Underworld Ties

Dinner with a Bum

It was a typical Saturday evening at Bobby's house. The smell of spaghetti sauce simmered on the stove, and Bella was busy coloring at the kitchen table, her crayons scattered like confetti. Bobby was about to set the table when Mia walked in, her face lit up with excitement.

"Dad! Guess who I brought over!" she announced, her eyes sparkling.

Bobby looked up, already feeling a sense of dread. "If it's another one of your friends with a questionable reputation, I swear—"

"Relax! It's Jason!" she exclaimed, as if that explained everything.

Bobby's heart sank. He had met Jason at Mia's birthday dinner and had immediately pegged him as a gangbanger bum. The guy had swagger but reeked of trouble. Jason strolled into the kitchen, his baseball cap turned backward and a gold chain dangling around his neck.

"Hey, Mr. B!" Jason said, plopping down at the table without waiting for an invitation. He slouched like he owned the place.

"Uh, hi," Bobby replied, forcing a smile. "You can call me Bobby."

"Right on, Bobby," Jason said, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. "What's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti," Bobby replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Homemade sauce. I hope you're hungry."

"Damn, I could eat a horse!" Jason grinned, practically drooling.

### Dinner Time Chaos

As they sat down for dinner, Bobby hoped for a peaceful meal. But that hope faded quickly as Jason dove into his food, slurping noodles like he was at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

"Seriously, man, do you have to make that much noise?" Bobby said, irritation creeping into his tone.

"What? It's just how I eat, man!" Jason replied, mouth full of spaghetti. "You got a problem with that?"

"Yes, I do!" Bobby shot back, his patience wearing thin. "There are other people at this table, you know!"

Mia shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Jason, can you just—"

But Jason cut her off. "Chill, Mia. Your dad just doesn't know what real eating is. He's probably one of those 'chew with your mouth closed' types."

"Yeah, and I'm also the type who doesn't want to see half-eaten meatballs flying across the table!" Bobby retorted, his voice rising.

Jason laughed, completely unfazed. "You're funny, man! I could get used to this."

Bobby felt his blood boil. "This is not a joke, Jason! It's called respect. You're in someone else's home!"

Jason shrugged. "Whatever, man. It's just dinner. Lighten up!"

### The Tipping Point

As the meal continued, Jason's manners—or lack thereof—only got worse. He reached over to Mia's plate without asking, grabbing a meatball and shoving it into his mouth. "These are bomb, Mia! You gotta tell your dad to open a restaurant or something."

Bobby slammed his fork down, the sound echoing through the kitchen. "Did you just take food off her plate? Dude, that's not okay."

"Relax, it's just food!" Jason shot back, chewing loudly. "Besides, she's got plenty."

"Yeah? Well, you're not a guest, you're a vulture!" Bobby shot back, anger bubbling over. "You don't just take what you want!"

"Come on, man, don't be so uptight!" Jason said, leaning back again, this time nearly tipping his chair over. "I'm just having a good time."

"Good time?" Bobby snapped, leaning in. "You think this is a good time? You're acting like you're at some dive bar, not at my dinner table!"

### Almost a Fight

Jason stood up, a cocky grin on his face. "You wanna take this outside, old man?"

"Is that a threat?" Bobby shot back, fists clenched. "Because I'll gladly show you what happens when you disrespect me in my own home!"

Mia gasped, her eyes wide. "Dad, please don't!"

But Bobby was already moving, stepping toward Jason. "You think you can just come in here and act like you own the place? You got another thing coming!"

"Bring it, tough guy!" Jason taunted, shoving his chest out.

In a flash, Bobby swung, connecting a solid punch to Jason's jaw. The force sent Jason stumbling back, knocking over a chair. Bella squeaked in shock, and Mia's face fell, horror written all over it.

"Dad! Stop!" Mia shouted, her voice trembling. "This isn't you!"

Jason recovered quickly, anger flashing in his eyes. "You're gonna pay for that, old man!"

Bobby squared his stance, ready for more. "You think you can just waltz in here and disrespect my family? Not on my watch!"

### The Fight and Fallout

As the two men squared off, Frances rushed into the kitchen, sensing the mounting tension. "Whoa, whoa! What's going on here?"

"Bobby, don't!" Frances yelled, stepping between them. "This is insane!"

But Jason wasn't backing down. "He started it! I was just having dinner!"

"Having dinner? You mean acting like a clown?" Bobby shot back, still fuming.

"Mia, get out of here!" Frances urged, trying to usher her away from the chaos.

Mia stood frozen, tears welling in her eyes. "This is so messed up!"

Bobby took a deep breath, realizing the chaos around him. "This is what happens when you bring a punk into my house!" he barked, glaring at Jason.

"I'm not a punk!" Jason shot back, but there was uncertainty in his voice now.

"Yeah? Well, you act like one," Bobby retorted, fists still clenched. "You think this is a joke? You come in here, disrespect my family, and you expect to walk out unscathed?"

Mia wiped her eyes, her voice shaking. "This is supposed to be a family dinner, not a fight club!"

"Too late for that!" Bobby snapped, still glaring at Jason. "You brought this on yourself, kid!"

As Jason began to back away, Bobby didn't let up. "Next time, think twice before you come into someone's home and act like a fool!"

### Aftermath

With Jason gone, the tension in the room was palpable. Mia turned to Bobby, her face a mix of disappointment and anger. "You didn't have to hit him, Dad. This isn't how we handle things."

Bobby crossed his arms, his expression hardening. "You think I'm gonna let some punk disrespect me in my own house? Not a chance."

"But you could've just told him to leave!" Mia exclaimed, frustrated. "You didn't have to fight!"

"Sometimes, you gotta show people what's what," Bobby replied, his tone unapologetic. "I'm not here to coddle disrespect."

Mia shook her head, tears spilling over. "This isn't the man I thought you were."

Bobby shrugged, his indifference evident. "You want respect? You gotta demand it. Simple as that."

As the evening settled into an uncomfortable silence, Bobby stood firm in his stance, knowing he wouldn't apologize for standing his ground. He had made his point, and that was all that mattered to him.