The Thing About the Truth

“It’s my decision!”

“No!” He screams. “This is my family, my house-” 

“Your house?” The woman laughs, “This is my house; you pay bills!”

“Why you-"

“Do it! Hit me, and I’ll have you arrested!”

A 12-year-old boy held onto his little sister, asleep in his arms, covering her ears with his tiny hands, shielding her from downstairs chaos.

“Our kids are better off without you.”

“I have the right to them!”

“You lost that right when you started sleeping with other women!”

“I told you, I never slept with anyone!” The man groaned, “You believe everyone in this town except the person who should matter.”

“Cause all you do is lie! Where’s that promotion, huh? That raise you were bragging about?”

“Krista, that’s management….” He sighed, “They told me that I would get it-”

“Well, you didn’t! Your daughter’s sick, and moping around won’t pay the bills.”

“What do you want me to do? Leave them here alone at night while we both work?”

“We can get a babysitter-”

“You don’t have time to look for one!” He snapped, “You don’t want to leave them with your mother, and you won’t let me choose either.”

“Cause you’d probably get the easy young girl.”

The man gave a tired laugh, “You know what, Krista? I can’t do this anymore.”

“What?” She watched as her husband walked to the door, “Wait, Ma-“

“Just…” He opens the front door, trying his best not to look back. “Just let me think, Krista.”

Hearing the front door made the young boy sit up, setting his sister back in bed; he ran down the stairs past his mother, who was nursing a glass of wine; he threw the door open and ran out.

“Dad! Dad!”