*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧—chapter one: your actions have consequences
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THE SHATTERING OF GLASS MAKES POE MCKENNA FLINCH AND FREEZE RIGHT WHERE HE'S STANDING. One of the many expensive bottles of wine that his parents keep on the wine rack that sits on the counter had fallen out and shattered. He had been trying to climb the counter just moments before, trying to reach the clear glass jar full of candy that sat atop the refrigerator. The young boy had had to stretch a little bit, which had caused him to accidentally kick the bottle out of place, resulting in it rolling across the counter and smashing to bits on the tiled floor below.
Glancing down, he stares at the mess. Various sized pieces of glass are littering the floor. The red wine is traveling along the lines of the tiles, and there's a gigantic puddle of tart-smelling liquid staining the floor.
The light in the hallway flicks on. Poe gasps in fear and slaps a hand over his mouth, remaining quiet as he stands as still as possible. He isn't exactly able to get down from the counter. It would be too much of a hassle, with the noise and all, and besides, there's glass and wine on the floor. He knows he's not supposed to be anywhere near it.
"What the hell is—?" It's his mother who speaks first, having been woken up from her sleep. Anya McKenna is not a light sleeper whatsoever. If there had been an earthquake or something, she most likely would have slept through that. Though, for some reason, this time was different. The smashed bottle had woken her up.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" She voices aloud, her hands falling to her sides as she looks back and forth between the mess on the kitchen floor and the culprit who is currently standing on the counter trying to act as he hadn't done it. "What the fuck!"
"Anya?" It's his father now. The man's stepping out of the hall, confusion lingering on his face before he realizes what was going on. Stopping in the kitchen, Marlon meets his son's gaze. His face falls. "Poe."
Poe swallows thickly, deciding to sit down as he drops his hand and averts his gaze. It was no use standing on the counter. He'd get yelled at if he hadn't gotten down. And he knows he's in some deep shit right now. That bottle of red wine was the most expensive one the McKennas owned. And it was only opened on special occasions, like tonight, when his parents had celebrated their anniversary. When they had gotten back home after going out for dinner, it was late. The nanny had already left by the time they got back. To relax after the long night, Anya and Marlon had decided to drink red wine. That specific red wine. Poe didn't know the brand. The bottle had been stored away after, and his parents had gone to bed. But Poe had woken up late that night, craving sugar.
And a kid will do anything to get his hands on something sweet.
Poe doesn't like the way his mother is looking at him. Her eyes are narrowed and she looks terrifying. Her brows are furrowed and her top lip twitches, a scowl forming on her face.
"Do you know how much that cost us?" Anya questions, stepping over the mess and crossing her arms as she looks at her son.
"I-I'm sorry, Mama..." Poe says quietly, his voice wavering as his bottom lip wobbles. No, he couldn't cry. Not now. She'd hit him for it.
"Anya, it's fine, I can buy a new one," Marlon says, trying to de-escalate the situation. "I'll clean this up, just put him back in bed."
The woman opens her mouth to argue, but the glare that Marlon is giving her makes her shut her mouth. Muttering under her breath, she turns toward the counter and picks up the boy.
Leaving the kitchen, Anya carries Poe to the other end of the hall, where his bedroom is. Switching on the light, the room is illuminated in a soft yellow. The night light plugged into the outlet on the wall closest to the door isn't very bright, but it's just enough to be able to see.
She sets him down in his bed, tucking him in. Poe holds on to his duck stuffie, keeping it close to him and as turns the other way to face the wall so he wouldn't have to look at his mother. "Goodnight, Mama," he says quietly.
Anya doesn't say it back. She doesn't even give him a goodnight kiss. Switching off the light, she leaves the room and closes the door.
"You can't just threaten him like that whenever he makes a mistake," Marlon says when Anya re-enters the kitchen to find him sweeping and mopping up the floor. "He's just a kid."
"That's not an excuse." Anya leans against the island. "He's six, not a baby."
"Getting angry isn't fixing the problem. He has to learn. You just have to talk to him. Calmly, and explain how it affected you. He'll understand. I promise. I've done it before with him."
Anya huffs. "Whatever you say, Marlon."
"Why don't you trust me?" Marlon asks as he dumps the glass shards into a container labeled Broken Glass and then disposes of his gloves.
"Never said I didn't trust you."
"Your tone implies it."
Anya meets his gaze. Marlon is right, of course. She likes to make things much more difficult than they need to be and she's always so quick to deny the truth.
"I want a divorce."
"I do too."
"What?"
"I do too. Because you're not making this any easier for us," Marlon explains. "Honestly, Anya, I can't believe you're still keeping this shit up. I thought you'd stop a long time ago."
Silence.
"See? You know I'm right."
"You... are," she says through gritted teeth. She hadn't wanted to admit it.
"We'll go to the court tomorrow," Marlon concludes, leaning against the counter. "I'm not sleeping in our room tonight. You can have it all to yourself."
"Right..." Anya looks as if she wants to say something else but she refrains from doing so. "Goodnight, Marlon," she says before turning around and making her way back to the bedroom.
Marlon sighs, rubbing his face with his hands. This is the most stressful night he's ever had. But at least things would mull over by morning. The divorce would be filed and they would move on with their lives. The sooner the better.
Marlon just hopes he's able to have complete custody over Poe.
author's note i was gonna make this more sad but i already gave up once anya put poe to bed
