Perish: Book Three (bxb) ✔️

32. You were sleeping so peacefully, dearest.

August Luna

I wasn't in the mood this morning, and when I pulled open my front door, I definitely wasn't in the fucking mood. The second the door opened, I found both of my parents with sunglasses over their eyes, and it was cloudy. Both of them turned their head when they realized I'd answered the door. It almost appeared they were disassociating.

Wait...

"Did you two get drunk?"

Papa held up his hand, looking as if he was about to vomit, before he took a long breath and released it. "Nope, we're already putting my choices up for question from another situation; let's leave my idiocy on this topic for another time. Preferably never. God, I am not young, and I will now acknowledge that."

Dad shook his head, pressing his fingers to his temples. "We should have attempted this later."

"Nope, we both know that's not an option." Papa puffed out another deep breath, attempting to compose himself before he stood up straight. "May we come in, please? Op, yeah, he does look like me when he's pissed. Yeah, I see it now."

"And I'm not in the mood for your fucking jokes." I was ready to slam the door in both of their faces, but Dad slapped his hand on the door to stop me from closing it. "What--"

"We have to talk about this, and you know we have to talk about this," Dad said, using what strength he had left to keep me from shutting the door. "Also, I wasn't even choosing sides, so can I have five minutes of your time?"

"You may have not chosen sides, but you chose to marry him. Deal with the consequences of your own actions."

Papa huffed. "Okay, now that was crossing the line."

"Was it? Kind of like how you completely erased the line I shouldn't have had to draw?" I glared at Papa, letting go of the door. "Did you think you'd get a welcome wagon?"

Papa held his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, you know what, I'll give you that one. Now, can we please speak to you? It's very time-sensitive. Oh, god, I am going to hurl."

There was a part of me that wanted to let them talk their way out of it because I loved my parents more than anything, but the other, bigger part of me knew that I was doing what was right. However, if I talked to them, and seeing as Papa was hungover... for whatever reason. Maybe I could make them hear me. 

If I didn't try, I wouldn't get anywhere. Hiding away in my house and moping around wasn't getting me anywhere, and I felt isolated from the real world. And yeah, I knew I was the one to blame for the isolation, but standing there, watching my choices get questioned when I never did anything to deserve it was... the pain crushed me.

Papa looked at me like I'd committed the worst crime imaginable when Kayax had never done anything to bring on those judgments. And yes, I was to blame for the beginning of it all. But I thought that seeing my choices and knowing I supported Kayax--I thought that was going to be enough for all of this to stop.

Instead, I was questioned.

But I wasn't going to get anywhere unless I let them say what they needed to say. Because after, I was going to say what I needed to say.

So, I kicked the door back with my foot and waved my hands toward the inside. But when they started to walk inside, I stopped them. "I expect to be heard and not questioned when I speak. If it happens, you leave. I realize this was once your house, but it's mine now, and I will not be questioned nor silenced inside my house."