Escaping the Inevitable

The yelling returned once all of us had been put to bed. I had pretended to be asleep when my mom had come to check up on me. I couldn't have her tell me something about why I didn't eat,
I wanted to get away from the tension. But, anyway it was louder than ever. No matter how badly I escaped, it always came back.

"You are so loud! Shut up, you're going to wake up the kids!" My mom shouted.

"If you'd stop accusing me of bullshit I would have to fucking yell!" My dad shouted back.

"You can't keep your dick in your pants, that's why I accuse you!"

There was silence, then something shatter and my mom screamed. I flinched, wondering if my dad had hurt my mom. Being who I am, I opened my door and rushed down the stairs.

"You son of a bitch!" My mom screamed this; I was more than positive everyone heard her.

I stopped short in the dining room and saw that my dad had thrown their wedding photo at the wall. The glass was completely shattered and the picture had slipped a bit out of the frame.

"I can't stand you anymore!" My dad shouted, "I need to get away from you!"

I slowly stepped over the glass and saw them. My mom's hair was messy, her back was facing me, there was a cut on her upper arm.

"Leave then! Get out! My kids don't deserve a man like you in their lives!"

I watched as my dad rushed over to my mom, his hands outstretched in front of him and he wrapped them around my mom's neck. She screamed, she immediately started fight him off. That's when I jumped in, "Let her go!"

My dad reacted quickly, he jumped back, my mom's face was bright red and she was beginning to cry. My dad sighed, "Joey, it isn't--"

"You tried to kill her!" I rushed over to my mom and wrapped my arms around her.

"Go upstairs, this is between us!" My dad snapped at me.

Mom wrapped her arms around me tightly, "Joey, I love you, but this is between us."

"No! I'll call the police!" I threatened, I said this to stop the fighting.

"You wouldn't do that." My dad seemed to challenge me.

"I will if you ever do that to her again!" I trembled angrily.

My mom sighed heavily, my dad retreated back, "I'm leaving." He muttered and walked the other way into the living room and out the door.

It slammed shut, my mom's tears fell on my forehead and I wiped them away, letting go of her gently, "I'm sorry mom, but he was hurting you."

She nodded, tears running down her face, "I should be sorry, babe. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

I felt tears began to form in my own eyes, "Please just end it already. Please, mom, we don't deserve this." My voice cracked as she hugged me tightly again. 

"It's not that easy, Joey." She told me, "It just doesn't happen so easily."

"I can't take it, Wolfie and Dani can't take it either." I expressed this harshly.

"Me and your dad love each other--"

I cut her off, "Yeah right! That wasn't love! You're bleeding, he threw your wedding picture at you and he choked you!"

She sighed, "You don't--"

"Fine! Fine, if he kills you, what are we suppose to do?" I shouted at her; I hated myself for it.

I was turning into my dad.

My mom shook her head, "He isn't going to kill me."

I shook my head right back, "I'm going to bed. Don't bother me anymore. I hate you guys."

I left my mom in the dining room, I picked up their wedding photo and jogged back up the stairs. I entered my room, I saw Wolfie and Dani both sitting up in my bed. My beside lamp was on, Dani had tear stained cheeks and Wolfie looked like he was on the verge of crying.

"Guys... What are you doing?" I asked.

"Dad tried kill mom?" Wolf asked.

I shrugged, "He was choking her."

Dani sobbed, "Why?"

"I don't know." I mumbled.

"What's that?" Wolf pointed to the frame in my hand.

I turned it to show him, I walked over to my bed and sat down on the end. Wolfie took the photo, and looked it over; "I actually remember this." He mumbled.

"What is it?" Dani sniffled and sat closer to Wolfie.

I moved over and sat beside my brother and looked the photo over. My mom was wearing a very light pink colored dress, her hair was a bright purple that was really thick and long. My dad wore a black suit, he was holding Wolfie when he was three and I was standing beside my mom; we wore suits too. I had been four, I actually remembered that day, too.

It was really nice, my mom was really happy and so was my dad. I stood with my dad with Wolfie, watching them get married. When it all had been over my parents kissed, then picked us up and took us to the reception. We took pictures all night, but this had been my mom's favorite. She placed this in the dining room so we could always see it.

This memory made me angry. I was angry with the fighting. I was angry with their marriage ending. I was angry that my dad was always angry. I was angry that my mom protected him.

I hated everything about our lives. I didn't want them fighting anymore. It was like a continuous record that I wanted to shut off. 

I wanted a change.

"Mommy looks so happy." Dani said, "I wish she smiled like this more."

"Me too." Wolfie and I said in unison.

"Can we sleep in here tonight?" Dani asked.

I looked at them, "I guess."

"Thanks, Joe." Wolfie said softly.

"No problem."

We all slipped underneath the covers; I was at the end, Dani in the middle and Wolf at the other end. I turned off my lamp, and we all began to talk softly to tire ourselves out.

"I don't wanna go with dad tomorrow." Dani said.

"Because of what he did to mom?" Wolf asked.

"Yes. I'm scared. What if he tries to kill us?"

"That's ridiculous, Dani." I told her, "He was mad then." I couldn't believe I was excusing what my dad did.

"But what if he gets mad?" She questioned.

"You kick or run." Wolfie instructed her, "Run away."

"That'll work?"

"Yep."

"Good."

We all fell into a comfortable silence, Dani's even breathing was putting me to sleep. I shut my eyes in the dark, I heard Wolfie move around a little, "Joe?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you yell at her?" He inquired quietly.

I sighed, "I... I dunno. I was mad."

"Mom loves dad, you know? Like... A lot, but I don't think dad loves her back." His own voice cracked.

I was gonna cry, too, "I don't think so either."

"I love him, Joey. But he's a jerk."

"I know."

"How could he be so mean?"

"I don't know, Wolfie."

"I wish they'd stop fighting."

"Me too."

"Do you think it'll get better?"

I signed again, "I don't know."

"I hope it does."

"That's all we can do, Wolfie, is hope."

He was quiet a few seconds, "Goodnight, Joey."

"'Night, Wolf."