“Twenty. Right. I figured that.” And he had after making some mathematical calculations in his mind he’d figured she was around that age. Not even old enough to legally drink. She was still so young.
The controller was abandoned by Anita and fell to the carpet underfoot with a clatter of the joysticks. She turned towards him and Owen leaned down to retrieve the controller from the floor and balanced it on the arm of the couch next to him. A habit. How many times had he yelled at the kids to not throw the controllers. To not leave them laying around. Picking it up was one of the rote actions buried in him that kept surfacing to remind him of who he used to be.
“What do you mean you don’t do anything? Who’s disappointed in you?” Owen asked, pressing her to give him proof of the beliefs she had about herself. He certainly hadn’t meant to give off any indication that that was his impression of his youngest. That she was disappointing. The more time he spent with her as an adult the more he felt that she took after him even though she displayed behaviors that reminded him of her mother.
“I don’t even have a high school diploma. Did you know that?” He offered not knowing how much Anita knew or remembered about him. His troubled past didn’t seem like something he would have ever discussed with her. In fact, he wasn’t sure any of his children knew anything about his childhood or life as a young man. “I got kicked out of school after I was picked up by the police for my third shoplifting offense. I joined the military so I wouldn’t have to go to juvenile detention.”
“So if you graduated high school and have a clean record then you’re less a disappointment than me.” A sad smile crossed his face as Owen looked down at his daughter’s head. He captured the hand that fiddled at the couch and pressed his mouth gently against the backs of her fingers which retained deformities from previous injuries. “But I’d love you anyway.”
He released her hand, trading it for the controller to queue into another match. He wanted to try at least one game with Anita’s pink gun character. “Is there anything you could see yourself studying at school?” He pried further to see how much he she would let him pick her brain.
“I know she will be fine.” Cain agreed with his mother sighing at length as he released the resentment he was holding on to over Daisy’s illicit snacking. He had to actively resist the urge to flinch and pull away from her touch as it was his automatic reaction to a hand coming towards his hair. An automatic assumption that someone would touch his ears. He had to admit that the gentle touch of his mother’s fingers along his hairline was a comfort he needed at the moment.
Cain shifted his posture back into one that stretched out his legs and allowed him to lean back. He rolled his eyes back upon being questioned about Akiko not sure how where to begin. “I don’t know. She just.”
He faltered and waved his hand in a circle as he searched for the right word. His breath left him in a sharp sigh before he continued on.
“Snapped, I guess. It’s this whole thing with this co-worker of mine I was hanging out with. She posted these pictures of me on Instagram. They were kind of suggestive, I guess. And I lied about what I was doing and Akiko saw the pictures and she found out I was lying and she got upset. I think she thought or thinks I was cheating on her.” Cain stopped suddenly and put his hand on his mother’s arm, “But I’m not. You have to believe me. I didn’t cheat.”
He groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face. When he stopped the neurotic movements, the skin of his cheeks were pink from the blood that had rushed there when he ran his hands over his skin.
“It wasn’t just that either. She, I don’t know, feels like maybe I’m not happy. With her or whatever. So, she broke up with me. Um, well, we’re ‘taking a break to think about what we want’ were her words.”
When he did speak at length, Cain had a style of speech that was akin to a car sputtering to life after a jump start or a quality like the stalling out of someone learning to drive a manual. His language was peppered with half committed ‘I guesses’ and uncertain ‘maybes’ a verbal expression of the self-doubt and self-consciousness that plagued him.
The controller was abandoned by Anita and fell to the carpet underfoot with a clatter of the joysticks. She turned towards him and Owen leaned down to retrieve the controller from the floor and balanced it on the arm of the couch next to him. A habit. How many times had he yelled at the kids to not throw the controllers. To not leave them laying around. Picking it up was one of the rote actions buried in him that kept surfacing to remind him of who he used to be.
