Clover Undercover

HARDER THAN IT SEEMS

My sweaty palms and Eli's sad sniffles. Those are the only senses my body is registering right now.

The look of determination on Luca's face is unsettling and I'm not sure if I can talk him out of disciplining Elliot.

"Luca," I say in warning.

He simply shakes his head at me, already knowing what I'm going to say. "Don't, Clover. This is happening whether you want it to or not. I'm his father."

"As If I could forget," I snap, throwing the words he once said to me back at him.

"This is something else we can discuss when you and I talk in a bit."

"What, your paternal rights over him? What is there to discuss? I doubt there's anything I can say that will sway you when it comes to this."

Luca rubs his chin and looks away from me and over to Eli. He studies him, watching him still shift from foot to foot nervously with his face still in the corner, then nods his head.

"You're right." Luca looks back at me and I can see it plain as day, there is no changing this man's mind and there's no way I'll be able to spare my brother.

"I'm not swaying," he says with finality.

There's a tense moment of silence and I look over to my brother.

"Eli, what do you want me to do?"

Anger flashes across Luca's face at me bypassing him, but he doesn't say anything. He waits and lets Eli speak.

Eli's voice comes out soft and muffled from keeping his face in the corner. "It's fine, Clo. I deserve it."

I blink about a dozen times, trying to register what Elliot just said to me and I'm honestly shocked. I left a kid willing to fight tooth and nail to prevent this from occurring, and now that it's happening, he's fine with it?

Anger engulfs me and I spin on Luca. "What did you do to him while I was gone?"

He holds his hands up in surrender. "I did nothing."

"Oh, please. This isn't the first time you've done this, is it? Look at him!" I yell, throwing my hand out and gesturing to my brother who is still just standing there in the corner. "The Elliot I left would have never just stood in timeout like this. Have you hurt him while I was gone?"

"Hurt him?"

"Hit him, beat him.. whatever you want to call it!"

Luca scoffs and rolls his eyes. "You mean spank him? No, I haven't. In fact, he's received nothing but verbal warnings from me. This is the first time he's being punished and it's over something he's been given ample warning about."

I stare at Luca, not wanting to believe him, but I know he's being truthful.

"Elliot, turn around and look at me," I petition.

There's a tense silence as he just stands there.

"Can I turn around, Dad?"

Dad?? Did he just call him Dad? What the hell happened while I was gone?!

"Yes, you may."

I shoot a quick scowl at Luca and my heart nearly breaks when Eli finally turns around.

"Do you need me?" I ask, knowing he'll know what I mean.

His wide green eyes flick briefly to Luca and then back to me before he slowly nods.

"Then I'll stay."

"N-no, I... I don't want to you watch, but..."

"Then I'll be right in the kitchen. Okay? You call my name if you need me."