It's not until you go back and read these things that you realize just how many people I ended up encouraging to write, huh?
Shad's Apartment, Boston, Afternoon, Shad's PoV
So Sapphire and I were at home, watching a movie on the TV and eating popcorn. Just hanging out and bonding a little bit. Then my phone rang with a ringtone I should've recognized, but the fact we were being interrupted was clouding my judgment and common sense. Again. Really got to get a hold of that sometime. 'Oh hell no, it's bonding time with my daughter right now, who the fuck is… oh,' I ranted in my head until I saw the caller ID. It was my dad, Kur on the line. My dad is the chief of police, and, as everyone in Boston knew by now, he has my case. Or rather, Ghost's case. But it's not as cut and dry as that. I have to live like this, in a small apartment with my mother and daughter, because mom divorced him, and he won out with most of the money and my brothers. Hell, the only reason I'm here is because I stayed with mom since she needed to have someone to support her with the rent. But I can't say I hate the guy. He's my dad after all; that and I started stealing to support my mom anyway. So that was technically his fault I got started on being a thief. Sucks for him, he'll never catch me.
"Hey Shad, it's your father. I just called to tell you that your brothers wanted to see you. I hope you'll come over. Bye," the voicemail ended there. I decided to go only for my brothers, since they never really see me anymore. Also, dad and my brothers would need to see Sapphire someday. I'm not about to delude myself otherwise. So I got me and Sapphire ready to go and we left for my dad's house. It was a massive house, almost like a mansion, with nice big lawn on the outskirts of the city with all the other rich people. His job got him that money, but none of that went to mom. He just spent it my brothers, himself, his side of the family, and me on my birthdays. Man can hold a grudge, huh?
My brothers were playing in the front yard when I arrived. Tom, the second youngest, was reading on the porch. He had brown hair, blue eyes, wore light clothes no matter what, even in winter, and loved reading and Pokemon. TJ was playing his DS on the lawn chair; don't ask me how since you can barely see the screen in sunlight. He was the third youngest, chubby, and really nice and shy. He also loved TV and video games, but was lazy as sin. Finally, Luke was playing football with my dad in the yard up ahead. Luke was the youngest of my brothers and the most athletic of us (as far as anyone outside the Black Stars knew). He was addicted to sports, but was definitely a sore loser. He looked like a small version of Tom only he was more green eyed and angular. Then there was my dad, a burly man who wore his uniform out of his job. He had the same brown hair as the rest of my brothers, and the same eyes. If I didn't have his blood in my veins, then it would be almost impossible to tell we were related with my black hair and yellow eyes.
My dad went to say hi after throwing the ball to Luke again, but then he stopped when he saw my little girl. Before he could say anything, my brothers rushed over, telling me about school and how things were on dads end. They were happy to see me, I could tell that much. Dad was too, but I can tell who he wasn't happy to see. He told my brothers to go inside, and they listened, then he asked in a strained, calm tone, "Who's that Shad?"
"This is Sapphire," I explained defensively, putting said girl behind me. "She's my adopted daughter as of a couple days ago." I could tell this would end badly, probably in a fight with my dad. Then again, it was for my little girl.
"No. You are not keeping that little girl, you're struggling keeping your mother and yourself in that apartment as it is," he argued. While his logic was sound in a sense, he was suggesting I get rid of my little girl. I felt my eyes turn red at the thought of it.
"Sapphire, go inside and play with your uncles. I'm going to have a chat with your grandfather," I ordered her. I didn't want her to hear what I was going to say to Kur.
"LIKE HELL I'M LETTING THAT PIECE OF TRASH INTO MY HOUSE!" he screamed. I felt something snap, physically and mentally. When I got to my senses, if realized that I punched him. Hard, in the nose, full power by the looks of it.
"Never say that to my daughter again. Come on Sapphire," I said to my daughter, leaving my father's house. "Oh and one more thing dad," I growled feeling my rage fade. "If you touch her, or do anything to her… I hunt you down, and beat you into a bloody pulp." I left him staring at me in terror and shock. I probably was a little overkill, but screw it. No one is taking my daughter from me.
I returned home late. I brought Sapphire to McDonald's to apologize for what my dad had said. I told her to ignore him, he was just sore that I wanted to try to be a parent. We came home to see my mom waiting for me. She knew I was with dad, and he texted what happened. She said that understood why I hit him. I was defending my daughter after all, any parent would do what I did. She also confessed to knowing about my bullies, since her boss hated his kids and hoped I stood up for myself soon, much to my surprise; she wanted to see how I would handle it. But she did ask if I was the one who killed them in the first place. I had to trust her. She was with me for years, and never wanted me hurt. "You shouldn't have killed them," she began. "But you did it in self defense after suffering at their hands for years and to protect Sapphire's name. I'll forgive you for their deaths this time, but try to incapacitate them next time it happens."
"You're being awfully calm about this," I said after a few moments of silence. "Especially since I killed three people."
"Your life is your own, and you are my son," my mom replied with a soft smile. "I could never hate any of you for your actions, even if I wanted to." I felt my conscious lift a little bit at that.
"Thanks mom."
"No problem, Shad."
Sapphire and I went to bed after that little moment of bonding and I reflected on what I did that day. I hit my dad, and in rage no less. But he did insulted and rejected his new granddaughter. He didn't exactly deserved it, but I did what I had to in order to keep my daughter, like any good parent would. I just hope that Sapphire wouldn't follow that as how to handle a bad situation at school… or at least immediately.
