Cinders

~65~ Bossy

I go inside and dad is still awake, watching TV and drinking a beer in nothing but sweatpants.

"Is mom asleep?" I ask him quietly.

"Yeah. She came back and went to bed."

"Am I in trouble?" I ask, never sure where new dad's head is at.

"No....How is he?"

"Horrible. I think he's worse than mom"

Dad just nods. "He tell you everything?"

"Yeah...How's mom?" I ask, looking towards the door.

Dad sighs. "Not good, buddy. She's not good. I offered to go get you, but she was so upset she just ignored me. She kept saying 'how am I supposed to face him?' Over and over. Then she just came back and went to bed without saying anything. How did she do?"

"Good. Cool, calm, and collected." I never would have known she had a meltdown right before.

"Doesn't surprise me. Your mom is tough," dad says with a proud smirk.

~*~

I go to bed after that and dad takes me to school again. Mom isn't awake when I leave, which bums me out—I'm pretty sure she's depressed.

When dad and I get back that afternoon, mom is in a HORRIBLE mood. She's snapping at us over everything.

Poor dad takes the brunt of it like a champ. He had me go to my room to do homework pretty quickly after we got home, knowing mom was about to blow. He has been letting her use him as a punching bag, never giving her any sort of attitude. I don't give my dad enough credit—He really is a remarkable man.

"Alex, you need to start feeding our kid actual meals. What the heck is this? Ramen Noodles and TV dinners? This stuff is horrible! Why can't you ever be responsible? Is it that hard to bake a freakin' chicken?" She yells, throwing a paper towel roll at him.

"Remember that one time I caught my kitchen on fire trying to make us spaghetti? Pretty sure I still have the scar on my ass from my dad beating me. Haven't cared to cook since," he says, smiling at her a little.

"It doesn't matter: Seriously! And, have you seen his room? It's disgusting," she says, moving on to her fifth rampage in the last half an hour.

"Yeah, it is gross," he says calmly as he knocks on my door. "Liam, once you're done with homework will you clean your room, please?" He asks, winking at me.

"Sure," I say quickly.

"Thanks bud," he says, giving me a sympathetic smile.

Dad then goes over to mom and pulls her into a hug.

"Ellie, go take a bath and then put some pajamas on. Right now, young lady!" He says as he pulls her to the bathroom.

"I don't want to!"

"Wasn't asking. Get in the bath now, or I'll put you in there myself. I've seen you naked more times than I've seen you dressed. It won't be any big deal for me to do it. Go now."

Umm....is he being serious right now?!?

"You wouldn't dare," Mom warns, her tone terrifying.

"Of course I wouldn't! That would be sexual assault, ya dork. Just get in the damn tub!"

"Fine," she pouts as she walks to the bathroom. We hear the water start running and dad lets out a frustrated chuckle.

"Your mom is a pill today." He breathes as he pulls out his phone and shakes his head, half amused and half annoyed.