That Was For You
“Why the hell did you do that, Brady!?” my father shouted at me. “I raised you better than to go around stealing and breaking and entering!”
“I didn’t steal anything,” I said coolly. I closed my eyes to try and rid myself of my father’s face, I face I wish I’d never seen. A man I wish I never met.
“That still doesn’t answer my question, young man! You’re damned lucky you’re a minor!” he screamed in reply. His face was red. It always was. He slammed his fist against the wall, and I jumped a bit. “And you’re real lucky I’m even paying to get you out of here! That’s money we don’t have, Brady!”
“I’d be better off if you just left me here,” I whispered. “Maybe they should send Matt down here too. Then you couldn’t kill him.”
“We’re talking about you right now, alright!? Now answer me! Why would you go and break into a gas station!?” he yelled, and I winced. It reminded me of home, something I wish I could forget.
“Mr. Chamberlain, place your hands where I can see them!” a police officer demanded before I could say anything.
“The hell did I do!?” my father asked. He held his hands in the air. They were balled into fists.
“You hit me, every single day! You hurt me, dad, and you hurt Matt, too!”
“Brady!?” he choked as the police officer placed handcuffs on his wrists.
“You think this is easy for me?” I said, shaking.
“Just tell me why you broke into that gas station.”
“This is New Jersey, dad. I couldn’t have with attendants swarming the place. I came down here and I told them about you, but that there’s no way you’d come down. So someone said I should pretend I was arrested.”
“My charge! What’re you charging me with?” he begged.
“Domestic abuse and murder,” the cop said.
“What!? Murder, abuse!?” he cried frantically, and I fought to suppress a smile.
“The abuse of Matthew and Brady Chamberlain and the murder of Nicole Keller-Chamberlain,” the police officer responded, leading him away. For the first time in years I smiled.
“That was for you, mom.”
