A Different Divergent: A Better Tomorrow

~ninety-three~

Chapter 93

I stand in the open doorway of my parent's home staring into the eyes of one of the last people I want to see today or any other day for that matter. There was a time not that long ago that I thought it was impossible for me to hate someone but I know better now. I've been victimized one too many times this past year, and I now know pure hatred. I've felt it creep through my veins like a thick, toxic sludge, threatening to consume me. I feel it now but I refuse to allow this so-called man standing before me to ruin my day. I know I should be civil but I can't help but remember his ploy to hang onto his dead lover by trying to take my son away from me, and every time I look at him, I can't help but recall that he almost succeeded. I take a deep, calming, cleansing breath, hold it in for a few seconds, and then blow it out but unfortunately it doesn't help.

"I asked you a question, Mr. Black," I say, trying my best to keep my voice steady and calm for Tyler's sake. "What are you doing here?" I feel Tobias approach before I see him and Dad out of the corner of my eye but it does nothing to calm me.

"What's going on here?" Dad asks as he cranes his neck to see around the open door. When he lays eyes on our uninvited guest, his entire demeanor changes, and I think I'm witnessing firsthand the "new" man he referenced earlier. "We have no business today, Ethan. You shouldn't be here. I politely asked you to stay away from my family, especially Beatrice and her children but now I'm demanding it. Get off my property Black or there will be hell to pay." Tobias reacts, too, although silently. He rests his hands on my hips with a firm pressure. Whether he's keeping me rooted in place so I don't cause a scene or he's making sure he doesn't grab the unwelcome visitor in front of us by the throat and throw him out I don't know.

"I came to see if you would reconsider letting me see my children," he says, looking me in the eye, his words slurring slightly as he sways. Apparently, this pathetic excuse for a human being needed liquid courage before approaching us because the smell of alcohol drifts on the air between us, turning my stomach. When he hears this, Tobias' grip becomes quite painful, and Tyler's whole body begins trembling as he clings to me for dear life. Even though I have a few choice words for the sperm donor, I won't traumatize my boy any further than he already has been because of this piece of shit.

"Baby, I need you to go to your Grandma in the living room," I say to Tyler who still has his face buried in my neck.

"No," he whines, barely audible.

"Honey, Daddy and I need to talk to Mr. Black," I say. It's like a dagger goes through my heart when he flinches at the name. "I won't be long. I promise. I'm going to set you down and you run in there to Grandma. Okay?" He finally lifts his head and looks at me, tears streaming down his face as sobs rack his body. I get choked up as I try to kiss his tears away but there are just too many. I wonder if there will ever come a time that he isn't terrified that he will have to live with his biological father. He nods almost imperceptibly and after I set him on his feet, he takes off like a shot toward the living room. Dad, Tobias, and I move at once and an elbow gouges me in the ribs, my knees bang into someone else's, and a large booted foot steps on me ... twice. I grab Ethan by his arm, spin him around as I walk past him, and drag him outside.

"Let's take this to the back yard," Dad says, remembering Abnegation ways. "It allows us more privacy." I glance up and down the street and am surprised to see so many people out and about. There are two small children across the street laying in the grass, staring up at the cloud-filled sky; a teen boy and girl sitting very close to one another on the stoop two doors down, talking animatedly, smitten smiles plastered on each their faces; and a family of four walking to an unknown destination down the side of the street, heads bowed, hands at their side. They barely acknowledge us with a nod and continue on their way.