"Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses." - Lao Tzu
"What's going on?" Alex asked as he limped in with a cane.
"Alex," Christi breathed out, "This is my son. His name is Seth Alexander Sloan."
"When did you have him?" Alex asked.
"When I was sixteen. I had him before I moved to Seattle with Mark. He's eight years old."
"Why didn't he come with you to Seattle?"
"Well, my parents fought for custody, saying that he'd be better off with them instead of me. I fought so I would get custody back after I finished medical school, but I'm getting him back before then."
"Because he's hurt you're getting him back? Or is there a bigger thing?" Alex eyed Christi. He wasn't angry, he was only curious.
"Well," Christi pulled him outside, "I told Mark that… That Robert, my step dad, is Seth's father. Robert raped me when I was sixteen and threatened to kill Seth and I if I told anyone at all." She lowered her voice to a whisper.
"That," Alex was at a loss for words.
"I know," Christi said, "So Mark talked me into calling the police when the three of us, and now four, got back to Seattle. That way Robert can't hurt us." Christi said.
"It's a good idea. I'll be by your side the whole time, and I'll help raise Seth too."
"Thank you, Alex, I love you." she said, letting a few tears escape and hugging him."
"I love you too, now let's get back in there so I can get to know him." Alex suggested. Christi nodded and they walked back in there.
"Seth," she said, her eyes dried, "This is Alex. He's the guy I was talking about." Christi says, cautious not to mention anything about being his daddy, in fear of scaring Alex.
"You're gonna be my new daddy?" Seth asks. 'Shoot,' Christ thought.
"Yeah, I am," Alex smiles, liking the thought of being a dad.
"Why are you limping?" Seth asks as Alex goes to sit down.
"I got shot," Alex said.
"Whoa, that's so cool! Why'd you get shot?"
"There was a shooting at the hospital I work at. But don't worry, the guy was terrible and crazy."
"Okay, I'm not worried." Seth reassured him, "Wanna know why I'm in the hospital?"
"Why," Alex asks.
"I got into a battle with a dragon, and the dragon hurt me up real bad, so now I'm in the hospital!" Seth said, giving vivid detail and sound affects.
"That's gnarly," Alex compliments, leaning forward.
"Seth," Robert growls as he walks in, "Don't tell lies."
"Yes, grandpa, sorry grandpa," Seth says quickly.
"If you lie, you go to hell,"
"Since when are you deeply religious?" they hear a familiar voice. They see a mildly pregnant Veronica standing at the door.
"Aunty Veronica!" Seth exclaims.
"Hey, buddy, how you holding up?" Veronica asks, bringing him a bowl of ice cream.
"I'm doing great!" he exclaims happily, "All of my favoritest people are here, and some that I don't really like." Seth gives a discreet sideways glance to Robert as he says that. It goes unnoticed by his grandfather.
"Well, you're better now that I brought you ice cream." Veronica laughs.
"Ahh, Veronica," Robert smiles a fake smile.
"Hey, Robby," Veronica smiles. She had a friendly war with Christi's step father going. At one point, they were very close, but then he turned into a dick to her and they fight discreetly.
"You're pregnant, I see," Robert smirks, "Or are you?"
"Well, I'm not as fat as you were before your tummy tuck." Veronica smirked back. Robert also took his vanity as a very big thing. He always had to look good, and got offended easily when someone said otherwise.
"Well, is there a father to this baby?"
"Oh, Robert," Veronica says in a humorously harmed voice, "You hurt my feelings so awfully much."
"You learned some vocabulary! Good for you!" Robert says, clapping. Veronica opens her mouth to say something, closes it, and says something else.
"Oh, I'm not gonna say that one. It's a tad too mean for you."
Robert scoffs, "Bring it on,"
"No, really, it is a little too mean, and I hate being mean." Veronica tilts her head, smiles creepily and blinks twice. Her face then turns to a twisted smirk.
"Just like you hate everything else, you hater."
"You're right," Veronica says, "I am a hater. Let me list the things I hate. I hate you, I hate coffee cake, I hate your pants, I hate your house, I hate your parenting styles, I hate your coffee cake, and most of all, I really do hate you." she listed off her fingers. Robert looked taken aback.
"How the hell can you say that about my coffee cake? I put so much work into it."
"See, this is one time I think it's hilarious with you, how clueless you are. Nevertheless, I hate you and your dirty coffee cake."
Robert just scoffed and walked out. Christi laughed and smiled at Veronica. Mark and Alex looked like they were ready to hold someone back, even though Alex couldn't, and Seth had fallen asleep.
"He looks so cute when he's sleeping." Mark smiled.
"I know, I used to talk to him on the phone and over video all the time, but then the abuse with him and Robert." Christi sighed.
"Robert hit Seth?" Alex growled.
"Yeah, Yeah, he did. It's terrible, and then Robert stop letting him call me a lot." Christi whimpered. Veronica came over and hugged her.
"It's gonna be okay, he'll be with you and everyone who loves him. He's gonna be safe." she reassured Christi.
"Thanks," Christi smiled.
