Take My Hand

17 Since You've Gone

My reward was amazing. I got to spend the next week of evenings playing video games in his room for a change. I really did feel special and loved when he so adamantly got around my parents' subtle punishments.

They were still acting like they weren't doing anything wrong. My phone had been replaced reluctantly with a top model that matched the two of theirs. Even if I was being punished, appearances were everything after all. I couldn't be given a lower model. That was just silly.

They never did anything that would make it look like I wasn't rich and spoiled rotten. If my shoes ever got to the point of having holes, it was not when I was wearing them. If I had a favourite shirt, I had to hide it diligently so it wouldn't disappear from my closet.

Knowing all of this should probably have warned me ahead of time, but I was still surprised when the time came. What am I going on about? Well, dinner as usual became so much more than unusual because of me and my big fat mouth.

I was just sitting there, minding my own business and trying to avoid eating the crap my mother had ordered for dinner at some fancy restaurant. It was some kind of fish with a smelly sauce that made my toes curl in a bad way when I tried a bite.

I don't even know why we went out to dinner when we have a perfectly good chef and fresh groceries every day at home. In fact, I missed eating his food instead at this very moment. I could be sat in the kitchen with Sasha right now, but no, they had to come here.

"Honey, you aren't eating your food. It is very expensive you know. People in starving countries would kill to have such amazing food." She droned on. I rolled my eyes inwardly to myself.

People in starving countries would hate this food too, they would just be more grateful to have food and eat whatever they get. Besides, if you donated the money you spent on this crap then they could eat and I could be happy at home.

"Son, eat your food." My father stared at me with an annoyed look. I sighed.

"I don't like it." I replied, putting down my fork and sitting back in my seat.

"Eat what we put in front of you." He retorted with a short tone.

"Maybe I would eat it if you let me order for myself." I shot back with a frown. It was kind of ridiculous that they didn't let a kid as old as me order his own dinner.

"You won't choose anything healthy, honey. That's why you need to eat what I ordered you." My mother piped up with a babying tone. I gritted my teeth.

"Actually, all I wanted to eat was the chicken salad. It is not only healthy, but cheaper too." I said to her with the most sarcastic and mocking tone I could manage. My father frowned at me and glared at my mother, like it was her fault. It kind of was, since she ordered the fish.

"Fine. Fine! Get the salad. I'll take home the fish for lunch tomorrow. Never mind that you always have to act like this." She erupted petulantly. Her arms crossed and she huffed as she sat back in her seat.

"Like what?" I asked angrily. "Like I have a mind of my own? Heaven forbid."

"See? He's doing it again! Always acting like I don't have your best interest in mind. I choose a perfectly healthy dinner, he hates it. I find him a wonderful girlfriend from a good family, he rejects her." She went on like she was hard done by and I figured out what this was really about.

"Oh is that what this is about? Still on me about not dating Jessica? I don't like her like that. I told you I am not about to lead her on for your own personal agenda." I was fuming as I restated what I had been saying the whole time this last month.