Making Friends...

Chapter nineteen, the living nightmares

"it all starts with my father, in the days before I was born, while my mom was pregnant with me. My father began drinking, a lot, Remington was only three, Sebastian was five and I was about to be born, give or take two months. Mom has told us this story before, on,y because she wanted to let us know that our father used to be a good man, but that was never enough, it doesn't matter who he used to be. He came home one night and my mom had just finished making super, she had it all set out and then she called un my brothers, the three of them quietly sat around the table while dad talked about work, how much he hated the people and all the shit that happened, mom who was sitting beside him could smell the alcohol on his breath, she knew he wasn't at work all day and decided to talk to dad about it after super. So when everyone left the table, my brothers running off to do their own thing and mom staying to clean up while dad rambled some more about work, that's when she spoke, he wasn't happy about it.

(23 years prior, Stephany's POV)

I turn from the counter as I finish the dishes and hang the towel up as he rambles about work, he wasn't at work all day, I knew it, the alcohol on his breath gave it away.

"Honey" I said calmly, he smiled at me and motioned for me to speak "you weren't at work all day"

"What are you talking about? Of course I was, Ken had me going through some god awful papers today, waste of time if you ask me"

"No, you weren't, you're lying to me Rick, you went out didn't you, you're drunk, I can smell it" he laughed

"So what if I did? Huh? You can't do anything about it, you're just a housewife, you can't do shit" he spat as he rose from the table

"You know we need the money Rick, the kids hardly eat anything but dinner anymore, how am I supposed to feed this family with a new baby if you're not at work?"

"You'll figure it out, you always do, now run along, your job in here is done, you don't want to be exerting yourself with my little man in there" he smiles as he placed a hand on my belly

"Excuse me?" I say harshly to his comment on my job being done, and I have to figurent out? I thought we were a team "I can hardly take care of these two on my own Rick, with less money and less food they're going to be twice the work, Emerson isn't going to help with that! He's going to need food on a regular basis and if I can't afford milk powder how am I going to do that? We're supposed to be a team! We agreed to be there for each other when we married each other!"

"You do not use that tone with me" He growled and I rolled my eyes

"I am your wife not your daughter I can and will speak to you in any tone I wish Richard, you need to support this family as much as I am, I may not work but I do take care of my kids"

"Your kids? They wouldn't be alive if not for me!"

"Bullshit! You don't even show up anymore Richard! You're always off with those friends of yours off to the bar after work and every weekend and now it's during work?!"

"That's enough!" His voice boomed, my heart raced and I took a step back, the small of my back hitting the counter "that is enough from you're mouth! I can do as I wish as long as I am the one bringing money into this god damn household!" He was in front of me in seconds, pressing my back more and more into the counter, breathing down my neck with hot furious and quick breaths "now get out of my sight" he growls and pushes me more into the counter.

With a yelp I move from him and run down the hall into our room, past the boys rooms that were closed, I could hear legos moving around, I collapsed on the bed and sobbed, my husband is a monster.