Violence is Still Always the Answer

Chapter 6: Wedding Bells

The next morning, I prepared myself for the backlash from Max. I stopped on the last step to take a deep breathe.

Weird. I went into the biggest, most fiercest gunfights in history with a smile, and the thing to get me to pause is my daughter, I thought.

I made it downstairs to see Max in the kitchen making breakfast.

"Hey Dad, how'd you sleep?" Max greeted me.

"Alright, I guess," I told her.

"Great, want some bacon?"

"Yeah," I said with a confused look. "So, you're not mad."

"Why would I be mad?"

"Because I knocked you out. And may or may not have drawn on your face while you were unconscious."

"No, we were fighting you had every right. Now sit and eat," she ordered me.

"Okay."

"I made your favorite. French toast, pancakes, and a shit ton of bacon."

"Actually, my favorite thing to eat is Tess, but this will have to do."

"Gross."

"What's the occasion?" I asked.

"No occasion. Just 'cause," Max answered.

"This is delicious."

"Nothing, but the best for my daddy."

"Okay, what is it?"

"What is what?"

"Anytime you want something, you call me daddy, like Tess when she wants the dick," I noticed. "So what is it? Money? A favor? Want me to kill Oscar for you, so you don't have to break up with him?"

"No, I just... I just need to tell you something and I want you to be in the best mood for it."

"What do you want?"

"Oscar asked me to marry him and I said yes. We're going to get married."

"No! No, you are not!" I yelled.

"Dad, this isn't up to you. We're doing this whether you like it or not."

"Max, I'm not..." I struggled to speak. I stood and stared into Max's eyes. They whispered fear and screamed determination. I punched the wall leaving a dent slightly bigger than my fist. "I need some air," I said as I stormed out. Slamming the door behind me.

I went out against my better judgement and tracked down where Oscar lived. I wanted to keep Oscar away from Max, even if it was what she wanted. I scouted out his apartment and waited for him to return. Hours passed, but I remained. Ready and determined. The clock was about to strike seven as Oscar entered his apartment.

I picked up a rope launcher and I pulled the trigger to fire a rope. The rope anchored itself just above one of the windows. I hooked onto it and gravity forced my body toward the window. I crashed through the window and held Oscar at gunpoint.

"What the hell?!" Oscar exclaimed.

"Stay away from my daughter!" I yelled.

"You come barging in through my window to tell me that! You tell me that every other day. I'm renting this fucking place."

"I don't give a fuck about the goddamn window. You're not marrying Max."

"I'm guessing she told you about the proposal," Oscar said.

"Yeah, no shit."

"Let me ask you something. Why do you hate me so much? Could you at least tell me that before you kill me? Or attempt to."