Escaping the Inevitable

I kept my mouth shut, but I knew exactly what decided meant. It meant my dad steam rolled my mom. It meant my mom fought with my dad about this. Still, I didn't utter a word. It wouldn't get me anywhere, anyway.

My dad drove us towards this diner that we usually went to. It was a quiet place, no one bothered us, and we didn't bother anyone else. I used to like coming here... Back when my mom would tag along. We sat in our usual booth, and I would always see the missing spot where my mom would sit. She would sit beside my dad, with Dani  on her right, or usually in her lap.

Now, Dani sits in dad's lap, sloppily eating her ice cream sundae, my brother eats his like an animal too, while I just look at mine. I don't have much of an appetite these days. my dad notices, giving me a look; his facial hair is longer than he usually has it, and I notice.

"What's wrong?" He asked with furrowed brows.

"I'm not hungry..." I trail softly, "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, kid." Dad smiles at me; his eyes twinkle like Dani's when she smiles.

"Can I have it?" Wolfie asked; chocolate smudged around his face, his curved bowl is empty.

I grimace and slide my bowl over to him, "Go crazy."

"Share with Dani." My dad tells him, stalling Wolf's animalistic attack on my vanilla sundae.

Dad slipped Dani off his lap and over next to Wolfie, while he got out of the booth and sat on my side. I was nervous the moment he got up, and even more as he sat beside me; "What's up, Joey?"

I shrug, shaking my head in the process, "Nothin', dad." I lie and play with my hands on the table.

"You know, I know you," He mimics my hand gestures, "You lie like your mom, I know."

My stomach tensed and I wish he never brings up my mom, "You don't know anything about mom." I mutter under my breath.

But, he heard me. He heard me because Wolfie heard me. He looked at me with a raised brow.

"What do you mean by that?" Dad asked, dropping his hands.

I look up at him; my once gentle and kind father now looks menacing and frightening. He doesn't have a scowl, but I can just imagine him shouting down at me like he does my mom. I quickly shook my head, "Forget it." I mumble.

"Joey, what's going on with you?" He asked curiously, "Are you having trouble with something?"

He's dancing around the REAL question. I know, I'm 13, not stupid, but my dad seems to think I'm stupid. He seems to think me and my brother and sister are stupid; too stupid not to hear and see that my parents are splitting up.

"Everything's fine." I tried to sound normal; I'm not sure if I achieved it.

"Look, Joe, I--" 

"Daddy! Wolfie's eating all the hot fudge!" Dani cried at the table; her pretty little face is covered in dry vanilla ice cream and remnants of chocolate fudge.

Dad sighed, "Wolfgang, knock it off."

Wolf rolled his eyes, "Fine, geez. Cry baby." He sneered at Dani.

Dani frowned and tears swelled up in her eyes. Dani isn't like all little girls with big brothers, you know, like the ones on TV. She's not a daddy's girl or spoiled brat, my baby sister, as young as she may be, harbors deeper feelings. She's a lover, and she's the shoulder you could cry on, she has such a leveler head than any other little girls.

"Dani, don't cry," I say to keep my dad's attention from me, "Don't listen to Wolfie."

Dani hiccups before her tears fall and nods. She put her spoon down and jumps over Wolfie to get to me. I smiled as she scooted beside me, "You're my favorite brother, Joey."

I laughed softly, while Wolf just rolled his eyes, "Gag me."

My dad scowls now, "Wolf, knock it off. You've been having an attitude lately."

Wolfie rolled his eyes, "Yeah, so have you." 

My dad tensed up, he looks at the both of us, "What's going on? Your mom been telling you guys to gang up on me?" He smiles, trying to play it like a joke, but he isn't joking.

"No," Wolfie started, "But I pick your side. Pansy over there picks mom." He pointed at me, making me tense now.

"Shut up, Wolf, you don't know what you're talking about." I threw my napkin at him.

My dad looked down at me, but I couldn't look at him. Dani snuggled up, closer to me, "I pick mommy too."

Once again, my dad tenses, and I know we must've hurt his feelings. I shook my head quickly, "We aren't picking sides, Dani. There is no side to pick."

Dani huffed, "Okay."

I finally have enough courage to look at my dad, and he's looking at his hands, lost in thought. He did this a lot whenever we all were alone. I feel sick now that Wolfie opened his big trap; the idiot.

Finally, when Wolfie finished my ice cream, dad paid, and we left. I got in the front, my siblings in the back, dad drove away from the diner. "Where are we going now? Home?" Dani asked.

"Don't you guys wanna see a movie?" My dad looked back for a moment, then at the road.

"Yes!" Wolfie and Dani both cheered.

"What about you, Joe?" My dad looked at me, then back.

"Uh... I guess." I shrugged.

Dad nodded, continued his way to the mega plex. 

I kept my eyes adverted out the window, thinking of my mom. I missed her, more so, I felt sorry for her. I hated when she was left home alone; I'd rather be with her than watching a movie and enjoying myself.

As I thought this, my dad's cell rang. It was my mom's ringtone; a song by the Descendants called 'Mercian. He sighed heavily, I looked over as he answered, "Yeah?"

It's like he never cared about my mom. Like she wasn't his wife. Like she was some scum of the earth.

"I picked them up, Sunny... We're going to the movies... We got ice cream-- You should've told me-- No-- No--... I'm sure they have homework. Look, I'm driving right now, I'll just head home, alright? That good, Sunny?" With that he hung up.

I hate the way my dad treats my mom. She's so... Fragile. She's the sweetest woman I've ever met, how could my dad be so mean to her?

"Hey, we're going home guys, sorry." Dad said after he shoved his phone in the cup holder.

Both Wolfie and Dani whined, but Wolfie complained; "We don't need to listen to her!"

Dad furrowed his brows, then looked back at Wolfie, "Knock it off." Then he looked at the road.

I didn't know if I was happy with his scold to Wolfie or not.