When we entered the house, Larry stood next to the fireplace like he was posing for me. The angry father so very disappointed in his daughter and ready to give her a lecture. At the glass door overlooking the backyard was Glenn who I suspected was there to intimidate me. I assumed they’d start boxing up my stuff soon and use the same old threats.
In the kitchen, Mom sat at the table, cutting coupons because Larry told her it was her job to save them money. Every fifty cents off a can of soup was a step closer to his retirement and them enjoying cruises. My mother was a little obsessed with the idea of cruises.
I should have been more afraid, but a weekend with Aaron gave me courage. As his muse, I felt fearless. Even when Larry turned and glared at me, I held my head up high.
“I opened my home to you and my thanks is finding out you’re whoring around town with a thug.”
“Thug? You’re the one monitoring my cell. I pay for that phone and you have no right to track me.”
Larry walked casually towards me. “I have every right. You live in my house and represent me in the community. We both know you wouldn’t be able to afford the phone and school if I didn’t allow you to live here rent free.”
“Well, we’ll see about that. From now on, I’m not sneaking around. If you say I can’t be with Aaron and live here then I’m moving out.”
Still at the door, Glenn was grinning in the nasty way he was prone to grin when a woman stood up for herself and he thought she was about to lose. Dylan stood very still, arms crossed tightly while glaring at me. Behind us, my mom kept cutting coupons like nothing was happening.
“No,” Larry said in a soft voice. “I have invested too much time and money into your upbringing to have you whore up the town. I forbid you from seeing him.”
“Forbid?” I snorted. “I’m almost twenty.”
Larry sighed as if tired then took a step forward and backhanded me. I had no time to react or even brace my fall. The sting of his hand was followed by me crashing into the kitchen table. My back screamed in pain at the impact and I lay stunned on the ground for a minute. Only Dylan’s yell kept me from passing out.
“Motherfucker,” he hollered, running at Larry.
Glenn met him halfway and Larry helped his brother knock Dylan to the ground. Even after Dylan slugged Glenn, the older man wouldn’t back off. He stomped down on Dylan who tried rolling away and ended up with Larry kicking him in the gut.
“You’ve always been an idiot where that slut’s concerned.”
Stumbling to my feet, I glanced at my mom who still sat at the table. She looked at me then Larry then lowered her gaze and returned to her coupons.
The logical choice for me was to run from the house. I was so much smaller than these three battling men and the smart thing was to run. Yet, Larry and his bullshit family were why Raven left. They were always telling me what to do and making me feel like shit. Now, he’d hit me and I wasn’t running.
Grabbing a chair from the table, I swung it at Glenn and hit him at the back of the neck. As he went flying forward, the bastard tripped over Dylan and toppled hard to the ground.
Before I could celebrate, Larry ripped the chair out of my hand then came at me. I backed away and grabbed one of the millions of bear figurines. Throwing it at him, I nailed Larry in the chest with the first one. The second one caught him over the eye, leaving a gash. As Larry chased me around the room, I grabbed more bears and flung them over my shoulders at him. While most missed, a few made contact and he finally hollered in frustration.
Having recovered from the blow, Glenn tried to block me in. However, Dylan shoved the older man outside then locked the door. Unfortunately for Glenn, Larry’s stupid fluffy dog hated him and proceeded to attack his leg.
“Dylan, this is your last chance,” Larry said, his face red and blood dripping down his face. “Give me that girl or you’re done.”
“Fuck you. I was done the minute you put your fucking hand on her.”
Watching the two men glare at one another, I exchanged the bears in my hands for heavier ones.
“I’m leaving,” I said more to Mom than Larry. “If anyone messes with me, I’m cracking their heads open with Picnic Bear.”
“Margo, call the police,” Larry said, regaining his cool. “I want Lark arrested for assault.”
As my mother reached for the phone, I nearly threw a bear at her. “I’ll press charges too. We’ll both end up in jail then the Johanssons can sort it out.”
Larry’s confidence flickered. “If you leave, you’ll never come back.”
“Not much of a threat, old man. I’ll be back for my shit later. If any of it is missing, I’m going to get Bailey over here to show you her gun. I don’t care if you disappear, Larry. Mom will have your life insurance and the house and she’ll do just fine. You’ll be gone, but your money will live on. Do you understand?”