The darkness that lives in him

Chapter 5

Divine

We get inside the house and Tripp begins stomping his way to the stairs. "Tripp.", I call out to him so that I can ask what's eating him but he flatly ignores me and ascends the top of the stairs.

"Tripp what's wrong?", I question him again, beginning to loose my patients.

"Nothing!", he yells irritated and I don't take his tone lightly as he has never spoken to me like that before.

"Tripp Jaylen McCallister you're gonna come down here and tell me what is going on with you?!", I demand him. Now he's going to tell me whether he likes it or not, whether he wants to or not. Tripp comes down the stairs and stands in front of me. He looks up at me with sadness clouding his grey eyes and I'm instantly concerned.

"What's wrong?", I ask, my tone softer and gentle this time.

He lets out a shaking breath before answering. "Mom...", he pauses and looks at me and I nod my head, urging him to continue. "I'm just bummed out that all my friends had both their parents at the game."

"Oh honey.", I stroking his curls. "Well not all of them had both their parents. Travis' dad wasn't there.", I say trying to comfort him.

"I know that but it was only for today's game. He's there every other game.", he responds sighing at the end. "I wish I knew my dad."

I tense as soon as the sentence escapes his mouth. Tripp doesn't know what really happened to Nefarious and I. He doesn't know the real reason for our separation and for all I know is that Nefarious thinks I'm dead. Everyone at the house most probably does.

I take Tripp's hand in mine and lead him to the living room and sit him on the couch next to me. I let out a deep breath and start explaining things to him, not going into detail of cause.

"Tripp your dad...he's...uh...", I stammer not knowing what to say. "Your father is a...bad man, okay? I don't think he likes me like he used to."

"Oh.", he says frowning. "So does that mean I'll never get to meet him?"

I am at a loose for words. I don't want Tripp growing up not knowing his father and meeting him but I also don't want Tripp to be raised by a mafia boss. I don't want him growing around all the violence and drugs and guns.

I honestly don't know what to do.

I run a hand through my flat ironed hair. "I don't know. I mean I do want you to know your father, maybe even have a relationship with him but like I said he's a bad man. A very bad man."

He nods his head understandingly. "Ok. I'm sorry I brought him up.", he apologizes looking down shamefully.

I wrap him in arms and comfort him. "No no there's nothing to apologize for. Tell you what, I'll think about you meeting your dad but I'm not making any promises."

He nods with a small smile on his face.

"How about you go take a bath and we can watch 'The Lion King' when you get back.", I say suggestively. It's Tripp's favourite Disney movie. He's been in love with it since he watched it when he was three years old.

He gives me a full on grin and hugs me one last time, giving me a kiss on my check before heading upstairs.

~••••••••••••••••••~

The credits for the movie start scrolling. We watched the first lion king and the second one. By now the time is heading to 21:00, an hour past his bed time. He yawns and tells me that he wants to go to bed. I comply and switch off the tv. I pick him up as he looks like he is unable to keep his eyes open. I reach his bedroom which is right next to mine and tuck him in.
I place a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight.", I whisper and walk to the exit of his room but his sleepy voice stops me.

"Mom."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to meet dad."

I exhale a breath. "I'll think about it.", with that I close the door and head over to my room.

I take a quick hot shower and brush my teeth. After rinsing my mouth I look at my reflection and notice the bite mark that Nefarious gave me all those years ago. I knew it would heal but you can imagine my surprise and concern when I saw that it hadn't dissapered. For some odd reason I love how it occupies my neck. I should hate it but I don't, I dont even want to get rid of it. I sigh out feeling exhuasted. I remove the towel and attire my body into my compfy sleepwear.
I lay in bed my mind involuntarily going over what Tripp said. He wants to meet him. He wants to meet his father and that means that I would have to go over to his place. I would have to answer a billion questions of where I have been this whole time and that means that I would have to face him again. The psychopath that kidnapped me. The wicked male that starved and locked me up as punishment. The man that made me smile, who spoiled me and treated me like a queen, the man that I loved dearly and even to today my love for him has never died. It's still there no matter how many times I try pushing it away.

My son is ready to meet his father but the question is...

Am I ready to see the monster that attempted to end my life?

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Azura☆