can't change what you don't know

No wonder he left

Later that day Riley went home and Aidan came home since he usually gets home earlier on Tuesdays since he's finished his exams now, "what're you doing now loser?" He walked over to the couch. Tatum sighed and ignored him, "no wonder he left" Aidan laughed and scoffed before walking away, that sentence made Tatum engage with him, "what? Who? Who left?" She knelt on the sofa and turned around. Aidan rolled his eyes and walked away, "c'mon don't say something like that and leave it, just tell me..." she jumped up and followed him into the kitchen.

Aidan sighed, "I don't know where he went..." he tormented her again. Tatum was getting angry with him, "tell me who you're talking about!" She twined. Aidan laughed, "your dad" he shrugged and walked away. Tatum froze, "what?" She looked at him blankly. Aidan shook his head, "oh come on, why'd you think mom won't tell you?" He raised an eyebrow. Tatum shook her head, "how do you know? Do you know who he is? Please just tell me..." she begged and trailed behind him as he walked over to the couch. Aidan sat down and changed the TV channel, "dad told me that he left you but he didn't say who he was, didn't really care" he shrugged. Tatum froze in her tracks again, he didn't know what her her more, the fact that her dad would leave her or what Aidan said to her in the first place.

She could feel her tears threatening to spill so she grabbed her guitar and ran upstairs before Aidan could see her crying. She slammed the door shut and slid down the back of it as she cried, not even bothering to muffle her sobs since Aidan wouldn't care anyways, 'he left', those two words kept replaying in her mind. Tatum knew she needed to find out who her dad was so she had a plan to ask her mother again tonight, it's not like she can deny it now she knew what happened, or what she'd been told had happened. None of these thoughts stopped her crying though, she felt like her whole world had been crushed.

~~~~~~~~~

Jay and hailey sat up straight when they heard a male voice then looked up at the screen to see the older brother talking to Tatum, "no wonder he left" they heard him say. Jay shot hailey a confused glare, "huh?" Hailey furrowed her brows. The pair watched the conversation go down as they switched between cams so they could hear the whole thing and once the conversation had ended they sat back in utter shock, "that's just cruel" hailey shook her head, she could feel the lump in her throat forming already. Jay shook his head, "lemme check her wire" he rolled his chair over slightly so he could play the feed from the wire in her room but he instantly regretted it.

The painful sobs belonging to the 13 year old kid could be heard clearly through the feed, "oh god, I can't listen jay..." hailey shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek. Jay nodded in agreement and quickly turned it off so they didn't have to listen to it, as much as they maybe should've, it was too difficult to endure. He rolled back over to watch the cameras again as hailey calmed herself down, "I can't wait to see this kid be happy for once" he shook his head, not knowing what was ahead of her, ahead of him...

~~~~~~~~~~

Tatum had calmed down but she was scrolling through tiktok on her phone when her step dad barged into her room, well then, he must be home if nothing else. He folded his arms, "whys my office door open?" He yelled. Tatum sat up in fear a little bit, she hated being alone with him when he's calm let alone when he's yelling, "I needed my guitar pick that's all..." she spoke timidly. Ryan scoffed, "do I look like I care? I told you not to go inside and you ignored me, god you really are useless" he put his fingers at the top of his nose, clearly annoyed. Tatum shook her head, "I didn't mean to overstep, I didn't see anything..." she started but he cut her off, "you know what, I don't even care, suit yourself. I've given up with you at this point" he laughed and shook his head.

Tatum watched as he left scoffing to himself, it was in that moment when she began to realise, maybe it's her who ruins things, maybe she's the problem. She sat in silence before her mom shouted her downstairs, also sounding annoyed with her. She groaned to herself and put her hoodie on for warmth and protection as she plodded down the stairs to meet her mother in the kitchen. Once she walked through the kitchen door her mom slapped a piece of paper on the counter just in front of the fruit bowl, "what's this?" Cassie scoffed. Tatum walked over and read the information on it, "a school report?" She raised her eyebrows. Cassie shook her head, "I know that, don't play cocky with me. Why're you failing?" She huffed.

Shit, Tatum thought to herself, she didn't know the school reports would be sent home this early, if she did she would've binned it before anyone could open it, "I don't know, I just am" she shrugged. Cassie scoffed, "now what? You're just not smart anymore?" She shook her head and put her arms out. Tatum shook her head, "apparently not" she sighed, not really caring about the numbers on the sheet. Cassie laughed in disbelief, "you're really disappointing us recently Tate, I'm really disappointed in you right now" she warned her. Tatum shook her head, "us? Who's us? You and Ryan, he isn't even my dad and he never will be" she scoffed. Cassie stood up straight, "don't talk about your dad like that..." she started but Tatum cut her off, "step dad" she corrected her.

Cassie shook her head, "get over the petty hope, Ryan is your dad and he always will be" she huffed. Tatum shook her head and backed away from her mother, "no he's not, my real dad is out there. You're just too much of a wuss to tell me who he is, or why he apparently left" she pulled a face. Cassie tilted her head, "who told you he left?" She sighed. Tatum nodded, "that doesn't matter, but what does is you telling me who my dad is! I deserve to know mom..." she begged, she may hate Aidan but she'd never get him in trouble like he does to her. Cassie shook her head, "I'll tell you when you're ready, which clearly isn't now!" She yelled back. Tatum laughed in shock and anger, "you say that every time so I'll never believe anything you say anymore. But whatever, I'll find out myself. I bet he isn't this bad man you make him out to be" her voice broke slightly.

Cassie scoffed, "you don't know what you're talking about, the man isn't in your life for a reason. So get over it!" She shouted angrily causing Tatum to jump a little. All of the shouting made Aidan walk into the kitchen, "what's going on?" He furrowed his brows. Cassie calmed herself down to talk to him, "you're sisters failing school" she huffed. Tatum shook her head, "and?" She shrugged. Cassie huffed, "go to your room, no one wants to see you right now" she yelled. Tatum walked off with needing to hear it again, slamming the kitchen door shut in the process and ignoring Ryan's scolding about it as she stomped upstairs, is finding out who her real dad is such a hard job? Why can't she just be told? She hates this so much...

~~~~~~~~~~

Jay looked at hailey after the second shouting match of the day had ended, "you think med'll be able to find out who her dad is after we've snatched Ryan up?" Hailey nodded at her partner, her voice shaky from what she just heard. Jay shrugged, "maybe, but the kid deserves to know so we'll make it happen either way" he smiled sadly. If only he knew what was in store for them over the next few days...