the boy on the bridge ✔️

48. okay boy

chapter 48 — okay boy

Josh knocks on his mother's bedroom door — there is still no answer. It has been hours since he came back and he and his sister have taken turns trying to get to their mother but to no avail.

"Mother," he calls out, although he knows there is going to be no answer.

Josie has gone to sleep then. She hadn't talked much all day, too quiet, wrapped up in her own thoughts. As much as she hates to admit it, she likes her father. Sure, he never stays at the house, never spends much time with them, but she has always adored him. She likes how the people in their town always look up to her father and treat him with the utmost respect. She has always wanted to be like him when she grew up — she isn't so sure anymore. She starts wondering if she knew her father after all.

Josh sighs, and sits against the door, leaning on it. He hadn't meant to hurt his mother. That's why he hadn't told her any of this. His mother is innocent; she has never done anything against his father once. She loved him like no other, and respected him. They were high school sweethearts. And to think that her husband would betray her like that, not to mention with one of her closest friends — Josh can't even imagine what she must have felt when he just dropped the news on their head like a bomb.

"Mom," Josh calls out softly, choking up; he isn't even sure if she was listening to him on the other side, but goes on anyways, "I'm so sorry, mom. I know I should've told about him the moment I found out, but I don't know I guess I just wanted to protect you. I swear I didn't he was going to invite her here today. And I didn't mean to just burst out like that, but... I'm sorry, mom. Can you ple-,"

He stops abruptly, upon hearing someone opening the front door. He goes downstairs to see who it is and — surprise, surprise, it is his father. He is lightly swaying on his feet as he stumbles to close the door behind him. And there is this strong overpowering odour he is emitting. Is he–

"What the hell do you think you're doing in my house, boy?" he yells as soon as he sees Josh in front of him.

"Are you drunk?" Josh crosses his arms, not even bothering to hide the disbelief in his voice. "Seriously?"

"Don't you dare to talk to me in that tone,"

"Just go sleep it off, father," Josh shakes his head. "There's no need for any more problems,"

"Problems that you caused, boy," he continues yelling anyways, "If only you'd known how to keep your mouth shut and not stick your nose into matters that doesn't concern you,"

"Matters that doesn't concern me?" Josh scoffs, "You're cheating on mom, you're breaking our family apart — how does that not concern me?"

"What you should be concerned is about how you're a little faggot now; your repulsive phase consorting with boys, that's what you should be concerned about," he spits out the words.

"You're one to talk, it's not like you weren't sleeping with my best friend's mother and god knows how many other women there are?"

They are both yelling now and the elder Goldmann was about to shove his son when Mrs Goldmann comes downstairs and yells over them:

"Enough!"

"Mom?"

"Why did you let him back into the house, Linda?"

"Josh, go to your room," she doesn't even spare a glance at the drunk man, "It's late — we'll talk tomorrow," and then she starts to climb back upstairs.

"Linda," his father calls again and she stops, and without turning back, she says monotonously, "If you have nowhere else to go, you can sleep on the couch. Josh, come on,"