A LOVE FORBIDDEN

d like burnt w

ling fan did little to drown out the sound of his father stumbling around the kitchen, searching for another bottle

stopped

ave stayed up late, waiting for his dad to come ho

his father muttered, s

looking for. The last bottle of whiskey had been emptied

et except for his

. Olivia had learned to block out the noise with music, but Emily

messy brown hair and exhaled

k on his sisters, his father appeared in the

you?" Mark slurred,

ed his jaw.

think I don't know what you're doing? Hidi

er made something sharp

thout so much as a goodbye. No warning, no explanation-just an e

hated her

father more for w

ke muttered, stand

tter laugh. "You don't

ven flinch as his father stepped closer,

his voice breaking for the first time. "Y

ed as his father's anger faded int

st time in mont

n't just drunk

pain, searching for some

't have the e

own pain to

to help him

father's eyes burning into him, but he refused to look up. He had learn

an me?" Mark muttered, his

nswer. There

ike you run things. Like you're the man now. But

er's words right back at him, but what was the use? Nothing he said

His father had thrown an empty bottle against

d, already turning away. "An

mbled toward his bedroom, the

le

e was tired-tired of the drinking, the fighting, the endle

of feeling like this house w

from the stairs

teddy bear to her chest. Her bi

ething again?" she a

it felt hollow. "Yeah, but i

ted. "You'

she had already learned to read his moods. Sh

d gently. "I

ent before nodding and di

He grabbed a broom from the corner of the kitchen and began sweeping

shoulders. He sat back down on the couch and stared at th

he told

going to get o

ing came

eavy, his limbs sore from another night of restless sleep. He turned over,

have tim

room next door. Inside, Emily was curled up under her blanket, her tiny form rising and falling with

Jake said, nudging

r face into her pillow.

ho's gonna walk you to sch

peeked up at him, her sleepy b

d quickly, throwin

already rushing to grab her clothes. Oliv

ell," she mutter

iv," Jake

g his face. "Dad was

gged. "No

ed. At fourteen, she was old enough to understand what was g

up on that hope

e told them. "Br

-empty bottles on the counter, dirty dishes piled in the sink. He ignored it all, g

d him, he had their sandwic

at him. "You're

ffling her hair. "Let's g

ir school, listening to Emily chatter about some new art project while Olivia stayed most

ol day was j

knew it was g