Suzie’s House 32: Respect

“I’m going out,” Ben said as he headed for the front door of his dad’s apartment.

“Out?  Out where?”  Dad came out of the kitchen with a dishrag in his hands, which was a real laugh because he hardly ever bothered to do things like wash the dishes.

“I don’t know.  Just out.”  Ben put his hand on the doorknob.

He waited a moment, shoulders tense and breath tight, expecting an explosion.

“Seems to me you should stick around more.  You only just got here, son.”  Dad’s voice was a little tight.  He must still be on the Leave It To Beaver script.

“It isn’t like you wanted me here anyway,” Ben muttered.  He didn’t turn around, but he didn’t turn the doorknob either.

“I said, you only just got here. Where do you think you’re going?  You can’t go back to your mother’s house tonight.  She’s probably entertaining someone right now.”

“What?  You mean like Drew?  Or Vin?”  Ben turned around, and put his back to the door.

“She’s doing two men at once!?”  Dad’s face went an ugly shade of red.

“Ewww, that’s sick, Dad.  Mom isn’t ‘doing’ anyone.  Not like you and your bimbo of the week program.”

“Shut up.  Just shut up.”  Dad took a step toward him, fists balled and eyes blazing.  Ben yanked the door open with a rising sense of panic.  He hadn’t meant to push his father too far.  To his surprise, Dad stepped back, taking a deep breath.

“Look, if it were up to me I’d let you run wild.  But I’m under some obligation to see to your safety and well being.  The least you could do is help me out.”

Oh wonderful, Ben grumbled to himself.  Instead of anger, this week’s featured emotion would be the guilt trip.  Maybe Mom could get away with it, but not Ben’s father.  You had to respect someone for them to be able to guilt trip you.

“Come watch some TV with me.  There’s a Packer’s game rerun tonight.”

“I don’t like TV or sports, Dad.” Ben started to back through the door.

“Just a minute, boy.”  Ben’s father dropped the towel on the easy chair and the fake friendliness from his voice.  “You aren’t going anywhere.”

“Why not?”

If he told Mom he was going out, she asked where, then said something about being back in time for supper.  Sometimes she said he should wait until some other time because they were going somewhere, or something.  The point was, she always had a reason, and always told him what it was.

His father said, “Because I said so.”

“But why do you say so?”

“Quit back talking.”

Ben mouthed the words in imitation, screwing up is face, but carefully turning so Dad wouldn’t see.

“Why are you like this?  When your mother’s around you’re this perfect little angel.  Then I get you home, and you show your real self.  Why can’t you be like this for your mother?”

“This isn’t my home,” Ben said.  He walked into the hall before his father could say anything else to hurt him.

Dad followed him out.  “She’s turned you against me, hasn’t she.”

“Mom has never said anything about you to me.”  Ben stopped at the top of the steps and turned around.  “Not like you.  You’re always badmouthing her, and you know what?  I’m tired of it!  I don’t even think you should be saying stuff like this to me.  If anyone turned me against you, it’s you.”

“If you set foot outside this building then you’re on your own, Ben.  Do you hear me?  You’ll have to find somewhere else to sleep.  And don’t expect me to give you a ride to your mother’s house.”

“Fine.  I’ll walk home.”  Ben went down the staircase – a run of linoleum-clad steps with a brown plastic runner.  He hated walking home, but it was better than spending one more minute than he had to with his father.  “It wasn’t your night to have me anyway.”

The previous was Suzie’s House 31: A Sympathetic Ear

This is Suzie’s House 32: Respect

Next is Suzie’s House 33 : Suzie and Drew Sitting in a Tree