The Perfect Obsession [Preview Chapters]

Chapter 6.

Dante

I leaned against the door frame, watching as she rushed a confused Leila to pack her things. "Are you leaving me?"

I heard her soft gasp and then felt her gaze pierce mine. She quickly looked down and away, unable to look at me any longer. "We're going to stay with Maddie and Don for a while."

"Why?"

I found myself wanting to hear the words I knew I deserved. 'Because I hate you.' But I knew she wouldn't say them. Instead she said, "I'm tired of being alone, Dante."

"If this is about tonight, I-"

"It isn't," she interrupted, but refused to continue, roughly adding a toy in Leila's tiny pink backpack.

"Then talk to me," I pleaded. "We can fix this."

"There's nothing to talk about," she replied, coldly. "You've made that clear."

"What?" It was all I could muster. She ignored me, speaking to Leila.

"I think your bear is in my room," she said, pinching her small cheek, lovingly. She stood, preparing to walk past me. "I'll go get it."

He gaze remained locked on the floor as she did, and when I grabbed her arm, she jerked away, surprising me. It only made me follow to grab her again.

"Stop," I demanded, keeping my voice gentle as I cornered her. My stare landed on her cheek as she turned her face away. It agitated me. I grasped her chin, and she roughly shook her head to try and weasle her way out of my hold, her eyes shut tightly and her dark hair wildly fell over them. "Look at me."

I squeezed tightly, forcing her eyes open. At the sight, my breath got caught in my throat, and I felt a outbreak of pain. I saw her pools of blue were turning red, painting a picture of her heart. In her eyes, I could see her brain had built new walls with her so lonley on the other side. I could remember the last time I had actually stared directly at them some time ago. They were so different than I remembered.

Seconds later, Donatello pulled me away and she speed-walked to our bedroom. His lips moved and that's when I realized the world around me had become mute. "I'm not going to hurt her," I reassured angrily, breaking past him.

When I stepped into our bedroom, I watched her look under the bed for Leila's teddy bear, and I pleaded with her. "Please don't do this to me, Ariella. Not now." She completely ignored me. "You're my wife for fuck sake, if you could just hear me out!"

I saw the bear emerge from underneath the bed, locked between her fingers, and she sauntered towards the door. My arm stopped her, praying I hadn't been too rough against her pregnant belly as I pulled her back to me. She cried out, and without concern, I leaned down to her ear. "Just answer me this," my voice low as she continuously tried to break free. "Do you love me? Angel, just--"

"It hurts," she wailed, and I quickly released her. She sent me a teary-eyed stare before she spoke in a shaky tone, "You need help, Dante. You're sick."

"Ariella," I shouted after her, following to Leila's room again. Maddie was there when I returned, placing Leila's backpack on, and my little girl's next words burned me down to my soul. "Auntie Maddie, what's a...psy-cho-path?"

Every thought I previously had of getting Ariella to admit her love for me vanished, and I felt something warm against my cheek.

"Where did you learn that word, sweetie?" Maddie asked, lifting her up while I stood frozen in the door way, my world crashing around me brick by brick.

She didn't answer, but I knew Karina's wife had thrown the word about when it came to me and the relationship she believed I had with Karina.

Maddie brushed past me on her way out and refused to acknowledge Leila's call of "daddy." How could she take my daughter away, too? Ariella left after her with an overnight bag hanging from her shoulder, and I didn't stop her. I couldn't.

We've all got these trauma brains, brains that developed with less love than we needed, crap food, and violence. We've all got this short attention span and the need to pull people close only to push them away when things get hard. It's that urge to run, that fear of trust, that uncomfortableness with nurturing love - addicted to the dysfunction and rejecting the cure. Donatello approached to offer words of comfort,  but I deadpanned, "Get out of my house."

He stared at me for a few seconds. "I love you, brother," he said, letting his sympathetic glare emphasize the genuineness of his words. Mine challenged him to say another. Just one more before all hell would break loose, and he didn't.

I pushed him away. I pushed them all away, but not once had I been asked why. It was bad wiring I'm fighting, but they played their part well. I could say hand-on-heart, I deserved this, that I had truly earned the hate that I so desperately desired.

After they were gone, I tredded downstairs and into the kitchen. I squatted beneath the cabinet, looking for the bottle of Hennessey I had hidden. It was there just incase all else had failed.

And well would you look at the time? It's 'all else has failed' o'clock.

I placed it onto the counter and grabbed a glass. Hesitating for a moment, I could feel the bottle of unused pills in my pocket. I knew what Hennessy did alone. I knew what the pills did alone. But I could only imagine the things they would do together.

Filling the glass, I brought the bottle into view almost aroused by what I was about to do.

I threw two pills back and then raised my glass into the air, "I hope you're proud of me, dad."

***
First chapter of exactly 1000 words and it feel oddly good I must admit. Even though that's so short so I apologize.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and are having a great weekend! Please vote and comment.

Much love, A. 💗