Plan Of Seduction

17. Useless Walnut

Edit/Rewritten: May 16, 2021

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Logans POV

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Chapter Seventeen: Useless Walnut

     "This sucks."

     "You suck."

     Kyle gives me a dead-pan expression, "Wow, how original you useless walnut."

     Useless walnut? "What the fuck does that even mean?"

     He shrugs, "Figure it ou-"

     "Boys!" Our mother cuts through, distress evident on her face as she sits on the opposite couch, next to her new best friend Kai. Call me bitter, I have every right to be. "This isn't the time to be arguing like this."

     My brother snorts next to me, leaning forward to rest the palm of his hands on his thighs. "And this isn't the time for you to be acting like our mother. Where have you been these last ten years? In fact, why are you here now? Isn't work calling you?"

     Our mother flinches, stammering as she begins to explain herself. "Your father and I- we, we weren't- we never,"

     Sometimes I think Kyle should have been born before me, he would have been a great big brother because, "Your excuses aren't important right now. Or ever. We aren't here for you." He dismisses, turning his attention towards Kai. "I believe you full heartedly and will do my best to support you. But my father never sexually abused me, or touched me in that manner. The only thing I can attest to is him being aggressive and often beating Logan up when he got drunk."

     Now it was my turn to flinch in my seat, both because of the mention of the beating and because Kyle agreeing to help automatically pushes me in the direction of helping Kai out as well. Said male shifts next to my mom, looking visibly uncomfortable with our family tension. "Thank you Kyle, that means a lot. Would you like me to set up an appointment with the therapist or do you guys want to just set up with the detective on the case to draft a testimony?"

     Kai seemed a lot calmer than our last meeting, and it worked in reassuring me as well. I stop Kyle from answering by placing my hand over his, making his eyes flicker over to mine. "Before answering, I'd like to ask my mom a question." She became a fluttering mess in seconds, waiting anxiously for my question. "Did you ever have reason to believe that dad was . . . sexually abusing us? Or anything of that nature?"

     "Your father is aggressive when he drinks. I really don't know what he's capable of."

     "That doesn't answer his question, mom." Kyle seethes, tone sharp and mocking. "Do you think dad sexually abused us?"

     "After hearing," She gestures to Kai. "Their story. I think anything is possible."

     So yes, I sigh. "Then I think it would be best to see a therapist first, then draft our testimony if there is one."

     Kyle agreed, and an awkward silence filled the atmosphere. It didn't take long after that for them to excuse themselves, scurrying out of the dorm and agreeing to contact me when the appointments had been set up. The air shifted back to comfort once they left and Kyle let out a heavy sigh next to me, shifting to lean his body against mine.

     "What are you thinking about?"

     Truthfully, I didn't know. There was almost too much to think about at this point. "I was scared that dad did do something to you. I was going crazy thinking the worst."