Chapter 10
The dreams were always the same.
Archer hid behind the door listening to his father yelling at his mother. He could see the tears running down her face but his father had no sympathy for her anymore.
"How could you?" Nolan, Archer's father, shouted. "In our own home, Mona! With the boys here!"
"I'm sorry," Mona cried, sitting on the edge of the bed as Nolan began to pack his bags. "I'm so sorry."
"Where did I go wrong?" Nola asked. "I gave you everything. We have a beautiful family. Why didn't you think of the boys?"
"I..." Mona shook her head. "I'm so sorry."
"Is that all you have to say?" As Nolan looked up, his eyes found Archer hiding behind the door. His eyes softened as he held up his hand. "Go get Ben, Archie."
"No," Mona shook her head. "No, you can't take them."
"You're out of your mind if you think I'm leaving them here with you."
"No!" Mona jumped up and ran towards Archer. She grabbed him and pulled him into her arms. "You can't take my children from me."
Archer used his trembling hands to push away from his mother. He hated the way she smelled like the other man. His stench hung on her hair and her skin like a stain.
"Ben!" Nolan called his oldest son. "Ben, get in the car."
"No, no," Mona let go of Archer and ran out the room. "Ben! Don't listen to him."
"Let's go, Archer," Nolan zipped his bag and grabbed his son's hand. "We're leaving."
"No! Geetu!"
Geetu?
Archer's eyes snapped open.
"Tell her I'm fine," Mila's voice came in through the open balcony.
Archer groaned and lifted his head, squinting in the bright sunlight. His whole body ached from the beat down the previous night and his eye was sore. He made a mental note to make topolina pay for the extra injuries as he pulled himself out of bed and walked out to the balcony.
"I'm fine here," Mila said into her phone. "They're wond-"
"Ay!" Archer shouted.
Mila looked up and frowned. She rose from her chair in her balcony and glared at him through her sunglasses. For a few seconds, her eyes lingered on his bare chest and his jeans that hung low on his hips. Normally, Archer appreciated a hot chick checking him out. But he was no in the mood so early in the morning.
Wait, what? Archer shook his head. Hot chick? Ehh.
"What do you want?" Mila asked, pushing her sunglasses up to the top of her head.
"I'm trying to sleep here!" Archer said. "Go inside if you're going to be so loud."
"Leave if you're going to be so unpleasant," Mila shouted back.
"You don't tell me what to do," Archer said.
"Neither do you."
"Stop talking back to me."
"Or what?" Mila laughed. "Get back in your room and put on some clothes. There are children in this house."
"Exactly," Archer said. "So as a child, learn to respect your elders."
"Do you just wake up every morning and choose to be such a douchebag?" Mila asked. "Or is that your personality?"
"Do you wake up every morning and choose to look like that?" Archer asked. "What's up with the hair?"
