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GREY KINGSTON
my ears are filled with a multitude of sounds—the whoosh of cars driving past, voices coming through walkie talkies, and hushed conversations.
i sit on my front porch steps as my dad is read his rights. he's standing in the road beside the cop car that will be taking him away. his head is bowed to the ground as if he's ashamed.
my mom is softly crying into her hand as she speaks with a female police officer.
"hi, kid." the silhouette steps in front of me, blue and red lights flickering behind him.
"hi, shane." i mutter as he takes a few steps towards me.
he lets out a sigh as he sits down on the wooden steps beside me, "how you doin'?"
i remain silent as i watch the cars drive by on my street. each one slowing down as they pass my house, wanting to know what's happening and why the cops are here.
"you and your mom are tough women." shane says.
i look over at him to my right. his thick uniform lays on his body, gadgets strapped to his chest and a vest under his sheriff shirt. i can't help but think how warm he must be under all those layers. i'd probably feel claustrophobic if i had to wear it.
"but if you two ever need anything, you know i'm just a call away. you know that, right?" he asks.
i nod my head.
two weeks ago my dad was the drunkest he's been in a while. my mom had enough of it, so she started ransacking the kitchen, tossing all the bottles of alcohol into a big garbage bag.
my dad pleaded for her to stop. he used his voice, used his strength, but when all that failed, he pulled his gun out.
he never pointed it at her, but he did put it on the counter with his hand resting on it.
i got so scared, so angry, i stormed down the hallway and into my parents' room. i slid my arms under the bed on my dad's side and broke into the case he keeps his second gun in.
i was just trying to protect my mom by pointing it at my dad, but she took his side the second i did that.
her emotions of the night didn't go away until my dad went back to work three days later and she took me to officer walsh. she asked him to teach me gun safety because she was so startled and scared seeing her sixteen year old daughter point one at her husband.
she begged shane not to tell anyone what happened and he agreed, only at her promise of my dad not drinking anymore.
my dad was a free man until he got caught stealing money from where he works. the cops were called and they showed up tonight, banging on our front door for my father's arrest.
