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My heart broke as my brother muttered under his breath.
The urge to go back was strong, but I refrained. I'd never desired bodily harm on anyone, but I wanted to kill my father.
Eric kept mumbling as we loaded into the car. I dropped the keys while trying to insert them into the ignition. After a deep breath, I cranked the engine and shifted into drive.
My grip was iron on the steering wheel to keep from trembling.
“Why did you hit Dad?”
“Because he’s a horrible man,” I said quickly. I regretted my brother had seen my behavior, but the action was justified. “And a liar. Don’t you listen to anything that comes out of his mouth.”
He’d spoken terribly to his son.
My tolerance level for that was zero.
If I knew a police officer to call, I’d try to have him sent back to jail. That was where he belonged. Far away from us.
“You should leave him to the state. Live your life and forget about him.” My mother took a drag off her cigarette. “I get it. The money they send is good.”
How could she?
I couldn’t leave Eric to the state’s care. Who would make sure he was okay? Why would she want him with strangers? How could she be so callous to her own children?
And I hadn’t known anything about the money because she had the checks sent to another address.
“This was a mistake.” I pushed away from the table. Everything was stark here. The walls, the carpet, the furniture. Her.
“Sit down, Lexie.”
I’d obeyed that tone all my nineteen years. But she couldn’t tell me what to do any longer. Because she was locked up in here, and I was free.
“You should think about your life while you’re in here. Maybe if you ever get out, you can do something good with yourself.” It felt good to be able to say what I pleased without fear of what she’d do to either me or Eric.
“When I get out, I’m gonna lock you in that closet again for talkin’ to me like that.”
I shoved away the darkness that threatened. She was the one in a closet now. One with bars. And guards.
“Then I’ll have to make sure you stay right where you are, Mother.”
That wasthe one and only time I’d ever been to visit my mother. After that, I hadn’t bothered with my father. They were selfish scum who manipulated their son’s vulnerabilities and tormented their children.
Everything was about what they could gain. I hate them. I hate them both with everything in me. What they did to us, said to us, how they treated us like garbage.
Mostly I hated the hate within my heart because of them. Why? Why did they act this way toward us?
When will I be free?
And even worse, how long before my mother was free too?
