Run

Part Two | 21

Chapter 21

"I still hate myself for what happened. Brayden was badly hurt when the dog bit him and he was traumatized by them ever since. Whenever we'd see one at the park, he'd tense up. He'd get all sweaty and keep his eyes anywhere but at the dog. It was like if he was able to hide it, the dog wouldn't know he's scared. 

Brayden was a tough little guy after this, though. He wouldn't freak out, he'd just... endure it until it was over. Something changed in him. I don't know what, but even when the bites didn't go away, when the redness started to come and the wounds began to swell, he didn't say anything. I admit I was an idiot for not having taken him to the doctor before, and I was even more of an idiot to leave beer around him. I messed up."

...

It had been three days after the incident when Marie finally returned. It was late in the night and Brayden and I were asleep. I had my back to the door as it creaked open. I knew it was her and I was incredibly nervous to know that she returned. I wasn't sure why. Maybe because I knew that I had to tell her what happened and explain myself. Maybe because I wasn't sure what she'd been up to and I kind of didn't want to know. The longer she was gone, the more anxious I became.

She whispered to Brayden, "Hey."

He stirred. I felt him get up and I assumed that he hugged her. 

"I missed you," he told her.

"I missed you, too," she replied. "I just came to get some things. I'll be back again soon."

"Don't go," Brayden pleaded.

"I have to," she said. "I won't be gone long this time."

It was a promise that she wasn't going to keep. 

"Don't go," Brayden repeated. "Don't go." His voice began to quiver.

"Don't wake up your dad," she said, with barely any emotion at all. "Go back to sleep, okay?"

Shockingly, Brayden listened, though I could hear the sniffling that came from his stuffy nose. It made me wonder if she had any clue how much it hurt him to see her gone. It made me wonder if Marie had a heart at all. 

She went to the closet and searched for a few things quietly. When she left the room, I heard her rummage through the kitchen cabinets. I took that moment to get up and confront her.

"What are you doing?" I asked her.

She jumped, looking back at me with an irritated look. Sighing, she went back to going through the cabinets. "I was trying to be quiet."

"What are you doing?" I asked again.

She went from one cabinet to another. "God, Bryson, do you feed our son at all? Why is there no food?"

"Where have you been, Marie?" I questioned, louder than before. 

"You're going to wake up, Brayden," she snapped.

"You already woke him up."

"I wanted to talk to him before I go out. Is that such a crime?"

"Where have you been staying? You haven't been working, Marie."

"That's all I've been doing, Bryson."

I acted like she didn't say it. I acted like Marie wasn't actually doing what I'd assumed she'd been doing. It was painful to imagine her with other men, to imagine her giving herself away when she barely even kissed me. I wondered what kind of person she was when she did that, what things she said, what fake promises she made.