The Williams Chronicles

Chapter 9: Reality Hits

Monday came slow for Gordan. He had fallen asleep three times at his job & took the rest of the day off to avoid hurting himself. After Vonda & Brittney left, he had prepped Brandon's room for another night & got more paperwork finished. Brandon came back to his house last night without much of a word; which was odd to Gordan. Thankfully, he knew he was gonna be picking up his son from school so they could really talk about what was going on. Pulling up to Brandon's high school, he seen Brandon talking to his friends & honked the horn. Excitedly, Brandon ran up to Gordan's truck & got inside wearing a dark pair of sunglasses.
"Hey, Dad! I'm so glad to see you!" blurted Brandon, as he hugged Gordan.
"You just seen me last night, man. Missed your ol' Dad that much already?" Gordan joked.
"Yeah. I mean, I'm always glad to see you but Mom...Usually picks me up & not you."
"I know. But since I left work early, it's no issue."
Brandon nodded & got quiet as he started to text on his phone. Gordan got a strange feeling in his stomach that something was wrong with Brandon. He sensed it when he hurried up to his room without saying anything to him.
"Son, what glasses are those? Did Uncle Shawn get that pair for you?" Gordan casually asked.
"Um, no. They are Jared's. & he said I could borrow them." said Brandon, in a nervous tone.
"That's cool. Can I see em really quick?"
Brandon paused & seeing his dad focused on the road, he quickly took the glasses off & held them in Gordan's direction with his head down. Gordan took them & checked the glasses off. Classic black Ray Bans. He nodded in approval & he glanced at Brandon's face. Nah. It couldn't be. Then upon further inspection, he seen Brandon had a black eye & a cut on his right cheek.
"Brandon, what happened to you?? Did you get into a fight at school?" yelled Gordan.
Brandon's hands were shaking & he shook his head.
"Well, did someone try to mess with you on the bus or something? Or did it happen last night? & does your mother know about this?"
Finally, Brandon spoke up.
"Dad.... She would kill me if I told you what happened."
Immediately, Gordan parked the truck on a side street & turned off the engine.
"Brandon, I'm listening. What happened?"
Brandon took a deep breath.
"When we got home, me & Mom got into an argument. I told her that she was wrong for what she did to you & how I despise her for our family breaking up. Then, she told me that I didn't know the whole story & that I should stay in a child's place. When I told her that I would rather live with you, she said I didn't truly love her. Plus that I was a poor excuse for a son &....."
The boy's voice began to break & Brandon started to cry.
"She hit you?! Brandon....Please tell me the truth."
Looking at Gordan in his eyes through tears, he nodded yes.
Gordan got out of the car, ran to the passenger's side & opened the door to comfort his son. Brandon fell against his dad & cried heavy tears. He hugged his father so tight, Gordan was almost in tears himself.
"She's been beating me for years. When I come over to your house, I have to hide the bruises or tell you or Ja'Ron that I hurt myself in sports. Mommy takes her anger of losing you out on me & I'm so scared that she will come after me again or the family so I stayed quiet. I'm sorry, Dad! I'm sorry...."
When Brandon began to break down again, Gordan hugged him tight.
"No. If anything, I'm sorry. I apologize to you for making her your mother & my wife. It's not your fault for her anger or us breaking up. It's all her. & I guarantee that you will not be hurt again as long as I have a breath in me. I promise."
Gordan looked at his son's scared face & he could see how upset, scared & ashamed he was. The first order of business was to comfort & love his only child. The second order of business was to confront Shavonda. A burning fury welled up inside of Gordan & she was gonna feel every piece of emotion he had in him.