Xavier slept off shortly after eating and taking some pills to relief his pain. I found some tablets in Dad's room and gave them to him. I kissed him one last time before returning to my bed. He smiled at me and said something inaudible.
I had no idea what it was but it felt like he was reminding me he loved me. Xavier looked adorable when he was sleepy, his voice became sexier and deep and his eyes closed like he was a child.
I remained on my bed and watched over Xavier. He slept peacefully, unaware that I was staring at him. His chest still had bruises and his stomach wasn't left out. I randomly thought about how possible it was to fight and have no scratch on his face but on his chest and stomach.
Was he protecting his face or something?
It was insane, thinking of Xavier and the shit he wasn't going to tell me. I sighed and laid down on my bed. I fell asleep shortly after and tucked myself beneath the duvet. I folded my legs and curled to the side of the bed.
The screams from the sitting room woke me up. When I opened my eyes, I rubbed my eyes and turned to the other side if the bed. What happened this early? Why would Dad return and just start yelling?
"Oh my god, No!" I growled when the voice kept getting louder. There was no way I could sleep back with so much noise so I sprawled to my feet and slid my legs into the fluffy slippers. I walked to the sitting room and stopped when I saw Dad furious. Xavier stood opposite him and he looked angry as well, just not as much as Dad.
I stood by the doorway and listened to Dad yell at Xavier. He looked so angry, I have never seen Dad this way or this mad at Xavier.
Xavier was trying to defend himself but Dad kept shouting so he yelled too, making the noise louder.
"Dad!! You—" Xavier protested but he was interrupted.
"I have no idea what you're getting yourself involved with!"
"Who says I'm involved in anything? Fuck, give me a breathing space."
"How else can you explain being seen at odd hours? Xavier you know what I mean."
"Dad I work a night shift for heavens sake."
"That's not what we are talking about and you know it. The security have been watching you and you've been moving around beyond your closing hours."
Xavier didn't say anything else, he just scoffed and turned his face to the wall.
"Don't you dare get Emily involved in whatever it is. Don't bring her into it."
My lips twitched the moment I heard my name. Was Xavier really moving around at odd hours? I tried remembering the day I woke up to him fully dressed and how he was acting strange.
"I'm not doing shit," Xavier defended himself one last time with his fist clenched.
"You are not doing the right things Xavier. Emily is alone with you most of the tines and you want to drag her into a mess she knows nothing about? If anything happens to Emily—"
"Emily this and Emily that!" He scowled. "She's not a kid who gets forced to do things. Emily knows her left from her right and she's not getting dragged into any shit."
"You're a fucking mistake. You give all the problem there is."
That has to be the harshest thing anyone could say. Dad never hurt us with his words but this pushed him to the wall.
"How about you tell us the fucking truth and stop over working yourselves? You're not any better than a disappointment too."
The next thing I heard was a resonant sound. It landed on Xavier's face and had him holding his cheek in pain.
"Fuck," I blurted in an undertone. I never saw the slap coming.
"I am doing what I have to do, you can't fucking stop me!" Xavier fired.
He remained quiet holding his cheek and clenching his jaw. "You can't fucking stop me, Dad."
I could see the fury in his eyes, he raised his hands to hit him again and I screamed. There was no way I was letting it happen again.
"What are you doing?" I yelled from the doorway and Mom ran out immediately. My voice sounded so urgent she came in a split of jiffies.
"What the hell is going on here?" She asked looking at Xavier. She got the hint and turned to face Dad.
"Charles did you just hit your son?"
Dad said nothing in response to her, he just kept breathing at a faster pace.
"Answer me Charles! You hit my son? What has come over you? Damn it, I'm disappointed in you."
Why was everyone around me saying different hurtful things? Since Mom got with Dad I never heard her call him by his first name.
It was so bad that I barely remembered his name. "Oh my god," I said in an undertone.
"Mom."
I turned and saw Xavier walking to fall on her arms. She opened her arms and welcomed him crying in her arms. It looked so unreal, Xavier never cried publicly. He may have had a couple of breakdowns but none was right in our front or in our arms.
Mom held him gently to herself and whispered somethings to him. "It's okay baby."
Xavier sniffed and withdrew from her hug. I know he felt ashamed letting us see this part of him but that is what makes us family, yes?
Mom didn't look like she was done addressing the issue. She walked back to where Dad was and stood right in front of him.
"Charles," she called and he turned his gaze to her.
"Don't you ever raise your hands on my kids again. They're not punching bags! If you're so mad why not using the bags? There are ways to correct children and mine won't be beaten to death in an attempt to be corrected!"
I looked at Xavier and he looked at me. I couldn't vouch for him because I didn't know what he was up to and how truthful the suspicions were.
He clenched his fist and kept breathing heavily. I swallowed hard and walked away. I had no idea what I was going to do if I remained there.
I ran a quick bath and dressed up. I picked up a jogger and wore a T-shirt over it. I wanted to look casual, nothing excited me about school. I packed my hair in a low bun and grabbed my backpack.