Things Fall Apart

Adele~

At the gate, I flagged down a taxi and like a kidnapper, shoved my son in. The boy wouldn't move on his own unless I forced him, and that, I was willing to do. I'd keep forcing him, even if it meant locking him in a room until he saw reasoning.

Anyone could call it child abuse, I didn't care. Let them call it whatever ugly names they wanted. What was worse—me forcing him into safety, or letting him slip further into the ugly hands of that malicious woman, who wanted nothing but to ruin his entire life?

Ethan twisted in the seat, his small fists pounding weakly at the window, screaming and yelling. “Let me out! Let me out! I don’t want to go with you—!”

The words tore through me sharper than any knife. But it was no different from the hurt I always felt when he opened his stupid mouth.

“Buckle up,” I snapped, my voice cold, because if I let even a thread of my pain show, I’d unravel. “You’re my son. You’re coming home with me. End of discussion.”

The driver glanced nervously