Fighting For Ava

*11*

Jethro peeped in and then withdrew his head. Rose was seated at a desk, silently reading a book and Jethro understood the mood so well. Normally, Rose and Mother T would be in the kitchen, chatting excitedly. Rose was like Gavin, she could hardly go quiet except something had gone wrong somewhere.

He sighed and then whistled discreetly to her. The girl looked up and she gave him a look of disappointment. He gestured to her to ask if Mother T was in the living room and she shook her head a no.

Relief rushing down his spine, he pushed the door gently and quietly slid in. Rose gave him a pout as she watched his stealthy movement. He tiptoed to his room and then expertly made a creaking door go dumb. He closed his eyes with a big relief and when he would open them...he froze.

Mother T was right there in his room, staring out the window with her eyes full of tears.

Damn Rose! She didn't tell him Mother T was in his room.

He muttered some angry words under his breath and then cringed when the woman turned to face him.

"Good evening, Mum." He greeted her courteously.

"Good evening that you're suspended!" The woman yelled at him as soon as their eyes met.

"Mum, I.." He stammered and before he could get himself back, the woman had interrupted.

"You've turned yourself into a bully in the school. A mannerless boy who hit everyone like a mad bull!" Mother T fired again.

"Mum, that wasn't.."

"You already hit two boys just a week after the resumption. What the hell had gone into your skull during the break." The woman snarled on and Jethro's teeth gritted.

"Argh.." He sighed, "Mum, the boy hit him me first and I punched him back." He said, wondering himself if that was a sensible thing to say.

"Sweet Tyson!" Mother T gave an evil smile, "Two boys hit you first in just a week. Sounds like you just sat gently and they came knocking on your head." She yelled sarcastically.

"Mum, I wish you were there. You would see how..."

"How my dear son fought for a girl?" Mother T scoffed and Jethro was taken aback, his eyes bulging.

Mother T had known about that? Swears it was Rose who told her.

"I heard you screaming her name from a dream and you've been doing crazy things ever since." Mother T continued and Jethro just scratched his cheeks, not knowing what to say, "I wish you could sit, think and fight for your life as you did for her. Your father left us, we're suffering and all you could think of was turning a Tyson for a girl!" Mother T ranted and that stoked a bitter feeling in Jethro.

"You don't have to remind me I have a useless father, Mum!" He groaned.

"If that will get your senses back right, then I'll say it a thousand times." Mother T slammed as she moved closer to him in a sinister manner.

Jethro scoffed as their eyes locked coldly and he grumbled some nasty words, "You married the useless man in the first place, Mum." He said impertinently.

Mother T's face lit with the rude statement and she lashed a slap across his face, "You must be silly to say that to me!" She panted.

Jethro stooped silently after, a palm rubbing his red cheek while his breathing grew coarse.

"Oh, you want to hit your mother too, brat!" Mother T barked at him and he cautiously took some steps backward in response. The door sounded behind him and he glared when he saw Rose peering in. With that sad look on her, she certainly had heard of the deafening slap.