When the Clock Strikes 12:00 // L.S.

Chapter Seventeen: Reck The Halls

Warning: nothing too serious but mild violence from Harry's dick of a father. (I know I said no triggers and I don't think there are any, but I just wanted to be safe.)

Harry's POV

"You are ok. I got you. Babe it's going to be alright." Louis whispers in my ear and a second later my father stands in the doorway, eyes red and a drunken smile on his chapped lips.

You would think my father would be unsightly given his drinking habits and rude nature. A big broad man with a potbelly, raggy, stained clothes, and scruff on his face. Except, he is quite the opposite.

Clean cut and polished, he stands there in a loose-fitting dress shirt and black slacks. His hair messy but styled and his cheekbones sharp as ever. He was an attractive man, I'll give him that, and I could see the reason why my mom might have fallen for him when they were younger. He was charming in public and highly praised at work. But under that pathetic act was a mad man.

"Aw, my dear children. How you've grown." He says leaning against the doorway and eyeing me and Gemma up and down.

"Father," Gemma says stiffly. Tristain has her hands under the table and I can see the hatred on his face.

I told Louis the basics of how my father was towards me and my family, but Tristain knows the details, which is why he looks ready to kill. I never told Louis the other half of the story because I didn't think he would ever meet him, or have to see it.

"Ah, and you're still with that twat of a boyfriend. Get an actual job yet?" He jeers at Tristain but he remains collected and doesn't say anything.

"Daniel!" My mom comes rushing in. "Please I need to ask you to leave."

"No," He says pulling up a chair and sitting down, "I want to catch up with my lovely children. I haven't seen them and years because you've hogged up all their attention, like always."

"That's not true." My mom says quietly. "You never showed any interested in them after we separated."

"Exactly!" Gemma says starting to get up from her seat but Tristain holds her down.

"Shut up!" He says forcefully to her and turns back to my mom who has shrunken into a corner.

"Anne, I am nearly stating I haven't seen the kids since you got full custody and I was only asking them to come to join me and my girlfriend for Christmas dinner." Then his eyes grow cold, "What did you say to them! Why did you tell them to turn me down!"

"I didn't." She cries, "I promise I didn't say anything, it was their choice. I don't have any power over them, their adults! They make their own choices Daniel."

"Why did you turn me down then?" He shouts at Gemma.

"Oh am I allowed to talk now?" She sneers sarcastically.

"What was that young lady?" He asks.

I silently groan, Gemma never held her tongue around him. Eight years later and she still hasn't learned to just shut up and let him just bitch by himself.

"What I meant to say was are you that stupid?" Gemma says getting up to face him.

"Gem, baby come on." Tristain pleads, trying to calm her down but there's no stopping her now.

"No!" She says shoving him off, "Mom is right, Harry and I aren't children anymore and we both chose not to come to your place for Christmas! Because why should we-"

"Because you are my kids and I deserve to see you!" He interrupts.

"No, you don't!" She screams, "You were out getting drunk our whole childhood! You didn't give a fuck about Harry or me and what we were doing in our lives and I doubt you've changed now! You barely remember our birthdays more or less how old we were turning!"