Fractured Bonds

13 -Emma

Present

I slammed the stack of disorganized papers onto my desk, my frustration boiling over. "Alex, this is unacceptable!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the office. "Ms. Daphne Lopez's former lawyer, Jax Hubbard, didn't maintain any proper files. The documentation is incomplete or outright missing! How am I supposed to build a client profile with this mess?" Alex stood there, looking equally exasperated but trying to remain calm. "We need to track down every missing piece of information, and we need to do it fast. I can't believe the negligence we're dealing with here. This is going to set us back weeks, if not months. I don't want to waste any more time than I've already wasted on this. Find them now!" She nods, "Yes, boss".

I regretted yelling at Alex, but work had been overwhelming. Ever since one of the few other major law firms collapsed after the name partners were found guilty of money laundering, we had been inundated with new clients. The following month was a whirlwind.

Amidst the chaos on my desk, my phone buzzed somewhere beneath the stacks of papers. I hastily moved the papers to the coffee table, clearing my workspace to locate the phone.

It was Kathleen, my mother-in-law, calling. "Hey Mama, how have you been?" Her voice was cheerful on the other end. "Darling, I'm so glad I caught you. I hope I'm not disturbing you. Jakey mentioned you were extremely busy, but this is very important, and I can't discuss it with Jake because it's a sensitive matter."

I was surprised he remembered when I told him I'd be swamped at work for the next few weeks, leaving early and coming home late. Since that day, we had been slowly drifting apart.

"I am busy, but I'm grateful for the distraction. It's been a hectic few weeks. So, what is this topic you can't discuss with Jake?"

Her tone turns serious as she starts, "I assume Jake has told you that his grandfather, Henry's father, is a man who has issues and wasn't exactly the ideal father and grandfather to Henry, Jake, and Mike." "Yeah, he told me you all have issues when it comes to Richard."

The first time I met Jacob's grandfather, Richard Pendragon, was at our wedding. He was an imposing figure, his presence both commanding and unsettling. As he approached me, the smell of alcohol was unmistakable, a constant companion to his haunted eyes.

I noticed the tension in the room whenever he was around. It was clear that the family didn't get along with Richard, though I didn't know the full extent of his behaviour. His mood swung between anger and sorrow. Despite his tough exterior, there was a hint of vulnerability.

"Oh, darling, I don't know where to start."

Kathleen continued, her voice heavy with emotion. "Richard's abuse was well-known, especially to Henry, who endured relentless criticism and belittling. After serving in the army, Richard was diagnosed with PTSD, which transformed him from a loving man into an angry, abusive drunk. Henry was born just before Richard was deployed to the war that changed him and his life. This change devastated Doris Pendragon, Jake's grandmother, which led to a decline in her health and eventually, she died shortly after Henry turned 21. James, nearly 12 years older than Henry, took on the responsibility of raising him amidst their neglectful home life. While James experienced a loving father, Henry only knew Richard's anger and abuse. James's support was crucial for Henry, especially after both their parents' decline. The man practically raised Henry. James died just a few years after Doris. If it weren't for James, all Henry would've known growing up was abuse. Mike, once, stayed with Richard for a few days. It was a mistake, but he threw a fit saying, he doesn't know his own grandfather. We tried explaining to him as to why it was a horrible idea without traumatising him. So, we let him stay with Richard on the condition that he call us immediately if something happened. To our surprise, Mike was happy while staying with him the first two days because Richard wasn't drinking. Then on the third day, Richard decided to get drunk, and he hit Mike so badly that he stayed in the hospital for three days. Ever since then, we only meet Richard whenever there's an event that the entire family has to attend. We don't involve ourselves with him, it's safest if we don't. But now," she sighs and pauses for a few moments before she continues, "He's been diagnosed with Stage 4 Liver Cancer. I would've asked Jake and you to come over, but he doesn't wanna have to do anything with Richard after what he did to Mike. For Mike, it was like a fever dream, but for all of us, it felt like our hearts were taken out of our chest. I need you to convince him to come to our home and stay until, you know, Richard dies. The doctors say he doesn't have much time, he's already weak. Please, darling, get Jake to come here along with you"