“Not a chance. We need to talk this through.”
“You heard the lady. Get out of the house, or I’m calling the police,” Kiegan told his father. “We told you. We’re not talking about this, we’re not changing our lives to suit yours. And we never want to hear from you again.”
“You know what? I’ve had it with you,” Elton Hunt started on his son. “Your entire life you’ve used your mother’s death as a crutch to do whatever the fuck you want, to the detriment of this family. We go back generations. We’re rich, we’re powerful men, and you’re none of that. You spent your entire adolescence getting into trouble, rebelling in any way you could. And now you risk destroying the family name completely. And you know what? I’m not going to sit here and let you blow up the work that generations of men before you have put in. It’s time for you to grow the fuck up, and think about more than yourself for once.”
“Really?” Kiegan answered. “I have to think about myself because I’m the only one who will. After mom died it was all about the family, and keeping the family name, and making sure the family is in good repute. No one ever had time for me, as an individual. You couldn’t give less of a shit about me if it wasn’t for the fact that my last name was the same as yours. So don’t give me that shit about what’s good for the family, because I don’t care. I’m making my own way in the world. As far as I’m concerned, the glory and prestige of the family name can die with you.”
I had to admit, I was pretty proud of Kiegan for what he’d said just then. His father, on the other hand, looked like his face was going to explode. I had never seen it go so red, a purple vein was pulsing on the side of his head.
“Fine, you don’t want to be a Hunt anymore? That’s up to you. Maybe my next child will be a little bit more grateful for the opportunities given to her.”
“Wait, your next child?” I asked suddenly. “Her?”
My mom smiled.
“Yes, your desire to stay away from this family for all its worth means you’ll never get to know your new sister. She’s due in four months.” My mother cradled her belly, and I suddenly realized why she was wearing a loose-fitting maxi dress. I assumed it was the climate, but it was to hide the growing bump underneath her.
My face drained of blood. Surely not. Surely my mother wasn’t going to do this.
“You are kidding me. I can’t believe… I cannot believe you would… get out.”
Kiegan opened the door and stared down his father. Finally, Elton nodded.
“It’s pointless trying to talk some sense into them, Sam. Let’s go.”
Kiegan closed the door on them, and the sudden silence in the house after all the arguing gave the whole place a bit of an eerie feel.
I grabbed the banister, the memory of my mom telling me she was pregnant with a daughter still running through my mind. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t.
“Tina? Are you ok?” Kiegan called up. I just shook my head and ran back out to the balcony. I didn’t know what to do. I felt crushed, I felt small, I felt like there was something I had to do, but I just didn’t know what.
What can you do when you know something terrible is going to happen, but you just can’t prevent it?
Without having anything else to do, I sat down on the edge of the balcony and began to cry. I wrapped my arms against my knees, which I pulled up to my chest, and just sobbed my way through all the emotions coursing through me.
I was going to have a sister. For the first time, a sibling. A little sister, and I wouldn’t be able to protect her. I wouldn’t be able to protect her at all.
I didn’t hear Kiegan come out and find me. But I felt him sit down next to me, and I felt his strong arm wrap around me. I leaned my head against the tattoo on his bicep and let him hold me.
He didn’t ask what was the matter. He didn’t ask what I was so emotional about. And it was perfect. He just held me, leaning his head against mine, and let me cry out the demons that were eating me up inside.
As for me, I just let the tears flow. I don’t know how long we sat there. All I know is that by the time my eyes would no longer allow for any more tears to fall, I was completely and totally exhausted. My body was spent in every sense of the word. I sat there, motionless, no longer crying, but not doing anything else either except stare into space.
Finally, Kiegan realized and got up.
“Come on, Tina. You’re going to go have a nap, and I’m going to order in some food for after.”
I nodded mutely, barely registering the words Kiegan said as he helped me up from the ground. He tucked me in to bed, and I lay on the matress, staring at the wall, thinking about my new sister, and how her life would be ruined by being a part of that family.