Revenge & A Stream of Broken Hearts

Last Night... My Dad

Last night's events leave me shuddering in my skin. It leaves me wondering. How did I go from playfully listening to Lorde, to getting beaten up and brought to the hospital? Oh yeah, my dad...

He has always been the one to reveal his violent side when he doesn't get what he wants. I think that's childish. But I would never tell my father that. He'd probably beat me worse than previously.

Nathan was not always like this. He used to be a sweet gentleman. But then he walked away from my mom and I. Chloe, my mother, always used to keep Nathan in check. His fiancé, Stacey (who's 20 years younger than him!) gives him too much freedom. Nathan relaxed and now has almost zero self-control. Thus, his anger is expressed through violence.

FLASHBACK

*Narrator's P.O.V. - Annabeth: 6 years old*

"Daddy, Daddy! Where are you?" the young voice of Annabeth crackled.

Annabeth pushes the door open to her father's den just a crack. So that she can see, but so that she won't be seen. Good logic for a six year old...

Suddenly, shouts stir up. Annabeth reconizes her mother's needy screech from the other side of the door. Annabeth opens the door a little more, so that her mother comes into view.

"Nathan! You need to calm down!"

"Chloe, I told you to pay the bills yesterday! Why did you disobey me?!" Annabeth took a long glance at the scene. Nathan had pinned Chloe up to the wall by her neck. Chloe started coughing and wheezing.

Annabeth barges in with her teddy, Benjamin, in hand, "Daddy, stop!' She yelps.

Nathan rests his hand down at his side, allowing Chloe to slide down the wall.

"Oh, honey!" Nathan says with glossy eyes.

Annabeth runs over to her mom, her scrunched curls bouncing with every step, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" Chloe wraps her arms around her baby girl, never wanting to let go. They both sob lightly.

END OF FLASHBACK

After that, my mom enrolled me in therapy. I didn't discuss any of what happened to the shrink, though. I always hated therapy. Why do I have to tell some stranger how I 'feel'? It's pointless, if you ask me.

This one event, eventually lead to other incidents. More and more fights occurred until the true breakdown happened.

FLASHBACK

*Narrator's P.O.V. - Annabeth: 13 years old*

Annabeth finished putting her bike in the garage. She just got home after spending a few hours with her best friend, Vivian.

Usually, at this time Annabeth's father was at work. But she spotted his truck parked in the driveway. Annabeth's mother was out grocery shopping.

The little girl went to check on her dad, to see if he was sick or something. She followed the path all the way to her father's study. Just like she did seven years ago, she pushed the door open a crack. Annabeth should've known better, though. In that same spot, she had witnessed her dad's aggressive side.

That's when she saw something no daughter ever wants to see.

Her father, Nathan Ford, was locking lips with someone other than his wife, Chloe.

Annabeth gasped loudly, so that her dad could hear her. She wanted to run out of the house when she felt the shaking footsteps of Nathan get closer. But she was frozen in her spot. Annabeth could barely breath. She was so shocked, that she collapsed on the ground.

Her dad came rushing over to her, but she could only hear a selection of what Nathan was saying. Her sight started getting blurry. Until she fainted, and could no longer hear or see anything.

After a couple of hours, Chloe came home. Annabeth soon woke up to her father kneeling beside her bed. Being very cautious, she backed away.

Nathan grew a worried look upon his face, "Honey, what's wrong?"

Still, Annabeth remained speechless, not wanting to even look at her father.

Chloe had left the room to get Asprin.

"Baby, what's the matter?"

She gulped, then whispered. "You... You... You cheated..."

"No, honey. You must've been dreaming."

"I know what I saw!" She screamed while her voice cracked at the end.

"Annabeth, it's not what it looks like. I can explain."

"How, dad?"

"I didn't cheat. You know better, than to believe that I would. I am faithful to your mother. Understood?" He spoke sternly. Annabeth nodded.

END OF FLASHBACK

I never liked lying to my mom. But Nathan had convinced me that I was only dreaming.

Now, I'm sixteen, with my birthday coming up in a few days. Last year, my mother finally found out about my dad's cheating affair. She kicked him out, and went through the painful process of divorce. She demanded custody over me. My dad didn't even want me anyways, so the judge ruled in my mom's favor.

Chloe went back to her maiden name, yet I did not. She didn't start drinking until she found out that I had known about Nathan cheating since I was thirteen years old. I kept apologizing over and over again. She never yelled at me or anything. Even though I wanted her to ground me, or be angry at me. She wouldn't. Maybe she knew that that would hurt me worse than punishment.

The thing is, I feel like all of this is my fault. If I had told her right away, she wouldn't have started drinking. But no matter how much I wish I could go back and fix things, I can't. And now I just have to deal with that...

*****

Sorry, that this chapter is so short. I just wanted you guys to get a feel for what happened with her father, and how her family collapsed. Annabeth's guilt must be creeping around in her, every single day. All I can tell you, is that that might affect some of her plans ;) Stay tuned for more. See you in the next chapter. Byee <3

~FreeStray