Darkest Desires

If the atmosphere in this room was anymore thick we would suffocate from it. Mom, dad, Eddy, and I sat in the living like lifeless dummies, silent and nonresponsive. The doorbell rang and my dad was the first to move, welcoming Detectives Bishop and Cooper into the home. The two men walked into the living room greeting my mom as she stood up gesturing them to sit down. Eddy got up from where he was sitting on the couch and walked over to where I was and sat on the arm rest. My mom sat next to me and my dad sat in the loveseat facing the detectives while I remain still watching the men’s faces’. I assume this was the calculating side of me trying to determine what news they brought by reading facial expressions, thank God I have a good poker face.

My dad leaned forward in his seat, hands together, facing the two men, “So was it her’s? Was the hair Megan’s?” he asked point blank.

The two detectives exchanged a glance, “Well Mr. Tatopoulos, based on the DNA the lab got off Megan’s clothes that were sent to the house along with the hair. It’s sad to say that the hair was a match,” Detective Bishop said, “and it would appear the culprit cut off a good amount of her hair too.” My mom’s head drooped a little and my dad tensed up.

“But that wasn’t the only thing they had found,” Detective Cooper interjected, “there were traces of Rohypnol, GHB, and Chloroform in the strands of hair.”

“What was found? I-I understand the last one, but what are the other two?“ my dad asked looking confused.

“Rohypnol, and GHB.” Detective Cooper repeated, “Otherwise known as Roopies and Cherry Meth.”

“Date rape drugs,” Eddy said sternly and my mom gasped looking horrified, while my dad looked like he just got punched. I myself tensed up when I heard rape and remembered the video of Meg being slapped. “Are you trying to tell use my sister’s being drugged and raped?” Eddy sounded pissed and my mom started sobbing. Meg being raped, my sister being raped , I bit my lip trying to suppress tears and my anger.

“We don’t know that,” Detective Bishop said to Eddy.

“But she could be, right? Right? She could be right now and were just talking.” Eddy was hysterical.

“Eddy!” my mom said, but he wasn’t listening.

“You should be out there instead of here. You should be looking for her!”

“We are looking as hard as we can.” Detective Bishop said.

“If you were looking harder she would be home now and I wouldn’t have had a box of her clothes and hair sent here!” Eddy yelled.

“EDWARD!” my dad yelled slamming his fist on the coffee table silencing Eddy and to be honest, scaring me. Eddy looked at my dad who facial expression was something to be feared, “Sit down.”

Eddy’s eyes narrowed, “Like hell.” He said and crossed the room infuriating my dad.

“Don’t you dare talk to me like that,” he yelled at Eddy who was putting his jacket on.
Eddy walked to the door with my dad hot on his heels, “Just did,” and Eddy left slamming the door in my dad’s face.

My mom and I sat stunned at what just happened that we even forgot the detectives were still with us. My mom remembering our guests apologized for my family’s behavior to which they decided to excuse themselves for the evening. My mom walked them to the door and said goodbye before confronting my fuming dad who sitting in the living room. He was lying on the couch looking at the ceiling when mom came stomping in throwing a pillow in his face.

“Damn it, Patrick! Can’t you control your anger when we have people over?” she yelled at him and he grabbed the pillow and threw it onto another seat.

He sat up and looked at her, “I can’t stand it when he disrespects me.”

“What else do you think he is going to do when you act like that? He was obviously upset and you only made it worse.”

He stood up, “And you think I’m not upset too? That’s my baby out there damn it. The last thing I want to hear anyone say is that she is being drugged and taken advantage of!”

“She’s my child too you know!” mom raised her voice, something she usually never does; “Do you think I want to hear that too? Do you think I don’t feel pain knowing she is out of my reach right now?”

“You’re both despicable,” I mumbled and they both stopped arguing to look at me.

“What did you just say?” my mom asked as I stood up.

I looked at both of them feeling my anger boil inside of me, “You’re both despicable,” I repeated, “you two don’t deserve to be parents.”

My dad stepped forward, “How can you say that?”

“You have one child missing and just chased another one out of the house in the middle of the night. I doubt any good parent would chase their child out of the house at night, angry and upset.” I looked at my dad square in the eye, “you’re the head of the house, the foundation, as grandpa used to say. You’re supposed to keep us together through tough times and yet all I see is everyone falling apart like sand. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at yourself. You treat like family like a firm, and don’t get involved in anything that doesn’t have to do with you. You’re cold and I honestly can’t remember a time where you’ve act fatherly to me, Eddy, or Meg. If I were you I would have stepped back from work and take control of my family a long time ago.” And that’s all it took for me to feel intense heat radiate from my left cheek.

I took a side glance to my dad who hand was still raised and my mom stood behind him stunned.

“Patrick,” mom’s voice was mixed with anger and shock.

I turned around and walked out of the room and grabbed my coat off the rack that had my keys and wallet. My mom followed me to the door telling me to go back to the living room, and that my dad was sorry for slapping me. None of it was true though; my father is always a clear thinker and does what he does with no need to apologize at all. He never lets emotions control him and never regrets doing or not doing something; in sort he is an ice man. I slipped my jacket on and my mom grabbed my arm in a last desperate plea for me to stay.

“You can’t leave now,” she looked frantic as she held onto me, “it’s not like you can go anywhere at this hour.”

I laughed at her and shrugged her hand off, “It’s so funny how you don’t know anything about your children.” Then I left and made my way to my car when I heard Axle’s voice from across the yard. I didn’t stop, and just kept walking as he yelled my name louder and louder clearly trying to get my attention. It’s not that I didn’t want to see him; I just didn’t want him to see me. By this point my tears were uncontrollable and my cheek was candy apple red from my father’s blow. I jumped in my car, started the engine, and quickly putting it into reverse speeding out of the driveway. With a quick switch into drive I sped down the street not even bothering stopping at the stop sign and taking a quick turn that the smell of rubber came through the vents.

I let my emotions get the best of me that I quickly ended up at 213 Elmwood Street. I got out of the car, walked up the stone steps and rang the doorbell hoping that someone would answer. There was movement at the window and the door quickly opened.

“Danny?” Carl looked confused and checked his watch, “do you have any idea what time it is?” he turned on the porch like and got a better look at my red eyes and slightly puffy cheek, “God, what happened?” That’s all it took for my tears to start running down my face again.

He came out on the porch and I quickly hugged him thinking over of tonight’s events, “Carl.”