The Fall of the Aftons

133: Evan Afton

Evan shifted nervously on the edge of Michael's bed as he watched his big brother pace around the room, ranting about Daddy's terrible parenting skills and idiocracy.

"Mikey, it's fine, really!" Evan exclaimed, interrupting his brother's anger for a split second.

"No, Evan, it's not fine! He's tried to hurt us both so far—who knows how far he'll go next time?!"

He opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again. Michael was right. If Daddy had tried to hit both of them within the past twenty-four hours, something was wrong. But what?

"Mikey?" Evan said quietly, trying to get his silently steaming brother's attention.

"Hmm?"

"Does Daddy hate us?"

Michael froze in place, stunned by the question. "I... I don't know."

Evan frowned, looking down at his hands as he nervously fidgeted with them. "I don't want him to hate us."

Michael sighed, walking over to him and sitting down next to him. "I know. I don't want him to hate us, either." He gently started to rub Evan's back. "If it's any consolation, I know that he doesn't hate you or Beth."

Evan smiled softly, relieved to hear that. "That's good. I was worried that he hated me after everything that happened yesterday."

"Yeah, no, he cares for you and Beth too much to hate you guys." He chuckled softly, then sighed. "If he hates any of us, he probably hates me. I'm the eldest, so I'm the one who's been raising you two, which means that I'm the one to 'blame' for any 'issues.'"

"What issues? You didn't do anything wrong! Beth and I are good kids!" He paused, then giggled a little bit. "Well, we usually are. We have our moments."

Michael chuckled. "All children have their moments. It's understandable." He sighed again. "But Daddy assumes that your schizophrenia and now Beth's sensory integration dysfunction are just things you both make up. The fault of those issues then gets pinned on me, even when I had nothing to do with it."

Evan frowned. "Then why does Daddy hate you?"

He shrugged.

"Well..." he mumbled, glancing at his brother, "if it's any con-ol-ay-shin, I don't hate you."

Michael laughed softly, ruffling Evan's hair. "Consolation, bud. Consolation." He chuckled for a few moments before sighing in relief. "But thank you. I don't hate you, either." Over the next few years, that became their little joke. If Daddy was upset with one of them and they didn't feel cared about, the other would tell them, "I don't hate you."

As Beth grew up, she started to catch on, but she never joined in on it. She left it alone for the brothers and the brothers only. And in the future, that would be a choice both of the brothers would be grateful for.