“What do you mean you don’t do anything? Who’s disappointed in you?” Owen asked, pressing her to give him proof of the beliefs she had about herself. He certainly hadn’t meant to give off any indication that that was his impression of his youngest. That she was disappointing. The more time he spent with her as an adult the more he felt that she took after him even though she displayed behaviors that reminded him of her mother.
“I don’t even have a high school diploma. Did you know that?” He offered not knowing how much Anita knew or remembered about him. His troubled past didn’t seem like something he would have ever discussed with her. In fact, he wasn’t sure any of his children knew anything about his childhood or life as a young man. “I got kicked out of school after I was picked up by the police for my third shoplifting offense. I joined the military so I wouldn’t have to go to juvenile detention.”
“So if you graduated high school and have a clean record then you’re less a disappointment than me.” A sad smile crossed his face as Owen looked down at his daughter’s head. He captured the hand that fiddled at the couch and pressed his mouth gently against the backs of her fingers which retained deformities from previous injuries. “But I’d love you anyway.”
He released her hand, trading it for the controller to queue into another match. He wanted to try at least one game with Anita’s pink gun character. “Is there anything you could see yourself studying at school?” He pried further to see how much he she would let him pick her brain.
“I know she will be fine.” Cain agreed with his mother sighing at length as he released the resentment he was holding on to over Daisy’s illicit snacking. He had to actively resist the urge to flinch and pull away from her touch as it was his automatic reaction to a hand coming towards his hair. An automatic assumption that someone would touch his ears. He had to admit that the gentle touch of his mother’s fingers along his hairline was a comfort he needed at the moment.
Cain shifted his posture back into one that stretched out his legs and allowed him to lean back. He rolled his eyes back upon being questioned about Akiko not sure how where to begin. “I don’t know. She just.”
He faltered and waved his hand in a circle as he searched for the right word. His breath left him in a sharp sigh before he continued on.
“Snapped, I guess. It’s this whole thing with this co-worker of mine I was hanging out with. She posted these pictures of me on Instagram. They were kind of suggestive, I guess. And I lied about what I was doing and Akiko saw the pictures and she found out I was lying and she got upset. I think she thought or thinks I was cheating on her.” Cain stopped suddenly and put his hand on his mother’s arm, “But I’m not. You have to believe me. I didn’t cheat.”
He groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face. When he stopped the neurotic movements, the skin of his cheeks were pink from the blood that had rushed there when he ran his hands over his skin.
“It wasn’t just that either. She, I don’t know, feels like maybe I’m not happy. With her or whatever. So, she broke up with me. Um, well, we’re ‘taking a break to think about what we want’ were her words.”
When he did speak at length, Cain had a style of speech that was akin to a car sputtering to life after a jump start or a quality like the stalling out of someone learning to drive a manual. His language was peppered with half committed ‘I guesses’ and uncertain ‘maybes’ a verbal expression of the self-doubt and self-consciousness that plagued him.
