"This is your fault," Madelyn accuses, pointing at him.
He scoffs. "Madelyn, go cry somewhere else."
She pushes him, claiming, "You know where she is. Stop hiding her from me."
He downs the rest of his scotch, declaring, "I've told you I have no idea. Now stop this nonsense."
She reaches her arm back and slaps him, the sound of it echoing in the air. It shocks me. I've never seen Madelyn become violent.
Anger flares in his eyes as hot as his cheeks. He steps toward her, and she backs up until she's against the wall.
I lunge across the room and pull Hugh away from her, ordering, "Settle down."
He shrugs out of my grasp and threatens Madelyn, saying, "Your time in my house is limited."
She screams, "The house we're going to lose?"
I pretend to feign innocence. "What?"
"He hasn't paid the property taxes," she yells, her bloodshot eyes glaring at him. She adds, "They sent us a tax foreclosure."
"It's not my fault, you witch," Hugh spits out. It flies from his mouth and hits her arm.
She glances at it, wrinkles her nose, then whines, "How could you put us in this situation? You promised you would always take care of us."
He seethes, "You ungrateful woman. I paid for your sorry ass and your ungrateful daughter all these years."
Madelyn's eyes widen. She snarls, "You meanourdaughter. Not that you've done anything to get her back."
Hugh shakes his head in disgust and stomps over to the bar. He pours more scotch and turns. The alcohol sloshes out of the glass, hitting the marble floor. He pins his wrath on his wife, insulting, "If you weren't such a lousy mother, she wouldn't have run away."
"Me?" she mocks. "Now, that's calling the kettle black."
Having seen enough of their shit show, I interrupt, announcing, "I'm going to let you two deal with your family matters alone."
Madelyn spins, begging, "Take me with you, Riggs."
"What? No. Sorry, but I'm not getting involved in this," I state.
"Fucking whore," Hugh blares.
"Oh shut up, you pig!" she screams.
Hugh tosses another mouthful of the scotch back.
Madelyn grabs my arm, pleading, "Riggs, please. Don't leave me with him." She bats her lids, but she's so intoxicated she can barely stand up.
I pry her off me and lead her to the chair. "Sit down, Madelyn."
She obeys.
I order Hugh, "Take care of your wife."
He shoots me a sharp look.
"Riggs, don't go," she says and leaps off the chair, trying to come after me.
I open the front door and step outside.