Even Through the Storm

11. I am Your Father

I'm doing homework the next day when my phone starts ringing. It's Asher. I answer it. "Hello?"

"Lola," Asher says. It sounds like he's crying. "Lola."

"Ash, what? Is something wrong?"

"My dad. My dad's here."

"What?"

"My dad. He showed up a few minutes ago. My mom started crying. I, he, he hit her. He hit my mom."

"Asher Kingston-Reynolds! Where are you!" I hear a man's voice scream through the phone.

"Lola, please come over. Please." Asher hangs up. I run downstairs. My dad is talking on the phone.

"Dad, I'm going over to Asher's house. If you haven't heard from me in twenty minutes, then do something." He hangs up the phone.

"What?"

"Asher's dad showed up. He hit his mom. Asher was crying. He told me to come over."

"I'll drive you." We get into my dad's car and drive to Asher's house. When we get there we hear yelling. We run inside the house. A man is pounding on the bathroom door from the inside. Asher is in a ball on the floor crying. I run over to him.

"Ash! What's wrong? Is that your dad?" He nods. "Where's your mom?"

"She's unconscious. He took my phone before I could call the police. He smashed it. I was hiding in the bathroom when I called you. I locked him in."

"Asher, come with us," Dad says. "I'll call the police." We run to the car and Dad drives for a block before parking in a restaurant parking lot. He dials the police and puts it on speaker so Asher can answer.

"What's your emergency?"

"My father beat my mom. She's unconscious right now. He tried to beat me too, but I got away."

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm at Billy Bob's in Foghill."

"Where was the attack?"

"1643 Randolph Street."

"We will be right there." The responder hangs up. Asher starts to cry again. He rests his head on my shoulder.

"Asher, how about you stay with us for a little while," Dad says. "At least until this all blows over." Asher just nods.

***

By the time Asher's tears dry, and we get back to his place, the police, and an ambulance are just turning in. We stay in the car until an officer asks us to open the front door. Asher and I stay in the car while my Dad goes inside. A few minutes later, Asher's father comes out in handcuffs, yelling curse words at my dad. His mom comes out on a gurney a few minutes later. Asher starts to cry again. The police get Dad's phone number and asks for Asher. He gets out of the car and starts to talk to the officer. After about a half hour, we go home, and straight to bed.