Sinful Crimes

Chapter 3

Bits of cereal were scattering across the table and onto the floor, a steady stream of rice and barley malt with added fortified vitamins.

"Dylan, watch what you're doing!" Janet Bryson called across the table. "Look at the mess you've made,". 

From the way her acrylic fingernails pointed at the table, Dylan could tell just how vexed she was. It happened to be a habit of hers.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking."

Janet noticed both her boyfriend Evan and her brother Josh part ways from the rooms. She never got the idea why they hated each other so much. They were eighteen for Christ's sake, not little kids. She watched as her brother slumped onto the sagging couch, located at the centre of the dining-cum living room. Everyone was silent. Their dad hadn't come home since yesterday morning, and it was terribly upsetting that he didn't pick up his phone. It was even more upsetting to share a day with arguing adults on such a tedious morning. She had fucking kids for the love of God. Friends would often ask what her secret was- how did she manage to have such a complaint child at the age of eighteen. She wasn't entirely herself when she was pregnant, having to deal with the stress of teenage pregnancy, but she liked to think that while she was pregnant with Dylan, she'd vowed to never be one of those mums who lost their rag over small stuff, like spilled cereal, pen marks on walls or mislaid PE kits. So she didn't. Her child's upbringing was bathed in smiles and calm- although she would never say that out loud, because if it sounded like trite to her ears, God knows what other people would make of it. She turned back to her sandwich making.

"I hope those aren't for me. They've got mould on."

Janet jumped as her boyfriend's voice rang in her ear. She had been oblivious to the sound of his hopping about trying to pulling on one sock. She glanced at Dylan and saw he was hunched over his cereal bowl, shovelling spoonfuls into his mouth. She was grateful he'd cleaned up the mess before it caused a mini flood on the carpet.

Evan poked the two slices of bread that Janet had been about to butter, his fingertips leaving craters in them.

"See, there are blue bits in them,"

Janet looked closer and saw he was right. And bloody typical, they were the last slices in the Kingsmill packet.

"Well forget it." She said, tossing them in the waste bin. It was obvious Evan loved her choice of language and threw his tongue down her throat. Dylan stuck out his tongue in disgust at his parents making out and Josh pretended to gag hopelessly. 

"I'm off to the local pub corner," He said, breaking away from her.

"Of course, don't come back drunk and bouncing off the walls again," She laughed.

Evan held up his hands in surrender.

"Busted".

"Why did you get with this guy?" Josh hissed, eyes glued to his cell phone.

"It's not my fault you lost your girlfriend, why don't you own up and take responsibility for it like Evan did?" Janet spilled out. Her face went as white as a sheet when she realised the one thing she said the last time that got  her in the A&E. Her fingertips trailed at the claw marks on her face. Before she knew it, Josh was already up in her face, giving that 'triggered' look.

" What did you just say?" He asked through clenched teeth. She could practically hear them grinding. He was just about to slap her when a shrill cry-cum scream forced Janet to freeze in her flinched position.

"Please don't hurt my mum." Dylan screamed. His screams were like nails on a chalk board.

Josh took a deep breath and bowed his head. To Janet's surprise, tears rolled down his cheeks.

Without a word she hugged him, though it looked weird since he was taller than her. 

"I just wanted her to be happy," he whispered.

After a few minutes of family reunion, she hinted that Dylan would be late for school, but Josh offered to take him instead. Before he could leave the house, there was a knock at the door. Not the doorbell, but someone banging at the letterbox knocker. Three raps, then a pause. The frosted door had warped lines, but sh recognised these people. With trembling hands she opened the door. Josh cringed, never seeing his twin sister so scared.

"Janet Bryson?"

She nodded. Dylan clinged to her and Josh took a step back.

"Can we come in?"

They spoke for a while, beating around the bush until DC Pullman said it all in irritation.

"There has been a terrible incident involving your father,".