Thank You, Gravity
Sinners
I just look at the closed door in front of us for a minute. I’m furious at Dad right now, and I feel like screaming. Joe puts his hand on my arm for a moment, then starts walking down the front steps towards the car. I dig my nails into my palms and sigh, turning away from the door when it opens again.
“Guys, don’t go yet,” Frankie calls. I turn around, hoping for one split second our dad will rethink what he just did. Fat chance.
“Frankie, come inside,” Dad tells him, looking at us. Joe turns back around to face the door.
“Nick, come on…” he says slowly, nodding towards the car.
“Joe, wait,” Frankie says, gazing at Joe. “Dad, they’re my brothers and you’re treating them like crap,” he tells Dad confidently. “I thought you were all for accepting people for their differences.” He’s standing up for us and it makes me want to hug him, and cry. He doesn’t care.
“Frankie, go to your room,” Dad orders. Frankie doesn‘t move.
“Can’t you be a little more mature, Dad?” I ask, raising my voice. “You won’t even listen to Frankie.”
“Nick, don’t-” Joe puts his hand on my arm, but I push it away and cut him off.
“Do you like Dad treating like shit, Joe?” I turn back to Dad, “He’s ‘sinned‘ too.” Another thought comes to my mind, and I ask the question that’s been on my mind for a month. “How long?”
“Two years,” Frankie pipes up before Dad can say anything. “Two years.” How does he know this?
“I’m not willing to discuss that with you, Nicholas,” Dad glares, his voice staying at the same low octave.
“So you can commit adultery, but I can’t be with Joe.” Dad opens his mouth to say something, but he glances at Frankie and closes his mouth.
“This has nothing to do with the two of you.
“She was my mother.” He takes a little step towards me and I lean back, involuntarily rubbing my wrist. I look at Joe, silently telling him we should leave now. He hasn’t said anything yet, and he stays quiet. He nods towards the car again and as he walks down the steps I follow him.
“Wait,” Dad sighs. I stop walking, but don’t turn around to face him. “How long are you two here?” I’m not willing to answer him.
“Four days,” Joe supplies.
Dad sighs. “If you want, you can stay here.”
“Guys, don’t go yet,” Frankie calls. I turn around, hoping for one split second our dad will rethink what he just did. Fat chance.
“Frankie, come inside,” Dad tells him, looking at us. Joe turns back around to face the door.
“Nick, come on…” he says slowly, nodding towards the car.
“Joe, wait,” Frankie says, gazing at Joe. “Dad, they’re my brothers and you’re treating them like crap,” he tells Dad confidently. “I thought you were all for accepting people for their differences.” He’s standing up for us and it makes me want to hug him, and cry. He doesn’t care.
“Frankie, go to your room,” Dad orders. Frankie doesn‘t move.
“Can’t you be a little more mature, Dad?” I ask, raising my voice. “You won’t even listen to Frankie.”
“Nick, don’t-” Joe puts his hand on my arm, but I push it away and cut him off.
“Do you like Dad treating like shit, Joe?” I turn back to Dad, “He’s ‘sinned‘ too.” Another thought comes to my mind, and I ask the question that’s been on my mind for a month. “How long?”
“Two years,” Frankie pipes up before Dad can say anything. “Two years.” How does he know this?
“I’m not willing to discuss that with you, Nicholas,” Dad glares, his voice staying at the same low octave.
“So you can commit adultery, but I can’t be with Joe.” Dad opens his mouth to say something, but he glances at Frankie and closes his mouth.
“This has nothing to do with the two of you.
“She was my mother.” He takes a little step towards me and I lean back, involuntarily rubbing my wrist. I look at Joe, silently telling him we should leave now. He hasn’t said anything yet, and he stays quiet. He nods towards the car again and as he walks down the steps I follow him.
“Wait,” Dad sighs. I stop walking, but don’t turn around to face him. “How long are you two here?” I’m not willing to answer him.
“Four days,” Joe supplies.
Dad sighs. “If you want, you can stay here.”