“ENOUGH!!!” Grayson bellows, making me jump out of my skin. “You can say what the hell you want to me, but not Ems. You don’t get to fuck her head up like you have mine! You’re a fucking pathetic excuse for a father. Look at you? Drunk, barely able to stand and pulling your own children to pieces to make yourself feel better. We grew up without our mother because of you”
Mr St. Clair roars and charges at Grayson with his glass held high in his hand like he’s going to use it as a weapon and they both wrestle to the floor. Ems is screaming and I’m shouting at Dom to make them stop.
Somehow, Dom wrenches Grayson off his dad and pulls him away. I’ve never seen Grayson look so lost in his anger. Mr St. Clair stands unsteadily to his feet, blood dripping from his bust lip and he moves towards where Izzy and I are standing by the door but he barely makes it two steps before his eyes roll in his head and he drops to the floor passed out.
For a few seconds, there’s deadly silence in the room, Until Owen steps over Mr St. Clair and pulls a sniffling Emily into his arms.
“Come on, Ems. We’ll go to my house.”
Ems shakes her head. “No, I need to help Grayson tidy up.” She looks down at her father, “Is he okay? Should we call an ambulance?”
“No,” Grayson barks out firmly. “They’ll call in social services and we’ll both be hauled off into foster care. He’s just drunk. He’ll sleep it off and be fine tomorrow.” Grayson looks up at Ems and his face softens. “You go with Owen. Dom and I will get him in bed and then the four of us will sort this mess,” he reassures her, gesturing to Izzy and me.
“Is it true?” Ems asks, the tears still falling down her pale face, “Am I not his daughter?”
Grayson shakes his head. “Of course you are Ems. He’s drunk he doesn’t know what he’s saying.” He looks at Owen. “Take care of her, yeah?”
Owen nods as he wraps his arm protectively around Emily’s shoulder. “You know I will.”
Grayson nods and wipes blood from his cheek. Owen guides Ems out of the room, leaving the four of us to deal with the aftermath of his father’s drunken tirade.
I step over his dad to reach him and search his eyes. “Are you okay?”
He nods, looking weary. No one his age should have to deal with shit like this. “You’re bleeding,” I say, concerned, and I cup his face to look at where the blood is coming from.
“I’m fine, it’s just a little blood,” he says, dropping a kiss on my forehead.
“I’ll get some ice for it,” I announce, needing to do something for him. He doesn’t argue, he just nods before turning to Dom.
“Will you help me get him upstairs to his bed?”
Dom nods. Grayson grabs his dad under the arms and Dom grabs his feet and they manoeuvre around the broken pieces of furniture and out of the room.
For a second Izzy and I just stare silently at the devastation of the room. Izzy grabs my hand and tugs me out. “Come on, you get the ice and I’ll make everyone a cup of tea.”
I sigh as I allow her to pull me gently into the kitchen. “I think we all might need something stronger than tea.”
We spend the next hour cleaning up all the mess that Grayson’s dad created. Grayson finally lets me look at the cut above his eye. I have him hop up on the kitchen countertop while I fix it up. I have a feeling he will be sporting a shiner in the next couple of days.
“You, okay?” I ask him as I apply the cream to his cut. He’s been unusually quiet, even for him.
He nods, his jaw tense. “Do you think he was telling the truth about Ems?”
I rest my hands on his thighs and shake my head. “I have no idea, but does it matter? She’s still your sister no matter what.”
He nods and looks down at his cut hands. “Do you think,” he blows out a breath, “do you think that’s why she took her own life, because the guy she was having an affair with took off?”
I step in between Grayson’s legs and place my hands in his. “I honestly don’t know Grayson. I guess the only person who can answer that question is your mum, and she’s not here to do that. Don’t tie yourself up in knots about something you’ll never know the answer to.”
He nods, giving me a sad smile. He looks so broken and defeated, and it is not something I am used to. I want to take his pain away and make everything okay for him, but I can’t.
“I don’t think you or Ems should stay here for a while,” I suggest to him.
“I was thinking the same. I’m going to ring Ems’ school tomorrow and tell them she is sick and that she’ll likely return next week.”
I nod in agreement. I think they both need some time out. “I’m going to ring my dad and square it for you both to stay with us.”
He smiles at me, leaning down to kiss me. “I don’t deserve someone as good as you.’
“Yes you do,” I tell him firmly, “You deserve to be happy Grayson, don’t let your dad’s words poison your mind. Here,” I hold out the ice pack, “put this on your cheek. I’m going to go make that call.”
I leave him icing his bruised cheek and I walk over to the laundry room and close myself in.
“Hey Dad, its me. I have a favour to ask.”
AN HOUR LATER WE DROP Izzy off at home and we pick up Ems and we all
