Locked Away (Ianthony)

Chapter 14

The next day, Anthony was right back on the couch, drinking himself into oblivion. I took care of Hailie as usual and put her down for a nap. "You're getting so big now baby girl." I smiled. Then I sighed softly. "I just wish your other daddy would show he cared just as much as I did... To the both of us." I kissed her forehead and watched her slowly fall asleep.

Pulling her door behind me, I walked to Anthony and looked at him. He looked up at me, laughing slightly. "I heard that. You know, my dad used to hurt me..." He laughed about it, taking another drink from the bottle. "He used to say, 'Son, you're a waste. You're never going to be anything. You're a fag.' And he was right." It killed me to hear those words slip from his mouth. As much as I wanted to hate him for how he kept the cycle going, I couldn't bring myself to turn away.

"Anthony..." I whispered.

"And he apologized... And I thought I forgave him." He continued on. "Then my mom dies." He froze and began to cry again. I moved over to hug him. He snapped and pushed me, "Get off me you needy little fuck!" I felt gravity and force work against me, as I fell onto the glass coffee table, breaking it. I covered my face as the shards pressed into my back. He stood up and walked into the bathroom. I either pushed up on broken glass or I laid there. So I braced myself for the pain I put onto my hands. I followed Anthony, not caring about what just happened.

"Anthony Padilla, what the fuck are you doing?" I yelled. He was in the downstairs master bedroom. I heard him rummaging through the cabinets. I followed him and watched him take some aspirin. "You need to get help... Look at me." I whispered, tears falling. He looked up, glaring before realizing what happened. I turned around, him gasping in horror at what I probably looked like. I walked up to him. "You're hurting Anthony... And you're hurting us. Hailie is so close to saying 'dada' that I cry a little sometimes when she tries. Because you're going to miss that. You're not going to be there when she says 'dada'. You're going to be dead. And I don't want you dead. I know you love her as much as I do. And I know you love me as much as I love you. For that reason... We have to get you some help, please." I said, tearing brimming my eyes. I let them fall, crying.

Anthony caressed my face, wiping the tears away with him thumb. "Shh... It's okay."

I shook my head, "It's not okay! You were doing so well! Now it just went to shit. And I can't lose you. I just can't... I've been in love with you since high school, I can't lose th-" Anthony cut me off with the sweetest kiss. He then pressed his forehead against mine, swearing to me he'd get help... Though part of me was happy and felt secure, the other part felt extremely doubtful about how long that would last.