“Don’t listen to that fucking asshole, Caro,” he mumbled, his blooded nose making his voice thick. “He’s nothing. Nothing.”
“Is that right?” said Donald, nastily. “I’ve supplied your life with everything you’ve got: the clothes on your back, the roof over your fucking head! I’m the poor sucker who has a half-wit for a son, but that’s the point, isn’t it? You’re still my son – and that whore of yours has been fucking an underage boy. All I have to do is call the police and that bitch will be in jail so fast, she won’t have time to say a prayer.”
There was a horrified silence and I closed my eyes, fear and disgust burning through me.
“Hey, come on, man,” said Mitch quietly. “There’s no need for that.”
“No, indeed,” said Donna, sounding appalled. “There’s no need to involve the police. I’m sure we can sort this out without resorting to anything so… so serious.”
But Donald was too far gone in his anger and hatred to listen. Or maybe he was finally saying what he’d come to say, to find another way to bully and belittle his son, to control him.
“And you know what?” he said, viciously, “She will get jail time – I’ll see to that. Corrupting a minor at her age: that’s not a misdemeanor, it’s a felony. She’s been plying him with alcohol, too, did you know that? And when she finally gets out of jail, after being finger-fucked by every hairy-assed lesbian in the slammer, she’ll have a reputation as a pedophile. Try getting a job with that tag around you, bitch! I’m going to make you fucking pay.”
The whole world came crashing down. All my worst nightmares coming true in one foul-mouthed rant from an evil man who had bullied and beaten up on his son for years.
Sebastian’s face was chalky white under his tan.
“You can’t do that!” he whispered.
“Just watch him!” sneered Estelle, her eyes glittering. “Your little whore of a girlfriend will get what she deserves.”
I hung my head, unable to shake off the weight of her despising words.
“Just because you hate me,” said Sebastian, his voice tight with emotion, “there’s no need to take it out on her.”
He wiped the blood from his face with his jacket sleeve
“Oh, listen to you!” spat Estelle. “Do you think you’re some sort of white knight who can charge in and save the day? You’re so pathetic! You ruined my life from the day you were born, mewling and puking, always hanging around my neck, a pathetic child! You don’t know anything!”
Shirley gasped and Mitch grabbed her arm; Donna was pale with shock and anger, the horror of Estelle’s admission washing over them both.
“I’m not a child!” yelled Sebastian. “I’ve been looking after myself since I was eight years old because you were too drunk to look after your own kid. How many times did I have to help you up the stairs because you were too shit-faced to walk, mommy? How many times did strangers drop you at the door because you couldn’t even manage to call a cab? And as for my father, you’re just a fucking joke. Everyone here knows that you’re just a pathetic hole-chaser with an alcoholic slut for a wife. Caro is the best thing that ever happened to me. We’re going away together and you’ll never see us again.”
Sebastian stared at his parents triumphantly. Estelle looked winded and turned to Donald.
“No, you’re not,” said Sebastian’s father, with chilly finality. “You’re not going anywhere with that whore.”
“You’ve said that enough times now, buddy,” Mitch interrupted with a warning tone. “No need to say it again. And you reel it in, too, Seb.”
“Butt out, Sergeant!” snarled Donald. “This has fuck-all to do with you. It’s hanging around with your loser family that started all this in the first place. He’s my son and what I say goes. So listen good, boy: if you go anywhere near that bitch, I’ll call the police and she’ll be finished.”