Episode 16

"Why are you leaving Dad, this is our house," I heard Mike say through gritted teeth. "I know you're hurt but this is not the way to go about it."

"Son, you don't understand," Mr. Hawk sighed.

Mike was not buying it, and as he stared at his father with the door wide open behind him, he shook his head. "That's fucking ridiculous Dad, you're running away." Mike had been in his room smoking a blunt with his window opened when he heard heavy footsteps head towards the door. He found it strange, since the early mornings were not usually greeted by anybody within the home, and instantly threw the end of his.

"I'm not running away okay?" His eyes were baggy, large purple bruises underneath them. I listened from the top of the stairs, hiding in a corner as they argued. "I'm trying to figure it out with Olivia."

"You're going to give up."

"I'm not, Mike," he said, his voice tightening, "But if you found out the woman you're in love with is still in love with a crazy delusional ex-husband, that's technically still her husband—?!"

"I would beat the living shit out of the husband," Mike roared with broadened shoulders, pointing towards the door, "And I would probably cuss the fuck out of the woman I love, but if I really loved her to begin with, I'd stay and fight."

"I tried that with your mother."

"Nina wasn't the same Dad," Mike scorned, "And do not compare her to Olivia."

"Both of them lied to me."

"Olivia fucked up okay? But I promise you Dad, she loves you."

"And her ex-husband," he hissed.

Mike shrugged his shoulders, "Who gives a fuck? Show her why she should love only you; you leaving will only make her forget all the reasons she loved you to begin with."

Mr. Hawk raised an eyebrow, "And you're supposed to be a fucking expert on relationships now Mike?"

"I'm not, but I'm not a fucking idiot either."

"What d'you just say to me?" Mr. Hawk leaned forward threateningly, but Mike did not budge.

"You're being a fucking idiot Dad. Don't leave your own god damn house."

They glared at one another, both their teeth gritted and their jaws sticking out with how tense their muscles were. Mike was an exact replica of Mr. Hawk, and neither of them feared anything. Therefore, as Mr. Hawk slightly stepped forward, Mike did as well.

Mr. Hawk finally said, "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to Mike?"

"Shut up Dad," Mike ridiculed, "I'm not scared of you. You're the only one whose ever been scared."

Mr. Hawk fiercely shook his head, not making sense of anything Mike spouted. After a moment of silence, he grabbed his bag and threw it on his back. He had taken a deeper breath, and was fighting back the urge of this argument becoming physical. Therefore, he needed to escape this confrontation immediately. Mike's eyebrows furrowed even deeper, but there was concern behind his eyes. "Take care of the house for me?" Mr. Hawk calmly said and turned towards the door.

"What the fuck Dad—"

"I'll be back soon enough," he reached for the doorknob, but before he was able to leave, he heard his name being called.

My mother had descended from her room, and I heard her footsteps pass my hiding spot. She reached the end of the stairs before racing down, and making her way to the home entrance. Mr. Hawk sighed heavily, turning away from Olivia who tightened her robe, staring at him with concern and panic. She did not want him to leave, she believed they could work it out together, rather than with space.

Mr. Hawk avoided her gaze and it upset her. "Drew, where are you going?"

He paused for a few seconds before finally saying, "I need some time to think."

My mother was at a loss for words, and she stared at the wide open door, feeling the hope within her diminish by every second. "W-Why can't you think here?"

"I don't want to make the same mistake I made before."

"Are you saying I'm a mistake?" Olivia cried.

Mr. Hawk shrugged his shoulders, but his head sharply turned to meet her taken aback eyes. "You tell me? I thought you loved me—"

"And I do."

"But not enough to cut your contact with your ex-husband who you, may I remind you, are still married to," he hissed, taking a step towards her.

Olivia raised her eyebrows, "That doesn't mean I don't love you."

"Then what the fuck does it mean Liv?"

"It means I'm still confused. I fucked up, I went in this relationship too soon."

"Excuse-me?" Mr. Hawk's tone lowered.

Mike raised an eyebrow as well, "Yea what the fuck, Mrs. Devinez?"

My mother sighed helplessly. "I was with him for twenty-three years, and we raised two kids together. You can't expect me to just forget he ever existed, I see him in my kids!"

"Then you should have told me that Liv!" Mr. Hawk screamed back, his heart being shred to pieces by every syllable escaping my mother's tongue. I was surprised as well; Dad never made her as happy as Mr. Hawk had in the recent weeks. "You should have told me all of this and let me decide for myself whether I wanted to get in this relationship with you. Instead, you waited after you were engaged, and after you moved-in, and suddenly, fucked everything up by some stupid bullshit about how you're confused?"

