back champ."
"Okay daddy." He said with disappointment in his voice.
"Let's talk outside." Sandy said and Burt followed her out.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"I need money?" Sandy said. "The rent is due and I am broke."
But yet you are out at the ice cream shop with the boys he thought. He wanted to ask her about the money that both Eli and himself had given her that month but he was having a nice night with Brooks and he did not want to ruin by getting into an argument with her. It was bad enough he would probably get into one with Elizabeth when he went home later that night.
"Is that all you need?" He asked. "Just rent money."
"Yes that's all I need."
Burt nodded his head. "Fine I'll give your landlord a check tomorrow."
She then gave him an uncomfortable look. "You don't have to go through all that trouble, just give me the cash now and I will pay him."
"Really its no trouble at all." Burt said. "I don't mind paying him myself." Suspicion filled his face as he asked "You don't need it for anything do you."
"No nothing else." She said nervously. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Sandy looked lovingly into his eyes and then rubbed her hand down his arm. "You know I've missed you Burt."
"I've missed you too." Burt said as he felt the blood began to rush through his body.
"Are you still serious about this being faithful to your wife thing." She then rubbed the side of his face.
He grabbed his hand but did not pull it away. "Yes I am."
"Are you sure I can't change your mind about that?" She asked.
"Yes." He said as he found himself rubbing her hand.
"Your mouth say yes but your eyes tell a different story." She then leaned and gave him a passionate kiss. Burt's mind screamed at him to pull away but he found he could not. He wrapped his arms around her taking her into his embrace.
She then pulled away and began to rub the back of his neck. "Why don't we sneak away for a couple of minutes." She said. "You know for old time sake."
His resolve began to quickly melt as he opened his mouth to give her his response.
Now...
"Don't be so sure dad." Brian said weakly as he struggled not to break into tears. His body shook again as he tried to summon the strength to tell his father about that night. A part of him begged him to not, just tell his father that he did not want to talk about and get in the car and hope that he dropped the subject. Or make up some story to tell him. A lie that sounded bad but would not destroy the family. He searched his mind for something he could tell him, maybe a some secret that was not as bad but nothing came mind.
Once again he could hear himself crying for his, pleading for his daddy to come save him. Shivers raced through his body as he thought about Mason coming to his rescue and the sacrifice he made that night.
"Just tell me son."
He looked at his father and realized that he had no choice but to tell him about that night.
Brian crossed his arms as he said "Do you remember the night of Mason's sixteenth birthday party."
"Yes." Rage filled his father's eyes as the memory of coming home that night and discovering his stepson balled up in the corner of his room trembling. He had tried to talk to the boy only for him to tell him to leave him alone. "Mason was caught kissing a girl and your mother spanked him for it."
"That's not all that happened daddy." Brian said as another rush of emotion hit him. He fought against it refusing to allow it to overwhelm him. He was not going to collapse in the parking lot like he did in the bathroom at school.
"I have feared that." Burt said with hard sigh. "What else did she to do him."
"She took him to the downstairs bathroom and made him wash his mouth out with mouthwash." His father cringed when heard those words. "She made him do it several times even though he begged her to stop but she wouldn't listen."
"Poor Mason." He said. Burt then remembered finding Brian hiding in his closet that night. He was curled up in the ball and he looked as if he had been crying. He thought the boy had just been upset about his brother getting paddled but now a suspicion formed in his mind that more had happened. "What else did she do."
"She caught me standing out of the bathroom." Brian said. "She chased me into my bedroom. I tried to hide in the closet but she found me and pulled me out. And then..." His words trailed off and once the swell of emotion made it difficult for him to speak.
"And then went son."
"And then she..." All he could manage was a whisper.
Burt placed his hand on his son's shoulder as he said "It's okay Buddy you can tell me." Brian did not pull away that time he only looked at his father with eyes filled with pain.
"She was going to spank for running away from her." He told him. "She had me over her lap and was going to bring the hairbrush down on me when Mason stopped her."
"How did Mason stop her?"
"By giving her what she wanted the most." He said. "She wanted him to kiss her like he had kissed his girlfriend."
Burt's stomach twisted in disgust. His mind went to earlier in her office. Kiss me he could hear her say as she moved closer to him. He wondered if she was reliving that night in her mind as their lips were pressed against together.
"That was not the first time it happened and nor was it the last." He said. "I know he was still kissing her when he was twenty and she probably still making him do it today."
"I am sure she is." Burt said. "Has she ever done that to you."
"No." Brian said shaking his head. "At least I don't think she has." Maybe she has but I just blocked it out he thought. If I did I don't want to remember, I never want to remember something as horrible as that.
"I wish I could say I could say what you told me comes as a surprise but it's not." Burt said. "I always had suspicion that your mother had some kind of Oedipus Complex when it came to Mason."
"Jocasta." Brian said.
"I'm sorry."
"Its called a Jocasta complex when its the mother with the incestuous desires towards the son named after Oedipus's mother from the myth." He said. "Phaedra complex when its between a stepmother and stepson which I think she also suffers in regards to Ben."
"How in the world do you know all this stuff?" Burt asked.
"I pay attention in school."
"Somehow I doubt that you learned about Jocasta and Phaedra complexes in school." They defineiely did not teach that when I was in school.
"I also read a lot." Brian said. "And listen to a lot of Youtube videos."
"I see." He said.
A few moments of silence passed between them. "What happens now?"
"I don't know son." Burt said. He guessed that he would have to confront his wife who will probably vehemently deny the accusation. But he did not know what he was going to do after that. He guessed that he should call Mason first he thought. See what he says about that night. Though he hated to make Mason dredge up those painful memories but he was not sure if he had a choice.