8 Second Ride COMPLETED

Chapter 21

August 3, 2012

Austin, Texas

*****

My eye's are heavy. Extremely heavy. It feels as if there is lead laying on top of my eyelids.

I can hear my mother, she's close by. It sounds like she's crying.

Why is she crying? Did dad hurt her again?

I can hear another voice too. It's deeper and more masculine. Ryan?

He's trying to comfort my mother.

"I'm so sorry, Ryan. I should have taken Alaina out of here year's ago." She sobs. "I-I should have left him when it first started. I thought it was all a phase he was going through. When we lost Kevin, s-something inside him snapped. He started drinking. A lot. Then he started hitting Alaina."

"He stopped after a few months when I confronted him about it. Then he would hit me. I wanted him to hurt me. Never her. Never Alaina. He seemed to like to switch it up every so many months. He would hit her, then stop and start hitting me. Then one day it was just her. Always her being the one that took the wrath of his fists. She did it for me. I know she did. And I knew he was grieving and it was no excuse to stay. But you have to understand I love that man. I love Charles with everything I have. Alaina too. I just couldn't abandon my mother's farm. She loved this farm." She sniffed.

"It's your farm? I thought it was his." He replied.

"No. It's mine. It was going to be passed down to Kevin and Alaina when they were old enough." Even though she was crying and I couldn't open my eye's, I could see a small smile on her face at the thought of one of us owning the farm.

"And now Alaina will get it all. She deserves it. The day Kevin died she took over all his chores and her father's since he was too drunk to do them. Kevin would have been so proud of her, Ryan. I am proud of her. I never wanted anything like this to happen. I would do anything to take it all back. I would have been the one to drive to town."

"I know you would have. I'm sure Alaina would have done the same. But you can't change what happened. Kevin wouldn't want either of you thinking that. Charles is the one with the problems. Not you two. He was the one that should've left and gotten some help. There is no excuse for him to hit either of you. That is what you call a weak man." Ryan told her.

"I know. I still don't want him to leave though. I want him to stay so we can work this out and he can get some help. But he-he said that he couldn't stand to look at me anymore. And he said he is leaving. For good. I guess he found himself a girlfriend on the side while he was out visiting all of those bars." She chuckled darkly.

"That's what hurts me the most, knowing I'm the one that's been here for him, defended him all those year's, and he had the audacity to cheat on me." Her voice cracked at those last few words.

"I'm filing for divorce." She told him. Even though I couldn't see Ryan's face, I knew he was surprised.

"It's for the best, Kathy. I know it doesn't feel like it now but, I promise you, I'll be here to help the two of you through it. If you'll have me here that is." He stated.

"Of course you can stay here, Ryan. I love having you here. You're like a son to me already. And I can see how much you love Alaina. If you hadn't came into her life, I don't know what would have happened to her." She sighed sadly.

The sound of a door slamming filled my ears next. Just by the angry footsteps stomping against the wooden floor, I knew it was my father.

"Charles." My mother said coldly.