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
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Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-07-2015, 02:15 PM
Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-07-2015, 02:24 PM
Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-12-2015, 07:38 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-25-2015, 11:47 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-28-2015, 06:28 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 11-14-2015, 02:49 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-17-2015, 03:06 PM
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RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-18-2015, 11:44 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-08-2016, 02:41 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-13-2016, 06:38 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-15-2016, 12:10 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-15-2016, 09:39 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-16-2016, 11:58 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-18-2016, 11:03 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-19-2016, 12:08 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-22-2016, 04:11 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-22-2016, 07:48 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-27-2016, 08:00 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-28-2016, 02:36 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-29-2016, 09:29 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-30-2016, 11:41 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-01-2016, 12:24 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-01-2016, 01:06 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-03-2016, 08:56 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-04-2016, 11:05 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-05-2016, 11:16 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-08-2016, 05:17 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-12-2016, 09:08 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-12-2016, 11:27 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-13-2016, 01:37 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-13-2016, 02:10 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-16-2016, 10:21 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-16-2016, 12:01 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-20-2016, 04:45 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-21-2016, 11:18 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-22-2016, 12:09 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-22-2016, 12:50 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-24-2016, 05:23 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-25-2016, 11:47 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-26-2016, 10:04 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-26-2016, 11:16 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-26-2016, 05:29 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-27-2016, 07:51 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-27-2016, 01:56 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-27-2016, 02:44 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-27-2016, 04:05 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-27-2016, 04:30 PM
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RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-31-2016, 01:41 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-03-2016, 12:28 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 11-03-2016, 05:36 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-11-2016, 04:17 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 11-12-2016, 02:58 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-17-2016, 10:39 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 11-18-2016, 03:23 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-19-2016, 01:14 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 11-26-2016, 09:13 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-30-2016, 09:25 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 12-01-2016, 09:59 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 12-02-2016, 11:51 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 12-03-2016, 06:22 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 12-03-2016, 03:38 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 12-03-2016, 04:41 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 12-03-2016, 05:30 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 12-03-2016, 06:06 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 12-07-2016, 10:52 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 12-08-2016, 01:37 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 12-17-2016, 11:53 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 12-18-2016, 12:40 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-06-2017, 06:13 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-07-2017, 04:35 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-10-2017, 09:20 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-11-2017, 11:11 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-22-2017, 11:37 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-22-2017, 12:17 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 02-01-2017, 08:12 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 02-02-2017, 02:23 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 02-20-2017, 08:37 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 02-23-2017, 12:22 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 04-10-2017, 07:35 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 04-18-2017, 09:10 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 04-23-2017, 05:20 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 04-24-2017, 01:59 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 04-25-2017, 08:41 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 04-25-2017, 11:34 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 05-10-2017, 07:41 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 05-12-2017, 03:52 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 05-12-2017, 06:43 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 05-12-2017, 07:24 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 05-12-2017, 08:02 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 05-15-2017, 11:56 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 05-23-2017, 07:12 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 05-24-2017, 10:44 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 05-26-2017, 12:48 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 05-26-2017, 08:32 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 05-31-2017, 01:13 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 06-12-2017, 09:49 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 06-13-2017, 08:15 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 06-23-2017, 02:37 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 06-25-2017, 01:17 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 06-27-2017, 08:41 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 06-28-2017, 10:12 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 06-30-2017, 09:00 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-13-2017, 11:45 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-14-2017, 06:41 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-19-2017, 09:50 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-24-2017, 05:08 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-26-2017, 04:34 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-26-2017, 06:07 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-27-2017, 02:45 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-27-2017, 04:45 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-30-2017, 04:00 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-30-2017, 10:30 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 08-01-2017, 09:54 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 08-03-2017, 12:30 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 08-15-2017, 04:20 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-25-2017, 06:16 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2017, 02:20 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-18-2017, 09:12 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-30-2017, 02:52 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 11-04-2017, 11:08 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-22-2017, 12:58 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 12-28-2017, 10:51 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-06-2018, 11:54 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-07-2018, 12:29 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-07-2018, 07:04 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-07-2018, 09:33 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-07-2018, 10:33 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-08-2018, 10:15 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 01-11-2018, 10:08 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 01-14-2018, 05:06 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 02-18-2018, 08:43 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 03-25-2018, 08:52 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 04-15-2018, 01:10 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 05-17-2018, 01:01 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 05-20-2018, 10:16 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 06-27-2018, 04:29 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-01-2018, 10:54 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-04-2018, 05:00 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-12-2018, 11:40 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-21-2018, 01:04 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-24-2018, 03:46 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-27-2018, 04:40 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 08-09-2018, 10:40 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 03-10-2019, 04:47 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 03-09-2019, 05:52 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 03-15-2019, 12:10 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-04-2019, 04:44 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-21-2020, 08:07 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-18-2019, 10:22 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 07-23-2020, 05:44 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 07-24-2020, 08:18 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 08-25-2020, 10:38 AM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 09-12-2020, 12:49 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 09-25-2020, 12:20 PM