Cronkri: I won't let you down

Chapter 26: Karkat

Dad practically went into hysterics after Cronus left for Chicago. I knew he was going to see Kankri, he knew he was going to see Kankri, hell even Kankri knew he was going to see him. It was pretty easy to figure out. As soon as Dad found out Cronus had left only weeks after Kankri's disappearance, he was over at the Ampora's house, questioning them on everything. They eventually had to get a restraining order against him.

"Dad, put down the binoculars. You look creepy."

"I bet he's hiding there in their house, that's why they don't want me over there."

"No, they don't want you over there because you're invading their privacy. I wouldn't want you at my house either if I was them."

He put down the binoculars and turned to look at me. His eyes suddenly got all watery and he had to leave the room.

"You look just like he did when he was your age..."

After that, Dad never left his room. He got up to use the bathroom occasionally, but he refused to eat or shower or anything. He had to call a replacement pastor to preach on Sundays. He wouldn't talk to me at all, or even open the door to let me in. From what I can tell he's just been staying in bed all the time. At night, I can hear him crying and wailing over the loss of another family member. He doesn't think Kankri's dead, but he knows he's probably never gonna see him again, dead or alive. He blew any chance of that happening when he grounded him from Cronus.

Sometimes, I can hear him talking to himself.

"...so it must have been a good thing. If he's still alive, and not at the Ampora's house, then that means he's still away from Cronus, right? And if he's too scared to come back, then he'll never see Cronus again, as long as that kid stays here. Who knows? Maybe Kankri will find a nice Christian woman wherever he is and realize the error of his ways. At this point, I don't even care if she's Christian! She could be Catholic, or Mormon, or Muslim, or even an atheist. As long as she's female...."

Those are the saddest things to hear. When his voice gets all shaky and the monologue ends in a bout of tears and nose blowing.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he responded this way. After all, this is what happened after Mom died. If the pattern continues, then he should be back to normal in about a week. If not... Then I don't know what to do.

________
Short chapter, sorry, but someone requested heartbroken Signless, so here ya go!