Reaper's Lullaby

Lucas: The Threat

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."
- Sigmund Freud

"So you and Nora..."

Lucas looked up from his plate of nachos and swallowed nervously. His father was watching him.

"What about her?" Lucas replied before lowering his eyes.

All night he had been finding that he couldn't look at his father for very long.

"Talked to your mom last night. You spend a lot of time together according to her. More than you used to."

Lucas shrugged. "Yeah."

The sports bar was busier than usual on a Wednesday night. From nearby at the bar, a cacophony of voices exploded in excitement at the latest development replaying on the six TV's, which all showed the same basketball game. Lucas watched even though he hated sports. It gave him an excuse to look away.

His father pressed on. "She's grown up pretty huh?"

Lucas nodded.

"Are you dating?"

A picture of Nora's face came into Lucas's mind, and he thought about the way her hair smelled like coconuts from the shampoo she used.

"I don't know," he said.

That was a lie. He did know. Very much. But he wasn't sure he wanted to talk about all of that with his dad. He had grown up with Nora. They had taken baths together as little kids. She was more like a daughter to his parents, and he didn't like thinking of her as a sister. It made things awkward.

"I mean, yeah, we kind of are," he mumbled, deciding it was pointless to keep pretending when everyone saw the truth.

"I thought so. How serious is it?" Eric asked.

Lucas took a long sip of Sprite before saying, "Dad, come on..."

"You know what I'm asking. Just put my mind at ease okay?"

Lucas's ears were hot. That happened when he was embarrassed. "No," he answered truthfully. "Not serious like that."

His father smiled. "That's good. Don't rush things. Take your time. How about school?"

Lucas shrugged. "You saw my report card from the first quarter."

"Your grades have gone down a lot since last year."

"It's harder now," he said simply. "Everything is harder now," he thought.

"Is it home? Everything okay with your mom's- I mean Brian?"

Lucas looked up, surprised. "Why?"

Eric shrugged his bony shoulders. "Your mom said you don't get along. Just thought I'd ask why."

Lucas just shook his head. "I don't like him. That's all. He's a fuckin' asshole."

"You sound pretty pissed."

Lucas clenched both fists under the table so he could control the anger in his words. "I fuckin' hate him, Dad! I hate his fucking guts!"

Lucas knew that if his mother was around she would recoil at the language, but not his father. That was why it had always been easier to talk to him.

Eric looked thoughtful. "Well, to be honest I don't like the son of a bitch either. Ever since I met him at the wedding. Unfortunately, your mom does. We have to accept him because of that. I do want to ask you a question though."

"What?" Lucas asked nervously.

"Brian has that temper. You know we've gotten into it before. He throws a mean punch. Not as good as your old man's, but he's pretty damn strong."

"So?"

Eric shrugged. "So I wanna make sure he hasn't tried any of that shit with you."

Lucas shook his head, but his father leaned forward and crossed his arms on the table in front of him, looking serious.

"Lucas, you'd better be straight with me right now. You better tell me the goddamn truth and swear it because I will kick his fuckin' ass if he so much as breathes on you wrong. I have a feeling about that guy I can't shake. A bad feeling."

Lucas's ears were hot again, and this time his body was hot too. This was it. There would never be a better time to spill it all. He knew this moment existed for this very purpose, knew there wouldn't be another moment like it for a long, long time, knew he had to take it. The restaurant felt stifling all of the sudden.

"Brian and I..." Just as Lucas got ready to spill everything, the waitress came by with the check.

The interruption made him come to his senses. What was he thinking? He couldn't betray his mother. Besides, what if his dad kept his word and kicked Brian's ass? He'd go to jail again, and it would be for even longer because he was still on parole for the drug charge. And he'd miss his chance at rehab.

"Nevermind. We're good," Lucas mumbled.

Eric was signing the check and didn't respond. When he was finished he said,

"You mean that?"

Lucas nodded.

"You swear it?"

"I swear."

A minute of silence passed while Lucas stared mindlessly at the TV.

"You still feel wobbly?" Eric asked as he stuffed a couple of bills back into his wallet.

They had shared a beer together at the park, and since Lucas hadn't eaten anything beforehand it had made him dizzy. That was why they came here.

"No, I'm good now," Lucas said.

"Let's get you home."

The car ride was mostly silent. Lucas didn't want to think about his dad leaving in the morning, and Eric also seemed lost in his own troubled thoughts.

At home in the driveway, as Lucas got out of the car, his father said, "Send Brian out here for a second."

"Why?" Lucas asked.

"Just wanna have a chat."

"'Kay." He began walking towards the house.

"Hey Lucas?"

Lucas looked back at his father, who had gotten out of the car too. His eyes were full of tears.

"I love you. I want you to know that. I'm doing this for you. Rehab. Getting clean. It's all for you."

"I know," Lucas said.

"Come here."

Lucas stepped into his father's embrace. He tried hard not to cry. He didn't want to cry and then have Brian see his red eyes.

Eric was crying though, and he didn't let go even after Lucas said,

"Good luck, Dad. I love you too."

After they finished their goodbyes, Lucas went into the house and told Brian his father wanted to talk. It was such a weird request that he couldn't help listening at the front door, leaving it cracked so he could hear their quiet conversation on the front porch. He couldn't make out some of it, but he clearly heard his father say,

"If you ever lay a hand on my son, I will kill you. I see right through you, asshole. You've got Sarah fooled but not me. I know who you are. I've learned plenty in prison, and I know how to hide a body. I'll keep my word too. So watch your fuckin' back and leave my kid alone."

Knowing that Brian would be insanely pissed after hearing such a threat from someone he despised, Lucas took off for his bedroom as soon as he heard the words. But he didn't get them out of his head for the rest of the night.