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Chapter 25
Things were no better between Mike and Hannah. The fights were pretty salvage and they upset the other kids. Mike tried not to respond to Hannah, but he struggled, and when she insulted Christine or the other kids, he would lash out which only made things worse. After one, when Hannah had slapped Mike and cut his cheek, Christine found him in the bathroom trying to stop the bleeding.
"Here, let me." Christine said as she took the wash cloth. She could tell the cut wasn't just physically painful to Mike, because it was the first time Hannah had struck him.
"It hurts." Mike remarked.
"Once she's cooled down; I'll talk to her. Let her know, its not acceptable behavior." Christine said as she dabbed the cut.
"I honestly don't care as long as she doesn't do it to you or the kids." Mike commented.
"This is going to bruise." Christine remarked.
"Not my first black eye, just the first and hopefully only one from my own child. Would you feel up to looking after Joy this weekend? Tom and Russ asked if I'd go to Russ's cabin and go fishing with them. I thought a little distance between me and Hannah might help. Or…I hoped it would." Mike asked.
"Of course." Christine said.
"I don't know what else to do." Mike remarked.
"Love her regardless. Don't retaliate. I know its difficult and I am disappointed in her, but she's seeking something. I don't even know what it is." Christine admitted.
"What I don't understand is that she is fine with Joy, but she hates me with a passion." Mike said.
"I don't think she hates you." Christine argued, but Mike pointed to his eye.
"If you walked in there and asked her if she did, what would she say?" Mike asked.
"I don't know." Christine admitted.
"Yeah, exactly and neither of us knows how to fix it." Mike said as he stood up and threw the wash rag in the hamper.
"I wish I had an answer. I can go in and talk to her, ask her; if you'd like me to." Christine offered.
"I am afraid of that answer. As I said, as long as she doesn't do this to you or the others, I will learn to live with it. When you do talk to her…remind her that I maybe a bad one, but I am still her father and I do love her." Mike said before walking out of the bathroom and into their bedroom that they still shared. Christine walked into Hannah's bedroom and sat down on the bed.
"Mom, seriously? Can't I have privacy? The door was closed." Hannah asked.
"Not as long as your dad and I pay rent here. Now; I don't have to tell you; what you did was wrong. Hitting your dad? That's a no go." Christine said.
"Seriously? I bet he's hit you a dozen times and you are totally wrapped up in him." Hannah said.
"No, he hasn't ever hit me. Your dad has never been anything but a perfect gentlemen to me. Sure, there have been times he's said things I didn't like, but he was being honest. Hannah, what you did tonight; it was completely wrong. So, you are to write a letter to your father apologizing. You are also grounded for a month. Other then school, you are to be home. I will also be taking your cellphone. I'm not certain when you'll get it back." Christine said as she grabbed the phone from the desk and slid it in her pocket.
"I have to be home with him all weekend?" Hannah asked.
"Not this weekend. He is going fishing with friends this weekend. Felt he needed a little distance from you so he didn't do something he'd regret. He regrets being gone so much, but it wasn't entirely his fault. He really does love you, Hannah; and never forget that. If you are trying to lose him, you might break his heart, but you won't lose him. Just do us all a favor and quit trying. It will be a hopeless endeavor." Christine explained.
"His regrets being gone so much, so he leaves again?" Hannah questioned.
"Hannah; you slapped your father. He'll have a black eye. A man that loves you unconditionally. And you know what; you could do the same thing every day, and he'll allow it as long as you don't do the same to me or the other kids. If he needs a break away from you, so be it. Write the letter and give it to me before your father reads it. Good night." Christine said before leaving the room. She was done talking to Hannah and hoped the next morning to have clarity.