Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 25

Joe opened the front door and strolled into his son's house after several failed attempts at pressing the doorbell. The house, as always, was empty and quiet.

"Mark?" He called but received no response.

He strolled upstairs to Mark's bedroom and met it empty. The rumple sheets revealed that someone had laid here earlier. He didn't hear the shower, Mark rarely used the bathtub, he was more of a shower person so he was sure his son wasn't there. He walked out of the room and stared downstairs. Mark wasn't ever in the other bedrooms, he preferred his space. After thinking for a while, he decided to go behind the house to the 'mini gym' as Mark would call it but there was nothing 'mini' about this place, it was equipped with world class equipment. Upon entering, he met Mark staring out the window lifting the two dumbbells in his palms to his shoulders, tightening his large arm muscles as they rose. His armless shirt was drenched in sweat and his wet strands of hair slept on his forehead.

"Mark," he called.

Mark didn't respond to him, he kept swinging his hands with his dumbbell. Joe moved closer and called his name again.

Mark dropped the dumbbells after hearing his name and looked at his father.

"Dad, you came," he said, his tone devoid of emotion.

"I did, how are you, son?" Joe asked.

"Healthy as you can see"

Mark moved over to the hanger and grabbed a towel and wiped his face.

"That's good to hear, I'm glad"

He tossed the towel over his shoulder and headed to the door.

"You left the door to your house open..." Joe said following his movements.

"Yeah, this is a very protected area, not just anyone would come in here, and even if they could, they wouldn't dare".

He walked out and Joe followed him. They both strolled into the kitchen and Mark grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and uncorked it.

"Mark please what happened between you and Mrs Waterfield?" Joe asked. He watched as Mark gulped the water from the bottle before clearing his throat to answer,

"I only did what was right" he replied.

"Do you think what you did was right?!"

"Indeed, it may seem harsh but a deal is a deal, Emily broke her part and now I have to withdraw"

"By withdrawing your support for the entire family?!"

Mark laughed staring into his father's worried eyes.

"Is there a law obligating me to take care of a few pests?"

Joe blinked severally, he couldn't believe the words coming from his son's mouth.

"Pests?"

"What else are they, if not pests?" He opened another bottle, "You don't seem to understand Dad, these are all coordinated, Emily never loved me and I knew it, it was just part of their little scheming to get money from me" He continued to stare at the water in the bottle. "Their end game is to take away half of my property through divorce but the day Emily tries to file for a divorce, that'll be the greatest mistake she'd ever make in this life"

"Mark..."

"I'll deal with her" Mark turned to face his father. He was very serious, Joe could tell from the look on his face.

"Don't harm that young lady, Mark, I beg you as a father"

"I never said I would Dad, I'll just teach her a little lesson"