Escaping the Inevitable

There was this quiet stillness in the house. Finally, some quiet. I think it was because my dad left a few hours before, but I couldn't be sure. Mom was probably asleep, her tears finally drowned her out. My baby brother and sister were probably asleep too... I doubt Wolfie was.

I laid in my bed, shutting off my iPod and stared at the ceiling. I hadn't had a good nights rest in days. I was glad dad left.

I was almost asleep, until there was a knock on my bedroom door. I sat up; "Yeah?"

My bedroom door opened slowly, and Dani popped her head through. I smiled at her long raven hair, frizzed and messy.

"Joe? Can I sleep with you?" Her tiny voice tugged at my heart strings.

"Yeah, come on." I freely pulled the quilt up and welcomed Dani in.

Dani hopped in my bed, "Thanks, Joe."

I smiled and hummed, "Sure."

Dani hugged one of my pillows and looked at me with her big hazel eyes she got from dad, "Mommy's cryin'." She informed quietly, "Daddy yelled at her."

I sighed, "I know, Dani. I'm sorry."

She shut her eyes and moved her head comfortably in the pillow. I laid back, my hands rested on my stomach, and stared back at the ceiling. I began to think about everything...

For the past 3 years, my parents had been fighting like cats and dogs. I don't know what it was, but it was a constant battle in our house. Being 10 at the time of the beginning of their version of World War III, I prayed that they'd get through it. Year after year, I slowly lost hope; now, I just turned 13, I prayed that they'd get a divorce and end my and my siblings suffering.

My parents, Sunny and Frank, had always been the greatest parents. They had been in love for more than 10 years, and then something happened. I guess it was my dad's constant cheating, my mom would yell about this and cry almost every night about it. So much, I started to hate my dad... And my mom. I hated my dad for hurting my mom, and I hated my mom for taking it and not taking me and my siblings somewhere without fighting and yelling.

My siblings; Wolfgang (Wolfie) is 11 and Danzi (Dani) is 6; they aren't shielded from this. Wolfie pretends that he's tough, but I caught him crying a few times from it. Dani cries openly, and in front of my parents; most times they stop fighting and comfort Dani, but usually they'd be at it again. I love my brother and sister to death; I'd do anything for them. I wish I could take them away from my parents, give them a happier life.

Now, growing up, our life was pretty good; my mom is an amazing photographer and artist. She exposes me and siblings to things that are out of the norm, and I love her for that. My dad was in a rock band, and he taught me how to play guitar and took me to the concerts when I was younger and his band was together. Now, he usually takes me and my brother to shows. But, these trips come less and less as the fighting gets more frequent.

I try to lose myself in music and books, but I have this big dark cloud over my head and in my life that is my parents impending demise as a couple. They had been the ideal marriage, like my uncles'; but they were going to end up hating each other and divorcing.

It was my dad's fault.