Something You Can't Believe
3
Shane watched from his window as he watched the ambulance take his mom away. He saw his dad come back into the house. He didn’t know what to say. Though his mother was alive and the ambulance had left with sirens he knew his father would be in pieces down stairs. He knew he needed his support. But what was he meant to say?
The adults were meant to be the strong ones and he knew for a fact he was the one who would have to hold his dad together and he was only ten. He found the thought hard. But he knew there was no other option. The only other option involved watching his dad crumble under the weight of his own guilt. He knew his dad hadn’t done it. All he could hope was his dad wasn’t blaming himself. Though he knew he would be. That was his dad.
He left his bedroom and went down stairs and into the living room to see his dad sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. He could tell he was crying. He didn’t need to get closer or ask. He walked to the sofa and sat next to his dad then slid his arm around his back and hugged him.
‘Dad. It’ll be okay. She’s in good hands.’
Derrick looked up and smiled. He had never been so glad to see his son. He hugged Shane and kissed his head. What surprised him the most was how Shane was holding together. He was the dad. He was meant to be the one who held the family together. Who supported Shane when he was scared and the one who was meant to have the responsibility in the house yet if you looked at it from the outside it seemed wrong.
‘Shane do you know what happened?’
Shane shook his head and pulled back sinking into the sofa. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. All he knew was who it involved. All he knew was his mother had been taken off in a ambulance and he was sure he knew who to blame. He didn’t want to hear it though he knew he had to. If not for his benefit for his fathers who clearly needed to get it off his chest.
‘Her dad stabbed her kid.’
Shane felt a mixture of hate and upset welling. He wanted to cry though he couldn’t. He held back the tears with the thought of revenge. He hoped his mother didn’t die. Not because he loved her though that was a bonus. But because he didn’t want to be arrested for murder at ten years old.
The adults were meant to be the strong ones and he knew for a fact he was the one who would have to hold his dad together and he was only ten. He found the thought hard. But he knew there was no other option. The only other option involved watching his dad crumble under the weight of his own guilt. He knew his dad hadn’t done it. All he could hope was his dad wasn’t blaming himself. Though he knew he would be. That was his dad.
He left his bedroom and went down stairs and into the living room to see his dad sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. He could tell he was crying. He didn’t need to get closer or ask. He walked to the sofa and sat next to his dad then slid his arm around his back and hugged him.
‘Dad. It’ll be okay. She’s in good hands.’
Derrick looked up and smiled. He had never been so glad to see his son. He hugged Shane and kissed his head. What surprised him the most was how Shane was holding together. He was the dad. He was meant to be the one who held the family together. Who supported Shane when he was scared and the one who was meant to have the responsibility in the house yet if you looked at it from the outside it seemed wrong.
‘Shane do you know what happened?’
Shane shook his head and pulled back sinking into the sofa. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. All he knew was who it involved. All he knew was his mother had been taken off in a ambulance and he was sure he knew who to blame. He didn’t want to hear it though he knew he had to. If not for his benefit for his fathers who clearly needed to get it off his chest.
‘Her dad stabbed her kid.’
Shane felt a mixture of hate and upset welling. He wanted to cry though he couldn’t. He held back the tears with the thought of revenge. He hoped his mother didn’t die. Not because he loved her though that was a bonus. But because he didn’t want to be arrested for murder at ten years old.