Philly Ink

(Abigail’s POV)

Family dinner at the Miller household always ended up in a fight: food or fist. It could be either or both. I could only guess what this one would end in. My father had moved into a small studio apartment while my mother had stayed in our childhood home. It made me upset to think about what was going on within the folds of my parents’ marriage and I had always taken marriage to be a lifelong commitment. I didn’t take the subject of marriage lightly and if I ever did marry, it would be to someone who loved me, but also loved for my daughter like she was his own.

As we sat around the table, no one spoke. It was too awkward of a situation all of us were in and I kept my eyes from meeting my mother’s. I didn’t need her to see the disappointment there. She wasn’t a harsh person, but seeing her put my father through this was really pissing me off. Matt and his wife, Christin, sat to my right while Aaron, his girlfriend/fiancée Jen and Deron sat across the table from us. My mother sat at the head of the table where my father used to sit, leaving her end vacant.

Matt and Christin’s two young sons had already eaten their meal separately and were playing in the children’s playroom. The sounds of their laughter floated into the dining room. The clink of a fork hitting a plate broke the silence.

“So Vern came to get Clauds today…” Matt said as if it would be a good start to a conversation. He knew how I felt about his opinion of Vern.

“Do we have to do this now?” My mother begged of us when she saw my posture stiffen.

Matt brought his gaze to my mother. “Well if Abby hadn’t been so trusting of Vern in the first place-”

“Why can’t you let this shit go?” I snapped out at him. Christin had been seated between us and now it was obvious she was regretting doing so. “I made my mistakes, but they are mine to deal with.”

“You had a kid. That makes it a mistake we all have to deal with.” Matt said with such hatred that I almost threw a punch across the table.

My mother stood up so quickly it startled us all into looking at her. “I won’t sit around while my family destroys itself.”

“Why not?” Deron stood up as well, but his anger wasn’t directed at me or Matt. It was at our mother. “You’ve already started to tear us apart by divorcing dad over petty shit.”

“Deron!” My mother gasped. Her hand fluttered to her mouth in shock. “How could you say such things? Love is not a petty thing!”

“You are an idiot if you think dad has stopped loving you.” Deron hissed out, grabbing his plate and leaving the room as fast as his bulky figure would allow him.

Jen and Christin looked mortified and after exchanging looks with one another, both women stood up and went into the playroom where Matt and Christin’s boys were. Aaron stayed where he was, but he didn’t offer help in either direction. My mother took off into the hallway and as her feet hit the staircase, I allowed myself to face Matt’s direction.

“So what did you say to Vern when he picked Claudia up?” I asked furiously. I wasn’t going to drop it. It wasn’t the Miller way. “I know you didn’t stand there quietly.”

“Damn right I didn’t. How can I when he is a fuckup? He is a horrible person and shouldn’t even have any rights in Claudia’s life.” Matt was good at speaking his mind, but I was good for my stubbornness.

“Stay out of the way when it comes to me and Claudia, Matthew.”

“I can’t stay out of it, Abigail!” Matt said in frustration. “Why can’t you see that? You’ve been making every wrong decision lately and I’m trying to make you see that!”

“Wrong decisions? So the decision to let Vern see his own daughter is wrong?” I asked in disbelief. This was coming from a man who had two children. “What if Christin left you and took the boys? What if her family said it’s the wrong decision to let you see them?”

“My family would never be in that situation.” Matt said, so sure of himself.

“And you believe that?”

I didn’t have anything against my sister in law, but I was trying to lay into my brother so he would see he was making a mistake.

“Yes because I’m not a former drug addict with a wife who is using.” Matt responded. “I also didn’t leave my girlfriend pregnant with my child while I ran off with said wife.”

“Hey!” Aaron said in irritation. Apparently he got tired of the arguing. “You have nowhere to speak, Matt. You aren’t in Abby’s situation. You don’t know how you would react if you were.”

“I wouldn’t let him see Claudia.” Matt said firmly.

“How would I explain that to Social Services?” I asked him with a wry expression. “Please tell me what my reasoning should be to keep my daughter’s father from seeing her.”

Matt fell silent, obviously not thinking of this.

Turning to my twin brother with a frown, I said, “Sorry about cutting our dinner short, but I need to get home.” Looking at Matt one last time, I finished what I needed to say to him. "Stay out of my life, Matt. I don’t want to talk to you again.”

Grabbing my coat off of the back of my chair, I didn’t say goodbye to any of my family. I just walked out the door.