Books, Boys, and Basketball: Senior Year

HIS WILL OR MINE

I go to school, practice, and then come home to the man who made my life a living hell for seventeen long years. Only, he's not the same man he used to be. For the most part he stays in his room, curtains drawn, and with the covers up to his neck.

I serve him breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whenever he needs some water or a newspaper, I bring him that too. Mom came by, and when she saw him, they got into this huge fight. He blames her for ruining their marriage just as much as he blames me for ruining his career. He's right about the first part, but he ruined his own career.

Grams had to break them up and send mom home because the conversation got too heated. At one point, I thought for sure he was going to put hands on her.

Whatever progress he made with his life was undone after that, but I refuse to let him wallow in self-pity when he could be working on getting his life back.

Letting myself into his room I fling the curtains open and rip the covers off of him. "Sidney, what the hell are you doing?" He asks, angrily.

"This room smells like dirty old man and despair. I know you're on this whole woe is me kick right now, but you need to get up, take a shower, and sit down at the kitchen table if you want breakfast. Otherwise I'll let you starve to death in this room," I tell him.

Bill glares at me from his bed, but surprisingly he gets up like I told him to and gets in the shower.

Two years ago, I never would've dreamt I would say the things I just said and not end up on the floor with a busted lip. I can't believe he's actually listening to me without putting up a fight.

Leaving him to get cleaned up, I head into the kitchen to make him a plate of breakfast. Grams is sitting at the table, sipping her coffee while reading the newspaper, with a smirk on her face.

"I'm proud of you, Sidney."

"For what?" I frown.

"Being the bigger person. For forgiving your stepfather for the things he's done to you and helping him through this tough time."

"Everyone makes mistakes, right?"

"Yes, Kit-kat. Everyone makes mistakes." Grams proudly nods.

A freshly showered and dressed Bill comes to join us at the breakfast table and digs into his food. "I think we should continue our therapy sessions together." I suggest.

My stepdad stops eating to look at me like I'm crazy. "Why?"

"Well, for starters, it will show that you're not the same angry person you were before."

"But I am still angry."

"Okay, but you're also different. Before, if I would've told you what to do you would have slapped me. You didn't do that earlier." I point out.

"It's because I know you're just trying to help, and you don't have to. You have every right to curse me from here to Singapore for what I did to you. For how I treated you."

"See! That right there... you never would've said something like that to me before."

Nodding, he tells me, "You're right."

"I want to help you get back on your feet." I tell him.

"Why?"

"Because I realize that despite what's happened between us, you're a victim too. We're BOTH mom's victims. She lied to you and cheated on you twice, passing me off as yours and trying to do the same with the baby she's carrying now. With me, she kept my father from me, and now... now her crap has become my crap."