Surviving the Harrison Boys (Re-write)

sixty-one // secrets

The familiar feeling of heaviness returned to me as the taxi driver turned onto the street I used to call my own. The mood of the area hadn't changed one bit; everything still was grey and gloomy and ugly.

We arrived in front of my house, and I involuntarily let out a bitter chuckle. It was such a strange thing to be back here. I thought that when I moved to Dallas, I would never see Rochester again. Yet here I was, and of all places, in front of the place that brought me the most terror.

I looked past the house, down the street. When you turned the corner, there was the little blue house with the bright orange door that always gave me peace and serenity.

Liam paid the taxi driver and got out. Hanna followed to grab the luggage. Reece and I were almost glued to the seats.

"You lived here?" He whispered.

I nodded. "I think "suffered" is the right word."

My voice was shaking. I had never felt this scared before about anything. But the thought of entering that house again?

Hanna basically dragged me out of the car and stood me up. Reece climbed out after me.

"Careful, Ma." He hissed at her. She simply stormed towards the house. Liam, Reece, and I exchanged looks of confusion. What was her problem?

"Don't mind her." Liam muttered. We thanked the taxi driver and watched him drive off. I don't know what made me more uneasy, the fact that my grandmother was inside that house or that Joel was down the street.

We approached the front door, which was already open. Hanna was inside, and an elderly woman stood in the doorway. She was tall and slim, with snow white hair cut into a shoulder length bob. I expected her to be wearing all black, the traditional mourning clothes (I guess), but she wasn't. She was wearing a floral sundress.

She looked like me in forty years.

"Young man, sir, would you two give me a moment with my granddaughter?" She spoke with such elegance. Where the fuck did my mother go wrong?

Reece and Liam headed inside. She closed the door behind her and sighed. "Well hello."

"Hey," I said. Did I call her grandma? She was my grandma, of course, but she hadn't been a grandma, you know what I mean?

"You look uncannily like her." She whispered. "Same hair, same innocence in those eyes..."

"I think the last thing I'd describe myself as is innocent." I laughed bitterly. "Your daughter stole mine a long time ago."

"Daughter-in-law," she corrected. "Your father's my son."

"Well, he fucked me up even more." I snapped. Her nostrils flared.

"Watch your mouth, please."

"Did you ever teach him manners?" I asked. "Did you ever teach him his rights from wrongs?"

"I didn't raise your father." She interrupted me before I could continue on. "Your grandfather took him from me after our divorce."

"Is granddad here, then?" I asked. "Because boy, do I have some fucking words for him!"

"Your mother's father is here, but not your father's." She explained. "He doesn't get in until tomorrow."

My throat was dry. I swallowed, even though I had nothing to swallow. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Oliver.

hey what's going on? flynn told me you went back to rochester?

call me when you can, okay?

I tucked my phone away again and sighed. I looked at my grandmother and shook my head, not even realizing that I had begun to cry. "Do you know what they did to me? Do you know the kind of damage they did?"

My grandmother nodded. "I know everything, Hunter, and I know "I'm sorry" won't fix anything but that's all I can say. If I had raised your father, I swear he would've been a better person. He wouldn't have gone down this path. He would've wanted better for you. I am so sorry."

I forcefully wiped my tears away and shrugged. "Well there's nothing we can do now, is there?"

"No," she replied quietly.

I gently pushed past her and walked into the house. Along with Hanna, Liam, and Reece sat Joel, Tatum, Marie, and an elderly man who I assumed was my maternal grandfather.

My grandfather stood at the sight of me. He rubbed his hands on his pants nervously and cleared his throat. It was crazy how much my mother looked like him. I looked like him.

His hair was greying, but it was still visibly brown. His eyes, a deep brown, were sad yet curious. He reminded me of Liam at the airport. Confused, unsure of what to do.

"Hello Hunter," he said. Everyone in the room looked nervous.

"Hi," I replied.

Joel stood. "Hunt, there's something we need to tell you."

My grandmother came up behind me and gently steered me towards the kitchen. My grandfather and Joel followed. Reece trailed in moments afterwards.

My grandfather was rubbing his hands together. I began to twirl a piece of hair around my finger. Reece and Joel shared this look of worry.

"Your father is here." Grandad finally blurted out.

"Excuse me?" The voice that came out didn't even sound like me. It was low and grainy, scary and demanding. Angry.

"He's upstairs." He went on.

"I thought he was in prison?" I asked.

"Without you here to testify against him, there was really no evidence against him." Grandad scratched the back of his neck. "He was held on petty charges and then released on good behaviour."

"Oh my God," I whispered. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God."

"I can't stay here." I said. "I can't stay here! I don't wanna see him, are you nuts?!"

"Calm down, Hunt, it's okay. He's leaving." Reece assured me. "And we're gonna keep him as far away from you as possible."

"It's not okay!" My heart was racing and thumping so loudly, I felt like I couldn't even hear myself speak. "Who thought that having him in the house was acceptable?!"

I stormed out of the kitchen, bumping into someone as I did. I stepped back, and the sight of my father made me want to throw up. He looked just as shaken as I felt.

"Honey," he whispered.

"Honey?" I repeated. "Are you fucking nuts? I'm not you goddamn honey. Don't you ever in your life call me that again."

Behind him, Tatum and Liam were standing. Marie and Hanna were on standby.

"Just step back, Hunter." Tatum said. "Just take a step back."

I was freaking out. Tears welled up in my eyes and my body started to sway. "Are there any more fucking secrets someone wants to reveal before I pass out?"

My father opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't hear it. Next thing I knew, I was now staring at the ceiling, the world around me still spinning.