ODDS OF LOVE SEASON TWELVE

Episode 78

" You're not seeing that boy anymore! ," Dr. Gordon Kendall said sharply as he pointed a finger at his younger son Alan who looked back with a rare stubbornness on his face.

Alan lifted his chin firmly and said back just as sharply," Yes. I am. I love Theodore. "

Gordon rolled his blue eyes. " You are only fifteen. You don't even know what you want to do for a living now. That boy just got caught with drugs. Drugs! What kind of family does he come from anyway? I knew it was strange that his own parents sent him to his uncle. And that school ! Kyle Samson just got arrested for selling drugs there. And shootings ! I should pull you out of there immediately. "

Alan turned away from him in the living room. He knew that it was useless to argue with him when he was like this. His mother wouldn't take him out of Barrington. Ariel Kendall had graduated from it and so had her parents. And her grandparents before her. And his mother liked Theodore. She wouldn't interfere with their relationship.

Gordon grabbed him by the arm roughly and pulled him back around. " Don't you dare walk away from me ! Who do you think you are ? You have changed since you started seeing that boy. He's trouble. "

Alan looked at his father and said," No. Theo is not trouble. And his family is fine. And he doesn't do drugs. Not anymore. He made a mistake. That's all. I have not changed . I'm the same I have always been. You just don't pay attention because you are too busy working or screwing your secretary or some nurse ! And you should talk about drugs. You drink almost a whole bottle of scotch every night ! "

Gordon slapped his son across his face. It was hard enough to leave a vivid red mark on his cheek. Alan touched his face and stared at him with suppressed fury in his eyes. He was used to it. The slaps. The punches. His father just tried not to leave any bruises. His father was a bully. Always had been. He constantly fought with his mother and beat his children. Well,  except for Jeff. He stopped beating Jeff when Jeff started fighting back. Maybe he should start fighting back too. If it was not for Theodore he would just run off to Boston where Jeff was going to Harvard. Maybe they could share an apartment there.

Gordon loomed over his son. " Don't ever talk to me that way again. I'm your father. You're not mine. "

Alan retorted," You think you are a father? " Then he laughed more harshly than he usually did. " According to Mom you're not my father. "

Gordon saw red and punched his shorter slim fifteen year old son in the face. Alan stumbled back and landed on the carpet, holding his left eye.

Alan said," It's going to be hard to hide this one, Dad. "

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Ariel Kendall laughed over cocktails in an elegant martini bar in Washington DC's Georgetown neighborhood. Her brown eyes twinkled at Nicholas Volkouv who smiled back. " I would be honored to redecorate the bedrooms in your home for your son Max and his family when they move in with you. "

Nicholas smiled gently. " I'm the honored one, Ariel. Your reputation as an interior decorator is renowned. Now Max and his family will move in officially in mid October. Is that enough time for you to sufficiently work ?"

Ariel patted at her well styled brown pageboy and looked deep into his green eyes. " Oh , I won't have any trouble at all. Of course we will have to work very closely together. So I can get the right feel for what you want in a living space. "