Under Control.

12. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦...

There was once a time in his life where he was constantly going back and forth between two homes. Being the last born of four children, he had to be the one to bare a childhood with divorce settlements. Hunter could perfectly remember the day, his father decided he had heard enough of his wife and their never ending bitter exchanges. Being the proud man he is, Hunter's father started off by not returning home for a week then eventually came to pack up his belongings. He explained to fifteen year old Hunter that things were about to change. Dave had gone off to college at eighteen. His older sister Natalie was in her third year of college at twenty . Annalise had recently graduated at twenty-four and moved out of state that year.

Hunter being the only child left at home, they sat him down and asked him where or rather who would he prefer to stay with before they went to court. He was caught in between, he did not want to disappoint either of them. This was a decision he never thought, he'd have to make. The final decision was, he'd reside with his mother and have the weekends with his father. It was never easy, it was painfully excruciating. Hunter could only reminisce the times when his father would drop him off at the house they all once called home. His father loathed his old life so much, he preferred not getting out of the car. His mother would open the front door and give her ex-husband a light wave. Gritting his teeth, he'd wave from the drivers seat of his latest Mercedes. Hunter thought his father was trying to regain his lost youth by buying flashy cars and bachelor condos.

Hunter's parents had married early, as early as twenty. Pregnant with Annalise, it being the olden days, there was no waiting. They married early. It seemed his parents marital problems stemmed from having been sick and tired of each other. They needed a break, they needed time to miss each other and that's exactly what happened. Hunter's father had his fun for nearly six years before deciding he wanted his wife back. Before realizing his happiness lied with the mother of his four children. He had felt as though he was starved off freedom and independence but after a while of getting cold dinners, eating alone, finding awkward to visit his kids, coming home to no one— it got depressing. It was not the life he wanted, not the life he imagined he'd have. Hunter's mother took him back.

Hunter did not want to make that mistake of leaving someone he adored so much for temporary fun. Someone whom he had decided, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with for an iffy moment of fun and exhilaration.

"Dad?"

"Hunter?" His father replied, sensing concern from his son's voice. It was nearly sun set, after a long afternoon of golf. Hunter held their golf club as they headed for the golf cart.

"What made you leave mom... that time?"

There was silence. Old and frail, having entered his early sixties. Gray hairs hidden under his cap, thankful he had not gone bald yet. Good genes he presumed. Turning to Hunter, his forest green eyes resembled so much of Nolyn; his wife. His brown hair, much like his own. Hunter has always been a decent child, never caused too much trouble. Excelled well in school, had big goals and archived them. He was doing well for himself, Ernest Clifford was proud of his son but it was clear something was bothering him. Holding the golf bag, Hunter's father set it down near the cart. Hunter laid the golf club right beside the wheels. Overlooking the distance they had surpassed amidst having their fun.

"Well..." Ernest muttered. "We have never talked about that huh?"

"...not really..." Hunter muttered.

"I don't know either... I'm ashamed, I even made such an action to hurt your mother. Perhaps we got tired of each other. I got tired, I can't speak for your mother; considering I made the first move. We had not had any time to ourselves for years and years with trying to juggle four kids and making sure we keep afloat as a family. We became roommates more than anything. We lost the excitement, the butterflies and all those things we feel during the honeymoon phase. Everything became dull."