CHRISTOPHER

New York, 20 years ago.

I heard the screams even when my room was the furthest from the family room.

I guess the place wasn't as big as they used to tell their friends it was.

“Locked up again, boy?”

I turned to smile at the dark, wrinkled face of Sarah, the housekeeper here.

"I'm just in my room, Sarah."

“Would you like to come to the kitchen and help me with dinner?” she asked stretching her wrinkled hand towards me.

I got out of bed, took her hand, and let myself be guided by the only person who had shown any kind of appreciation for me.

We were going down the service stairs when the scandal became even more intense.

“You bitch!”

"George, keep your voice down, can you? The employers don't have to listen to our discussion.”

“This is my house! And you, filthy bitch... How dare you say something like that to me so coolly?”

There was a female laugh before she spoke.

“What do you want me to do? cry? To yell and kick? I cheated on you, asshole. It's not like you don't do it every time you feel like it...”

“But I don't show with my lovers in the newspapers!”

“Do you want a piece of chocolate?” Sarah asked me showing me the tablet as if nothing happened outside, "I must make a cake for a certain boy who’s on his birthday...”

I looked at her happy that someone in this house remembered my birthday.

"Thanks, Sarah." I took the piece of chocolate blushing.

I was chewing it when several hasty footsteps were heard heading towards the kitchen, making me tense when I knew what was coming.

“George...”

“Where is it?!”

“Hide, Chris...”

I didn't have time to get up from the stool and hide in the cupboard, because the door slammed open and my worst nightmare materialized before me.

“Is there another bastard like this one?” My father asked, going towards me and pulling me by my hair, "Will I have to give my name to another sewer rat like this one? Answer me, bitch!”

My mother just glared at me before turning her gaze to her husband.

“You know it won’t, George,” she replied stretching her eyes “You know I sterilized after… you know, and let go of the boy! Can't you see you're going to make him cry?”

"Those who cry are queers," he whispered in my ear before letting go of my hair and giving me a slap that did bring tears to my eyes.

“What are you doing down here, kid?” Mother asked with censorship "You know you shouldn't be down here while we are. Get out.”

"Yes ma'am," I whispered in a low voice as I passed Sarah and left the kitchen, running to my room and bumping into the twins on my way.

“Be careful where you go, bastard!” Geoffrey exclaimed pushing me away from him, listening to my sister laugh with amusement.

I locked myself in my room, wiping my eyes with my pillowcase as the tears pushed up my throat in an effort to get out.

The worst thing is that each of my thirteen years had passed that way.

But I hoped that would change soon.