Sebastian
Steve is the first one to break the silence. “Upstairs,” he mutters, pouring himself some more wine. “First door on the left.”
“Thank you,” Beth squeaks, turning and running out of the room. I listen to her footsteps disappearing. Her words echo in my head, over and over and over again.
“Well…” My mother says, pressing her napkin to her lips. “I think you need some lessons in finding good help.”
I don’t say anything. My heart is pounding in my chest. I turn slowly to Steve, watching him eat.
I used to hate this man with every molecule of my being. For screwing up my family. For turning my mother against me. I hated him so much, I’ve barely ever even spoken to him. Whenever I was home from camp, we would just ignore each other.
I should have talked to him, I realise.
One thing about my step-dad; he doesn’t lie. He’s the bluntest man I’ve ever met. All he really gives a shit about is work and stocks. He can’t be assed with trying to get along with people. If you ask him a question, he either ignores it, or answers it straight-up.
“Is it true?” I ask. “Were you just trying to get me out of the way?”
He puts down his wine glass. “Before I married Ellen, I told her I wanted a wife, not a problem child. I didn’t want you around the house. I wasn’t coming home from work every day to some angsty teenager moping around, hating my guts.”
I nod slowly. “Thanks.”
He shrugs, taking another bite of chicken. Mum’s mouth falls open. “Steven! Don’t say that!”
He rolls his eyes. “He’s a man, now, Ellen. He can see the truth for himself. There’s no point lying to him. Stop defending yourself for something you did twenty years ago and move on.”
“But—”
“He’s right,” I tell her. “If you wanted to stand up for me, you should’ve done it when I was a kid.” I glance over at Steve. “So, what? The therapy, the military camp—it was just to get me out of your way? Couldn’t you just send me to boarding school, or something?”
He takes another bite of potato. “Her idea,” he mutters. “I told her that if you ever hit me again, I’d leave her. She thought the boot camp would work.”
“Steven!” My mum hisses. “What the Hell are you saying?” She whirls on me. “I always did my best for you, Sebastian.”
“You picked your boyfriend over me,” I point out. “If that was your best, it was pretty crap.” I look down at Cami. She’s nodding off in her high chair. I stroke back some hair that’s stuck to her damp cheek, and she clutches my finger, not opening her eyes.
“You want a nap?” I ask her, standing and carefully lifting her out of the high chair. She flops over my shoulder, breathing tiny breaths against my neck as I carry her into the lounge. Beth packed a foldable cot, so I set her down in her car seat while I pull it out of my bag. As I erect it, a memory sparks in the back of my head. I remember a conversation I had with a drill sergeant back in my first year at the boot camp. He’d called me to his office after dinner and sat me down opposite him. I sit back on my haunches, frowning as the memory blooms.
“Why the fuck are you here, Bright?” Sergeant Carson barks, glaring at me from across the desk.
I just stare at him. “You asked me here, sir.”
He huffs impatiently. “Not in my office. Why. The. Fuck. Are. You. Here?” He repeats. I don’t know what to say, so I keep my mouth shut. He sighs. “This is a behavioural correction facility. Ever since the day you got here, you’ve been holding open doors, saying please and thank you, and smiling at the canteen lady. We’ve had kids stay here for years, and most of them don’t come out as polite and well-behaved as you were on your first damn day. So I want to know, why the hell did your mum and dad send you here?”
I scuff my boot against the floor. “I’m violent,” I mutter.
“You’re twelve. What did you do, rugby tackle someone too hard?”
“I punched my mum’s boyfriend. Knocked out one of his teeth.”
His eyebrows raise. “A weedy thing like you? What, was he a fuckin’ geriatric?”
“No, sir.”
“He deserve it?”
“No, sir.”
He sighs heavily. “I want to sign you off. There’s nothing we can do for you here. Your parents may as well save their money.”