My Fathers Love

Ch. 3

It's been almost two months since Maddison left school. In that time Father has broken all contact with her outside world. "I never should've let ya go t'that damn school!" He barks.

"They're doin' nothin' but brainwashin' ya!"
He had never wanted her to leave in the first place; it was her mothers wish to send her outside to the world. Father wants her to be the perfect woman; mothering, gentle, and able to take care of the home.

  Nothing at all how she was like at school.

"You'll learn everythin' you need righ' here in this damn house." He huffs off to the dimly lit kitchen, beer in hand already as he grabs another from the fridge. "Father I like school. I've made friends and I'm almost done anyway so why can't I just finish?"

Maddison never challenged Father before but, now that he's locked her away, her patience is being drained.

He freezes for just a moment before setting both bottles on the tan, greasy counter, dropping his head between shaking shoulders. "You watch yer fucking tone." Father hisses through grinding teeth. But Maddison, taking this moment of confidence, continues to test him.

   "No." She pauses remembering the confidence gained from her life outside the home. "No I won't watch my tone! Mama wanted me to be educated, not a house maid like her!"

One mention of Mama was all it took for Maddison to be dodging two cold bottles of splashing beer.

Father was on her in seconds; grabbing her right arm and dragging Maddison towards the, now beer soaked, living room wall. "What didja say bitch? Fuckin' say it again! I dare ya to test me! Ya think I give two shits about what that whore wanted?"

Whore that word stung Maddison like a hot poker.

Of course her mother wasn't really a whore; Father called just about every woman one. "Say it again. I want t'hear you say it again." He spat in her face.

Flecks of foam landed on Maddison's cheek as she turned away. "Mama wanted me to go." The weak words tumble out of her mouth as Father brings a knee to her stomach. Sliding down the dark wooden wall, Maddison curls her hand around her bruised waist; lifting shaking knees to her chest in the same movement.

  "Never bring that bitch up 'gain or I'll do you worse than I did her." Father stalks off to the kitchen, grabbing another bottle on his way to the bedroom. The door slams, shaking the small house, and the day is over. Maddison is now left to herself on the sticky green carpet that lines the entirety of the living room; booze dripping it's way into her hair from the wall.

Maddison cried for second time that month.

The first was when Father broke the house phone, and her scratched flip phone, destroying all contact she had with her friends and Troy.

"I'm sorry." Her words fall onto deaf ears as she sobs into herself. Maddison Wells has almost been broken, almost.

It wouldn't be more than five days that her spirit will be shattered, for years to come.