Enough is Enough

The very next day I was pondering about my emotions. I felt as if I needed a distraction and luckily I got what I wanted. I heard knocking on the door so I went to answer it. I was shocked to see it was Jasmine. She had stopped by to talk to me. I couldn't let her inside the house since my parents weren't home so I talked to her in the veranda.

Before I knew it the time flew and soon the sky darkened. "Well, it's getting late, I should probably head home." "Yeah, get home safely." Before she could reach the steps, she was blocked by my father. He looked down at her with a scowl on his face. "Who are you?" he asked sharply. "Um, I'm a friend of Kennedy from school. Nice to meet you sir but I should be getting home before my parents get worried." He let her pass and then gave me an intense death stare. I commenced discreetly shivering as he slowly approached me.

  "So, you're sneaking girls into my house now!" he shouted. "No, she turned up unexpectedly and I didn't even let her side the house." It happened so fast that my eyes didn't catch it. Before I knew it my cheek was sore and had a red hand print appearing on it. "I don't know where your manners went when I was away but don't you dare raise your voice to me again." "Maybe if you didn't abandon us you would know." I sharply rebutted. From the glare he gave me I could tell that made him extremely upset. He was so angry that he punched me in my left eye and the force caused me to stumble.

  "I hope you remember this next time you're about to talk back to me." He casually walked off like nothing happened as I curled myself in a ball struggling to hold back tears as my left eye was now black and blue. A while after I heard footsteps and my mom was stunned upon seeing me in the veranda all alone. "What's wrong Kenny dear?" "Nothing mom." I responded faintly. "Well, it doesn't sound that way." "I'm fine mom." "Then look me in the eyes and say so." I reluctantly faced her and upon seeing my eye she became furious.

  "Who hit you?" "Dad did." "Why?" "First he slapped me in my face when I was trying to explain that one of my friends came here out of the blue then he punched me in the eye for calling him out for abandoning us." She immediately stormed in the house and searched for dad. Soon a huge argument broke out. "Don't ever lay another hand on my child again." "He's my child too and he needs to learn respect. Plus, he snuck a girl in my house." "This isn't your house. I bought this house before I met you and I paid the bills for it! Also, my son gives respect to those who deserve it." My father gritted his teeth and angrily exited the house, slamming the door behind him.

  Mom came back outside and hugged me then kissed me on my forehead. "Let's go get some ice for that eye." I can't remember the last time I saw my mom became that angry. Because of that outbreak, my fear of my mother increased. I lay down in my bed as I rested a bag of ice on my bruised eye. Later that night I heard dad returning home and as I took a peek out of the bedroom, I could notice that he was seriously drunk. I stealthily made my way closer to the living room where both of my parents were at the time so I could listen in on the argument.

  "Your breath is strong of that stuff; how much did you drink?" "I don't know but I feel great." "You know it's late at night and you drove home by yourself. That was so reckless!" "Hush woman you're not my mother." "If she was here to see you, I'm pretty sure she would be disappointed." "Geez get off my back. Wait now that I've recognized, you're so pretty today." "That's not the point," she paused noticing a red bruise on his neck, "is that a hickey on your neck? What were you doing?!" she questioned lively. "What I do on my free time isn't any if your business!" he exclaimed almost tripping on his own feet.

  She gazed upon him in utter disgust and let out a sigh of disappointment. "In that time, you were away I wonder what happened to the man I married. I've had enough of this crap! I took care of our son while you were away on your so-called business trip; only God knows what you were actually doing. Then you come back and lay your hands on our son when he did nothing wrong. Then you had the audacity to cheat on me after all this time I was faithful to you! I'm sorry but we're getting a divorce tomorrow morning and I want you to pack your things and leave!"

  "Wait honey," he fell to the ground after following my mother after only few steps. My mother locked the door and began packing his stuff and throwing them outside. That night my dad was forced to sleep on the couch as he sobered up. I couldn't sleep that night. I barely even recognized my father anymore. Yes, he was harsh on me but this was something entirely different. For so long I had wished for my father to return but now that he did, I instantly regret ever doing so. What could have happened while he was abroad that could have made such a drastic change to his personality.

  It was in the early morning where my exhaustion had taken its toll on me. Soon I found myself drifting away in a deep slumber and soon I began dreaming. I found myself in the middle of darkness as multiple screens were randomly projected around me. Each screen displayed a different happy memory I had with my parents. Seeing this put a smile on my face and I definitely needed it. This wholesome experience didn't last forever as the screens turned grey and I played moments that I would like to forget and the last screen showed the argument my parents had recently went through.

  Then those screens vanished one by one and my favorite picture of me and my parents were in front of me. It was my fifth birthday and that day was filled with so much joy that despite the melancholy state I was currently in, I was still able to have a smile on my face. Unexpectedly my father disappeared from the picture; leaving only my mother and I. My favorite memory had been tainted and that's when I reached my breaking point. It just seemed like the family I knew were crumbling before my eyes and I couldn't do anything about it. The next morning for the first time in a good while I woke up crying and bed dampened from tears.