"Dad, stay respectful," Mike whispered.

Mr. Hawk ignored him, "Are you fucking kidding me Liv?" he screamed, "Confused!?" My mother shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "You have no idea how the fuck it feels to be in love with a woman who still has a whole separate life that I knew nothing about. And who lied through her own teeth, without letting me know of anything. I found out by your husband showing up at my doorstep, to pick up my soon-to-be step-daughter?"

My mother's eyes began filling with tears, "I've been saying I'm sorry Drew. What else do you want me to do?"

"Give me some fucking space Liv," he snarled without a single trace of hesitation, "That's what I need you to fucking do."

However, my mother stood her ground. "I'm not letting you leave."

This only made Mr. Hawk chuckle, "What are you gonna do, you're gonna hold me back?" When she reached for his arm, he yanked it backwards, "Don't fucking touch me."

"Dad, watch yourself," Mike warned.

"Or what, Mike?" he stepped towards him, and my mother made her way in-between them, trying to keep them apart from one another.

Within a split second, I saw Eric leap downstairs to them and separate them from one another, placing a palm on each their chest and pushing them back. "Guys chill the fuck out," he exclaimed, but the fatigue was still in his tone.

Mike shrugged his shoulders with a sharp glare towards his Dad, "I am chill, Dad seems to want to fight me this morning so what's up?"

"Swing first then," Mr. Hawk instigated. Mr. Hawk was in his forties, but he appeared way younger and was very fit and in shape. Additionally, he was much taller than Mike, and had a wider shoulder length and body. Therefore, I was certain Mr. Hawk would massacre Mike.

Mike raised an eyebrow threateningly, "You don't want me to do that Dad, you're taking your anger out on me."

"So what if I am? Don't get in my face then."

"Dad, calm down," Eric bellowed.

"Move the fuck out of the way Eric," Mr. Hawk pushed him aside, and he stumbled against the wall.

"You better not touch Eric like that again," Mike roared.

He faced Mike once again, "You were a fucking mistake Mike."

"Was I really Dad?" Mike chuckled.

"I wish Dresden would have switched places with you."

"Oh, is that right."

"Yes, that is right. You were a fool as a kid, should have placed you in adoption center from birth, or forced your mother to get an abortion."

"Drew!" my mother yelped.

Mike's muscle stiffened, but he did not want to show it stung his emotions. "Keep going Dad," he insisted, "I want to hear the truth you can't take back later."

"That's why Nina was able to use you," Mr. Hawk laughed condescendingly, "because she realized what an idiotic boy you were. She prostituted you for so long in the dark not only because she knew you wouldn't say anything since you're fucking stupid—"

Mike leaped forward, and a sudden rage twisted his features, demonic eyes firing flames in his amethyst eyes as he swung his fist against his father's jaw. Mr. Hawk stumbled backwards, but lunged forward as well, and their battle for dominance commenced, as they wrestled one another against walls, throwing a few punches here and there. I no longer hid, and watched the scene unfold, descending the stairs as well and attempting to tell them to stop. Eric tried to rip them both apart, but they were not listening. Mr. Hawk connected his knuckles against Mike's nose, causing his to start bleeding, and he also spat blood from his mouth onto the ground. They caused a hole in the wall, and Mr. Hawk gripped him from his legs and slammed him against the floor. Mike's head bounced off the ceramic, and before Mr. Hawk could throw a punch, he accidentally elbowed my mother in the face, as she had attempted to grab his arm to pull him back.

Instantly, the tension was released, and my mouth gaped open, my palm covering it as I stood in silence, and shock. Eric took this moment to push them apart, and Mr. Hawk stood to his feet, reaching Olivia who held the side of her face, beginning to cry as the pain hurt. Mr. Hawk wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and whispered that he was sorry, repeatedly leaning downwards to examine the side of her face. A bruise was beginning to form, and he held her tighter, squeezing her within his arms. Mike stood up, spitting blood on the ground as he breathed heavily; he was still angry.

He turned to his father. "I'm fucking leaving," he roared, "You fucking piece of shit of a Dad."

"Mike, let's go upstairs," Eric calmed, pulling his brother towards the stairs. Blood was all over the floor, and all I did was watch the scene begin to deescalate. Mike headed upstairs, and we heard him shout a few curse words. Mr. Hawk pulled my mother upstairs to their master bedroom, and sprinted back down to the kitchen to grab a few ice packs and place it on her bruise. I stood quietly at the front, not sure whether to head back to my bedroom, however one thing was clear; this family may be falling apart.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***