july 1981
richie stood in front of his door again, staring at the door in a deadpan state. he was at the bottom of the porch stairs, considering what kind of scenario was behind the door. it was like this wasn't even his home. coming to his house never felt like coming to his home. walking inside meant hiding, crying, and sleeping. it wasn't a home, it was a place for richie to sleep. and that was it. did he really want to go back inside? did he really want to relive what happened only a mere week ago? he's been having a better time out of the house, why would he want to come back in?
richie grabbed his bike and turned around when the front door opened. his shoulders hunched as he was expecting his mother to start screaming at him, but he was met with silence. he turned around, and there was his dad.
he was wearing un-wrinkled clothing and shaved his face, was he going on another work trip?
"richie?" he said as he walked down the stairs and embraced richie in his arms. he smelt like aftershave. richies whole head began to spin with a million questions.
what's happening?
why is he hugging me?
what went wrong?
is this a dream?
what was wrong with his dad?
"richie where were you?" richie didn't respond, he was too stunned. he stood there with his arms by his side as his dad squished his small frame. was this what being hugged felt like?
sure, he's been hugged before, but not like this. not by his own dad squeezing him so hard his lungs were on the brink of collapsing.
he's never been worried, he's never cared.
"it's been a week richie, where were you?"
"bill's" richie said.
he never asks where you were.
he's going to punish you.
"come on inside" his dad told him. so he walked inside with his bike and placed it in the front entryway. richie walked in and his house.. was clean?
your house is never clean.
they're moving.
they're leaving you behind.
"i cleaned up the place" went said with a small chuckle. wentworth stood there awkwardly, waiting for his son's approval.
"you know, i, i haven't been there for you, richie" wentworth sighed "i've been closed off, and i haven't been the dad i'm supposed to be, and i'm sorry. i'm sorry about your mom too, i know she yells a lot, but she means no harm" went said to richies back. "i love and care about you richie, and from now on i'm going to try my hardest to show it"
richie turned around slowly, with two tear streaks down his cheeks.
he loves you.
he cares.
it's going to be different.
thing are going to be better now.
richie stayed silence. he was overwhelmed with emotion. his dad walked up to him and engulfed him in another hug. his dad was doing better, and he's showing it now. richie was so happy, he was so so happy. he felt something for the first time.
hope.
he felt hope.
"do you wanna go and get some ice cream?" went asked.
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