Arabella Academy: Perfectly Imperfect

27. Bad Blood

Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in.

~Shannon L. Alder

***

Marcus stared at the man before him, unable to get his normal body functioning back. He did not know what to make of the situation. This man, this man who he had been praising in school was the man who had taken off after impregnating his mother. Yet he was here, finally facing his teenage son.

Stewart, on his side, wasn't able to look his son in the eyes. The guilt was too much...no....it wasn't the guilt...it was shame. Shame that his own biological son was seeing nothing good in him at that very moment. His only shot at parenting had gone wasted, and trying to mend things right now did not provide any certainty.

Jane wondered why her son hadn't welcomed the guest inside or told her the identity of the visitor like he always did. She was suddenly worried by the abrupt silence in the house and her instincts instructed her to go and check on her son. She rushed to the door and the sight that met her made her scream and leap into the air.

Wait, this has to be a dream, she thought to herself. She pinched herself to ascertain her reality but there he was, as handsome as he used to be. His body stockier, and bright. His pink lips itching for a kiss, and those big yet soft hands whose touch was filled with utmost compassion and desire... no, she wasn't supposed to be thinking like that. She was supposed to be furious at him, and the anger rushed back to her like an ignited flame.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, murderously, and stepped forward so that Marcus was now behind her. She couldn't trust this man, not after what he did.

"Don't women nowadays welcome their ex-boyfriends into their houses," Stewart joked, trying to bring a light moment in between the very tense atmosphere that was there.

Then Jane slapped him.

It was a loud one, and the volume of it indicated that it had served its purpose. Stewart's head was bent an acute angle, absorbing the impact of that very slap he was given. Jane was furious. Here she was raising her son perfectly and this man decides to reappear.

Then his first words are not even an apology—a joke, A FUCKING JOKE!!!

Stewart returned to face Jane, surprised at her reaction. Didn't she miss him or what?

Then he received another slap.

This one was perfect. Maybe because it was given to the same cheek that had been slapped earlier. Stewart cried out, suddenly shocked by how much strength those hands had. His cheeks were already turning red from the pain, and he stepped back to avoid any further of those that were probably to be given again.

"What was that for?" He cried, his eyes showing hurt.

"You fucking moron, you fuck up my life, then you run away to fucking God-knows-where, and then you and your frigging mannerless body wants to come here and pretend that everything's fucking okay. Are you shitting me?!" Jane was screaming loud enough for the neighbourhood to hear.

"Lollipop, you are using inappropriate language in front of—"

"For fuck's sake Branwen! What is wrong with you?" Jane cut him off.

"I can explain," Stewart said and then stepped into the house, for he had noticed people were staring out of their windows. Jane noticed them too and shut her door, but not before throwing her middle finger at those who apparently couldn't mind their own business. This time she was ready to let her feelings out to people she hid them from. She turned and saw Marcus face to face with Stewart. She thought it was best to leave some skin for his son to slap too, or hit.