Sweet Poison

Sweet Poison (22 & 23)

"So can you tell me about that day? "I asked softly running my fingers through his hair. His hair always looked like he put gel in it, so I was surprised when soft locks flowed easily through my fingers.

Eli moved around trying to get comfortable and looked up at me, eyes wary like he was nervous to reveal any hidden secrets about himself. In encouragement I sent him a warm smile and nodded my head lightly at him. I could understand his apprehension.

 He opened his mouth, closed it and took a deep breath and closed his eyes. I looked at him for a few seconds and then quickly became impatient when he didn't open his eyes or say a word. I was just about to give up on the idea of wondering about the mysterious Eli for the day until he finally spoke up.

"Okay", he breathed.

"It was a weekend in October and my mom had just made my favorite breakfast at the time and my dad's too, blueberry pancakes, I remember. I guess it was her sad attempt at  trying to bribe him into staying with us. They had been arguing the last few nights so I thought they were finally making up you know but they weren't. I remember my finishing my pancakes and my dad stopping by me and giving me a hug and saying 'you be good son I'll see you one day'. I had just looked at him wondering what he was going on about. He had always been a big joker, so I just thought he was joking." Eli let out a huff.

I could hear his teeth grind down in the quietness of the forest and I knew it was hard for him to reveal this about himself. By him talking about the story, it was probably like reliving the painful memories over again. I felt a little guilty now about pushing him to tell me his story.

"He hugged my brother and walked upstairs, and when he came back down, he had two large suitcases. I didn't remember hearing anything about going on vacation so I was just confused as to why he had those large suitcases . He began to move to the door until my mom came running after him."

"Don't go, please don't leave us", she screamed, practically begging, as she ran in front of him and tried to push him away from the door. He grabbed her hands and threw them down like he utterly repulsed by her touch. "Get off of me Charlene before I get mad", he snarled at her. My dad was a nice man, but he did have a mean streak so by what my dad said and how he was looking at her, I immediately became scared and unsure what was going to happen.

My mom looked at him, tears were now streaming down her face. She had looked extra nice that day, and I remember thinking that all her tears were ruining the makeup she had spent so much time on. My mom  was about to say something to my dad, when she suddenly looked at me and my brother "Go take you brother up stairs Eli, hurry up", she said obviously faking a smile. Her tears gave it away though, she wasn't happy at all.

"But what about dad?" I had asked.

Her smile vanished "go upstairs now!" She growled with clenched teeth.

Hearing the urgency in her tone, I quickly nodded my head and grabbed my little brother and ran upstairs. I went to go put him in his room.

"Stay here",I whispered sternly to him while handing him his favorite toy. After I occupied my brother, I slipped back out of the room and tiptoed to the stairs and watched what happened through the railing.

My mom was full out sobbing now. "Please don't go", my mom pleaded, gripping onto his shirt.

"Get the hell off!" My dad said throwing her off of him.

She hit the floor and got right back up. Her pleading gone, now just replaced with anger. "You're not a man, not a man even by half to leave your own children. I hate you and I'm telling your children you left them for another family, you're weak. . .just like your father", she hissed.