Holding on to the Rooftops-The Unexpected Victim



Scott glared over his plate at Landon. Landon was smiling at Elaine as he began to talk business with his dinner guests. Scott sighed when he realized Landon wasn't going to look up so he could give him the evil eye. Scott was about to place a large forkful of potatoes in his mouth when he felt a hand on his knee. He looked up at Elaine who was giving him sympathetic look and then nodded slightly to Landon.

Scott looked down at his food confused; he hadn't a clue what was going on in his life anymore. Scott was about ready to explode when one of Landon's guests let out a high-pitched squeal of a laugh. Scott had hat enough. Placing his fork down with a clatter Scott spoke as calmly as possible. "May I please be excused?"

Landon glared at him and then smiled. "Of course Scott, I trust you will be going up to your room to prepare for bed."

"Of course," Scott said standing up, his chair scraping across the floor. He ran up the stairs at top speed but still couldn't seem to get up them fast enough. Scott flopped himself on his bed and began crying. Scott was surprised to see that it felt good. He had been holding his tears in for the longest time but now the flooded his face and brought comfort to his aching heart.

Once his tears had dried up Scott went to his full-length mirror. His eyes were red and puffy but there was a smile there. "Mom, Dad, you may both be gone now, but I'm still. And I'm going to try to make you happy while I am." Scott looked up startled when he realized someone had been watching him. "Elaine…"

"Scotty, look, I know what I did to you in the past was… wrong. But one thing I know that you seem to not, is that your parents… they loved you. It tore your father apart knowing that you were in grief. He missed you so much; you were all he ever talked about. Scott, your father was always proud of you, and he always will be. But he wouldn't want you to be grieving just because he left."

Scott couldn't look up, he wanted to cry because Elaine had changed, and was comforting. All at the same time, however, Scott was afraid he would wake up and it would all be a dream. "Why couldn't you have let me stay there then?"

Scott looked up at Elaine now. Her eyes were on her feet and Scott could see tears beginning to form. She shook her head lightly, her eyes remaining on the floor. "Scott, I know you won't believe me, and it doesn't matter but the truth is I didn't have a choice. Granted, I'm glad we can spend time together so that I can try to gain forgiveness from you, but I knew you were happy there… I would have kept you there if I could have…"



Scott woke up abruptly when he heard banging and shouting coming from downstairs. "LISTEN YOU LITTLE SLUT, I'M NOT ABOUT TO LET THAT CHILD MAKE A FOOL OUT OF ME, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SYOP ME! HE ISN'T YOU'RE CHILD AND I'M THE ONE PAYING FOR HIM. DON'T YOU EVER FORGET I GAVE YOU EVEYTHING YOU OWNED," Scott heard Landon yell and then another bang and the walls rumbled. "WHAT DID YOU SAY? LOUDER, I CAN'T HEAR YOU."

"I'm sorry," Scott heard Elaine say in a trembling voice. Scott started towards the banister and stopped when Landon and Elaine were in a spot where he could see them but they couldn't see him. Landon was leaning down next to the crumpled woman who used to haunt him in his nightmares.

"Why do you make me do this to you? You know you shouldn't upset me like that," Landon said stroking her forehead. "I love you, but you don't make it easy."

"I'm sorry, I really am," Scott looked away at this ever-disgusting display in front of him. Elaine had turned from monster to victim in less time than it took to blink.



Author's Note: Okay, so what's you think? I think since I posted so quickly I deserve some reviews. Cough, cough, wink, wink, nudge, nudge. LOL…