Something Else Entirely

24 - Unlearned brute it is.

It's kind of surreal how quickly things go from being beautifully blissful to utter trash in just a few short hours. Utter trash on this occasion being Dad and I sitting in the living room of my old house the following morning during an obligatory visit post-Hawaii, and me trying not to lose my shit at my parents and brothers for a multitude of reasons.

First reason: it was barely ten o'clock in the morning and they were already/still trashed, despite knowing Dad and I were coming over at this time.

Second reason: they didn't even bother to clean up their assorted paraphernalia, despite knowing that Madden often came with us when Dad dropped me off at their house. Even though he wasn't here today, it pissed me off that they couldn't get rid of the plethora of bongs, crack pipes, burned out foil, or the many small baggies currently occupying their coffee table.

Third reason: they only just bailed my brothers out a week ago, after Dad sent through the money they needed to Tanner the day after our phone call on the North Shore, and Tanner delivering it to them the very next day, as requested . . . three weeks ago. Apparently they used some of the money on an irrefusable deal on a line of smack from one of their crackhead friends, thereby needing to wait until their Welfare payments came through in the next fortnightly cycle to make up the difference.

And the real kicker at number four: neither Jaeden or Jared had actually said thank you to Dad for his part in getting their stupid asses out of jail.

No 'Cheers, Rubes.'

No 'We really owe you one.'

No 'We'll pay you back as soon as we can.'

Nothing. Nil. Nada. Zilch.

Despite Dad being right there next to me. They didn't even say hello when we walked in, continuing to sip away at their cans, watching TV while sprawled out on the couches. Dad and I were seated on the rickety dining chairs from a table that has long since been functional, one of the legs bending inwardly from when my spine crushed into it after being thrown across the room by Jaeden when he was pissed years ago and I refused to pass him the TV remote.

Oh, how I miss those days of unnecessary and excessive violence.

What am I supposed to do in this situation? The situation where my family can't even be normal enough to just say thank you. Two words. Thank. You.

A big part of me wants to just drop it and leave, ignoring the fact that each of these humans has fucking disappointed me, yet again.

The more primitive, stupid side of me, however, seems to emerge more confidently in this house than anywhere else, and right now it is telling me I should give these morons a piece of my mind, knowing full-well that there is a high possibility of me regretting it later.

Unlearned brute it is.

"Are neither of you idiots actually going to acknowledge or thank Ruben for bailing your dumb asses out?" I said, looking over at said idiots on the sofas, who perked up at hearing their accurate likeness to dumbass idiots.

Dad's sharp inhale was severe and cautioning to encourage me to back off, but I was done keeping my mouth shut around these fuckwits, and Dad deserved better than to be disregarded completely like they were doing now.

"What did you just say, you little fuck?" said Jared, turning to face me.

"Jetty, don't," hissed Dad quietly beside me, standing up straighter and stepping closer to me.

"I said, you owe him a thanks at the very least. He bailed you out after you both messed up. Don't you have any fucking decency or gratitude whatsoever?" I said, realising they probably had no idea what either of those words mean. "Means being a good person, and being thankful, just in case you dumb fucks didn't know that already."