Jo-Jo: My parents make me mad sometimes.

Abby: So do mine. what’s up, Joey?

Jo-Jo: Nothing. My dad and I just got into another fight.

Abby: I’m on my way over.

Jo-Jo: You don’t have to.

Abby: Don’t tell me what to do. That’s what besties are for. See you in ten.

Slamming the truck door, I marched up to my parent’s house, even angrier than earlier when I saw my father had beat me home. The memories of fighting with my father in high school flooded back to me; a few so bad, he threated to kick me out and cut me off entirely. Joining the Marines was the most offensive thing I could have done and seeing the ire on his face the night before boot camp had been the highlight of my day back then. I remembered every time Abby had come to my rescue then, as she did even now, not afraid to step between us and protect me fiercely.

But she wasn’t here now, and I had to fight my own battles for once.

My father must have been finishing his shift when we had brought Zoey in. I’d tried driving around, getting coffee to calm me down, even parking out by the lake and letting my feelings sort themselves out.

Whatever my father had said had upset Abby, and we’d both said some things that we’d regret later. But for now, I had to find out what he had said, and how to fix this with Abby. I wasn’t giving up on her, and I didn’t believe her in the slightest.

I strode past my father in his favorite recliner, grabbed a beer the fridge, and downed the entire thing.

“Well, well, the prodigal son returns home,” he sneered at me. “Remember you need to pay for that beer, son.”

“Shut the hell up,” I told him, crushing the can and throwing it in the garbage. “What did you say to Abby at the hospital?”

“I told her what she needed to hear.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

“What’s going on out here?” My mother appeared from her back sewing room. “Joey, what are you talking about?”

My father waved her away. “This doesn’t concern you, Jean.”

I turned to her. “He said something to Abby at the hospital, and she told me she never wanted to see me again!”

“Hospital?” My mother blinked at me. “Why were you at the hospital?”

“Zoey fell, at the pool,” I told her dismissively. “She’s fine,” I added when I saw the look of panic on her face.

“She’s not fine,” my father added. “Five stitches to the back of her head. At least the x-rays showed no other signs of damage to her cranium.”

My mother gasped. “How did that happen, Joey?”

“The idiot boy let the baby jump off the side of a pool.”

She turned to me. “Joey! How could you?”

“It was an accident!” I yelled, not caring about the look of hurt on my mother’s face. “Why is everyone so freaked out about this?”

“Oh, poor thing, her little head. I should call Abby and see if she’s okay.”

“You’ll do no such thing, Jean,” my father barked. “She’s a big girl who can take care of herself. She was certainly fine after she killed Evan, now wasn’t she?”

My mother stood gaping at him, unable to respond.

“What do you mean killed Evan?” I cracked my knuckles and approached him.

He waved me away. “Nothing you need to worry about now. Just know I saved you from that evil woman and the path of destruction she had you on. Remember the narrow way is the true way, son.”

“I’ve had enough of this religious bullshit,” I shouted at him. “You forced me into the Marines, told me I wouldn’t have a place to live if I didn’t, and you have fought me every minute I’ve been back in this house.” I turned to my mother. “Every minute you let him treat your sons this way you are destroying us. Why do you think Mike, Kelly, and even Randy were so eager to leave the minute they turned eighteen? It’s because of him.” I pointed to my father. “He’s poison, Mother, and why the hell you put up with it, I don’t even know.”

“You can’t talk to you mother like that,” my father started to say.

I had turned to the front door but turned to stare back at my father. “I don’t care if you think Abby killed Evan. I don’t even care if she actually did. Evan destroyed her, hurt her, and beat her within an inch of her life. I don’t care if he was a veteran. He deserved what he got.”

“Some women need to be put in their place.”

I balled my fists at my side, the irrational anger at my father squelching all my rational thought. I didn’t care. “What the fuck did you just say?”

My mother tried to interrupt, but I held up my hand to silence her. “You took away the best thing in my life,” I shouted at my father, “you sexist, egotistical, asshole. I hope you’re happy. I hope you enjoy how you’ve made her,” I pointed at my mother, “feel. You sent away all her sons, and it’s only a matter of time before Juney does the same. In fact, it wouldn’t even surprise me if she joins a cult and gets pregnant and marries someone from a motorcycle club. You deserve it. Both of you!”

With that outburst, I turned toward the door. I had to get out of here—before one of us did something we would regret. I threw the front door open, and it clanged against the closet behind it.

“Joey! Wait!”

I slammed the door behind me, cutting my mother off.

As far as I was concerned, I would never step foot in their house ever again. I’d rather be homeless and alone than deal with their bullshit for one more minute.