what_fourth_wall

The one kiss ever shared between them came after he stormed out of his house, his father’s incoherent yells chasing them both out. He was feeling so much that he didn’t know what to do.

“Wade! Stop!”

He stopped. Jennie, a little out of breath, caught up to him. She hugged him fiercely. “He’s wrong, you know.”

Wade shook his head. She kissed his forehead. It didn’t stop the tears of anger, shame, sorrow, and so many other feelings, but it did pierce right through everything and get his attention. One simple, non-romantic kiss, and it meant so very much.

“Here.” Wade set a bottle of good Scotch down in front of Derrick.

“Thanks.” Derrick opened it and poured. There were no questions about where it had come from or how Wade had gotten it.

“Tell me a story. About ‘Nam.”

The man looked at the boy, already more a man than the father. For a few seconds, he appraised him. Then he nodded. No smile – just a nod. What he did do was pour Wade his first drink and shove it over to him. Then he began the story of the time he earned his Purple Heart. Wade listened.

For all his faults, Derrick was not a physically abusive man. Verbally, yes. But not physically. It wasn’t because he was a good person; it was because he was too weak of a person. Too afraid. But he did hit Wade once, the very first, and only, time Wade every suggested his war stories were lies. Wade crumpled to the ground. But he got back up. He hit back. And his dad beat the shit out of him, but it wasn’t a clean fight. Both walked away with many, many bruises. Wade’s bruises would heal. His father’s most likely wouldn’t.

Family was a man that told you stories of a war he never fought in and medals he never got. Family was a man that, in his (many) darker moments, felt the need to always remind you that the reason you didn’t have a mom was because you killed her on the way out – whether you asked the question or not. Wade had only asked once, and had been answered a thousand times for it. Was it another lie? Did it matter? Family was a pet you wanted and never got because “You’ll kill that too.” Family was a lie.