"I wanted to kick his ass for laying a hand on you," Alex growled, "Then you told me that thing, and I wanted to kick his ass more for laying more than a hand on you. Now that he's laid his hands on Seth, I wanna kick his ass on a whole new level!"
"I'm glad you want to, and that you're protective toward Seth and I, but you can't in your condition." Christi smiles and kisses him.
"Let me do the ass kicking for now." Mark said.
"Please," Veronica scoffed, "Neither of you could kick ass as hard as I can."
"Very true," Christi says and laughs. XXX
It was a few days later and Seth was getting out of the hospital. Christi, Veronica, Alex and Mark had packed all his furniture, clothes and items up in boxes and were having them driven in a moving truck across country to Seattle.
"Ready to get out of the hospital, buddy?" Christi asked as she and Alex came in to drive him home.
"Yeah!" he exclaimed. Then a nurse came in.
"I need to do a last check-up and then discharge him." she said. Ten minutes later, they were wheeling him outside.
"So, we'll swing by Robert's house, then you can say goodbye to him, and get a few things, then I want to have a few words with Robert. We'll stop by any friends houses you want. Then we'll be driving for a long time and be in Seattle in a few days." Christi explained the plan of the day to him.
"Okay," Seth said. They stopped by all Seth's friends' houses first.
He only had a few friends, not being popular at school because kids teased him about living with him grandparents and not having a father and stuff. The friends said sad goodbyes and then they went to Robert's house.
Robert was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, drinking a scotch. Christi and Seth went up to him, while Mark and Veronica, who were following the family of three to the airport, went in and got a few suitcases full of stuff that belonged to Seth, and a carry-on bag for him on the plane filled with fun stuff. Seth and Christi walked up to Robert and the two older ones smiled at each other.
"It's only eleven, and you're already drinking?" Christi asked.
"Well, you are taking away the child I've raised for eight years."
"The child you abused for eight years. This is for the better."
"May be," Robert said, "It doesn't mean I'm not sad."
"I know," she said, "Oh, I sure do know."
"I am losing everything, first your mother, now my grandson. I've already lost you, I lost you a long time ago." he said, and for a moment, a small moment, Christi felt bad for him. But then she felt like laughing. She was getting her kid back, and she was so happy.
"Well, goodbye," she said, "Seth, say goodbye."
"Bye, grandpa," he said.
"Bye Seth," he said, hugging him, "Bye, Christi,"
"I have something to say to you, so stand up," Christi said after Seth got into the car. He stood up and stumbled slightly. Then, she swung her fist back, and punched him square in the jaw. He collapsed in his chair and sighed, rubbing it. They had heard multiple cracks, mostly from her fingers breaking. Alex was laughing loudly and hysterically. He limped out and over to her, and got her into the car where he checked her hand.
"I'll see you, who knows when." Robert said before she walked away. Veronica and Mark loaded the last of the things into the car. After Alex got her hand on ice, they all got going. Robert watched very sadly as they drove away while contemplating what could be the biggest decision of his entire life. XXX
It was two weeks after they got Seth settled into their new apartment. He had taken to the new Seattle life quickly. He made a lot of new friends in Seattle at school, now not being labeled a nerd because of his family life anymore. He got a new, clean slate and was starting over. He was a lot happier.
Christi was a lot happier with her son around now too. Now that he and Alex had a good life, with a good home, and a good family, she was doing very well. Mark and Christi were getting along very well. She wasn't very worried about Robert. She was sure he could handle himself. That is, until they started to start things in court.
Mark and Alex had helped Christi file a report against him, and then take action. They sued him, and their lawyer was supposed to arrive in Florida a few days after to serve him in person. He would be arrested and brought to Seattle, where the trial would be held.
It was a few days after they started the whole thing, and they expected the lawyer would be back soon. They were right. However, he came with unexpected news, and a note.
"What's wrong," Christi asked as the lawyer showed up at their door, "Come in,"
"Well, Christi, your father committed suicide." the lawyer said. She let out a gasp and tears came to her eyes. As much of an asshole as he was, Christi still felt bad.
"How," Alex asked.
"He overdosed on arthritis medication, took eighteen pills in one night."
"On purpose," Christi gasped.
"Yes, he left a note, not for anyone in particular, but I didn't know who else to give it to." the lawyer handed it over and left.
"What does it say?" Alex asked. Christi read off of it.
"I have no regrets. I don't regret the things I've inflicted or the damage I've done. I don't regret the decision of death, or the reason for my death. I don't regret dying now, or the way I died. I regret nothing. If I hadn't done some of the things I did, Seth Alexander Sloan wouldn't be here. I have done so many bad things, but how many have turned out good in the end? Most of them. I wish my family had loved me more, not just my married family, but my parents, my siblings, and the like. I could've been a better person, more loving. To some people I was, some people did like me. No love is enough though. Again, I have no regrets, I have no worries. I hope, though, that my family, even if they don't think themselves of mine, will be safe and okay. All my belongings and who they will go to are in my will. Please, I wish everyone the best. I love you all, and I'm sorry to be doing this. Goodbye," she finished, shaking. Alex hugged her and kissed her forehead.
"It'll all be okay,"
"A memory is a photograph taken by the heart to make a special moment last forever." -Unknown.