FLO: I Am Not My Father's Son [Zarry Stylik AU]©️

11

“So, this is what we’re doing now?” Tom asks in exasperation, pacing from side to side. 

He had his hands on his hips and a frown on his face. Behind him, Liam sat on the sofa with his head in his hand and a calm look. “Fighting at school! You”

Poppy sighed and rolled her eyes, while her father scolded her. Next to her, Jaimie looked like he was trying not to burst out laughing. Of course, Rosie went and complained about Poppy during school hours, which granted them a call home.

When the two siblings got home, Tom was waiting with a scowled face and began lecturing Poppy about proper behaviour. Reminding her that she was a girl, a ‘proper girl, and that being such she had no business in fighting in the schoolyard like common hoodland - Jaimie wondered if the comment was directed at him. 

“Dad, I just…had to…”

“You had to?” Jaimie curled his lips inside keeping a smirk. Tom was not the kind of gentleman to scold his children - he lacked the backbone to do it. It was funny. “Poppy this is not you!”

“It was because of her that Jaimie got attacked. What was I supposed to do? Nothing?”

“Yes!” Tom insisted. “Are we the type of family that fights at school nearly every day now?”

Jaimie frowned, feeling the dig was directed at him. “Outch, Tom.”

“Oh cool it, Rocky .” Tom snapped back at Jaimie. “Like you haven’t been throwing punches left and right these past days.”

“Not on purpose-!”

“Yes, you just couldn’t help yourself, huh?”

“Relax…” Liam muttered. 

Tom stopped looking at his husband. “What?”

“I said, relax,” Liam repeated, calmly. "Poppy did well. Rosie put them in danger and she put her in her place.”

“Violence is never the answer!”

“Says the American,” Liam responded with a smirk. Jaimie and Poppy snorted a laugh and the businessman congratulated himself for being able to make them smile. “Listen, Poppy did the right thing. That girl broke Jaimie’s heart and put them all in danger. She needed to learn and our girl taught the right lesson. Next time…”

“Next time? ” Tom repeated the offence. “There’s no ‘next time. Poppy, you’re grounded for a week! No ballet, no going out with friends and I want your phone on my nightstand.”

“You’re overreacting, dad!”

“Do you want to go for two weeks? ‘Cause I can. Do you?”

The girl blew on a strand of her hair and rolled her eyes. “I am sorry, dad.”

Behind Tom, Liam winked at her and gave her a thumbs-up. While Tom shook his head in disappointment and ordered the teens to go to her bedroom.

Both Jaimie and Poppy scattered upstairs to change clothes; Poppy would finish her home assignments and Jaimie would get everything ready for the arrival of the terrible tutor. 

“You know what would be nice?” Tom asked. “If you didn’t roll over me when I’m trying to educate our children.”

“You were overreacting. It was a little tussle on school grounds.”

“I don’t want Poppy fighting in school. I came from the US to escape violence and now it’s all around us.”

“No, you’re upset because she’s your little girl, with base in her voice and strength in her punch,” Liam asked with an arched eyebrow. “You cuddle her too much, Tom. She’s very capable of working shit out and defending herself. Defending her family, and most importantly. If you keep protecting her from a single thing, you’re going to have a weak girl. The world is not made for the weak ones. Girls like Poppy can be easily chewed out by the monsters out there - I’m glad she put Rosie in her place. I’m proud of her.”