“It’s fine, eat. We will be going soon as we’re done.” Dane waves at him to pick his cutlery back up, uncaring about this train wreck atmosphere or my mom’s sarcasm, and my mom explodes like a time bomb that’s been ticking away since he walked in the door.
“Why are you like this? Why do you always make things this way? Do you enjoy seeing me angry and causing all of this? I have tried to include you ever since I brought you into my home and …….” Her voice raises higher with every word.
“YOUR HOME??” Dane’s head snaps up, cutting her off with a violent response, which is new for him, as he meets her focus head-on. His face falls from that smug, casual look he always wears to instant anger and despisal. Energy vibrates around him that feels like aggressive hostility, and it has the power to make me go quiet. He’s normally full of smart-ass responses and smirks, not outright yelling venom.
“This was MY home long before it was yours. My mom’s home before my father found his way into your bed….. Don’t you fucking dare sit there and act like you’re doing me any fucking favors by having me come back to my own home! I have more right to be here than you.” His voice rasps and the tone stays loud and threatening.
“Dane. Enough!” Bryan slams his hand on the table even though his voice is calm and level, and we all jump in fright at the sudden bang. Bryan isn’t normally one to react with aggression. Ever.
I drop my fork on the floor and tense hard, so I end up sitting stiffly and gripping the edge of my seat.
“ME? Maybe tell your wife to stop always looking for a reason to pick fights... Did I ask to come here? No…. Did I want to be forced home for dinner to pretend we all get along and play happy fucking families? NO! I did not!..... Maybe if you all butted out of my life and left me alone to get through the remainder of school, we wouldn’t have this bullshit every fucking day.” Standing up, he scrapes his chair back with rage, banging the table with his fist and disrupting all the water glasses.
“Sit down, stop swearing… this is not how I raised you to handle disputes….” Bryan is trying and failing to cage his fiery son, like always. The rest of us are staring at our hands with clamped-shut mouths, except my mom, who is openly glaring and shaking her head at the stepson she never wanted to deal with.
“Don’t make me laugh. You didn’t raise me. Mom did. Ten years on her own while you were over here playing daddy to little miss straight A’s over here. Don’t start acting like a father now.”
I’ve had enough and know from experience that this is only starting to heat up. They will rage and row while he sasses them, and it will turn nastier once tempers fully kick in. My mom doesn’t know how to back down, and Dane is not the type to storm out of a fight. He takes it head-on and has to have the last word. Bryan won’t diffuse anything, and as usual, I will end up in my room listening to it for the next hour. My mom will end up a hysterical screaming mess. I don’t need an audience for that.
“Mom, I’m taking them to the door, and I’ll eat when this is done.” It’s my turn to butt in, sliding back my chair, heart hammering in my chest like a war drum. Embarrassed to the core over this showdown. “Elisa, come on.”
I get up, gesturing to her, and then shove Tyler on the shoulder.
“You too.” Sliding past him to walk them out, I keep my expression blank while holding back the tears swirling in my stomach. Right now, I want to talk to my dad more than ever because living here has become so shitty I would even consider staying with him for a little while in New York. Even if he worked all day and I only got to see him on weekends, alone in his apartment most of the time. It’s got to be better than this day in and out.
I’m sick of this every time we are all in one place. I don’t need this stress in my life, or I’ll end up with a stomach ulcer.
“I know the way. I’ll take him. Go get your food and go upstairs. When you don’t eat, you get faint… your blood sugar.” Elisa rubs my arm as she moves close to whisper at me as we march out of the dining room and head for the hall without looking back. She is trying to be my little emotional support, and I love her for it. She knows how things are.
The three behind us at least have the grace to remain quiet while we leave, but I know it’s short-lived. I can almost taste the static in the air, and the tension is so thick I can practically see it. A storm is poised for the crescendo.
“It’s okay. I need air and will walk you home. Tyler, if you say a word to anyone…….” I start to warn him as we slide out of the room and close the door behind me. Keeping my voice hushed and wave a pointer finger at his tall frame.
“Cool it, okay. He's my best friend. Not a word will come from me.” He lifts his hand and crosses his fingers, making a juvenile promise before turning on his heel to walk ahead of us to leave. He doesn’t need a chaperone.
“Laters.”