Owen was not satisfied in the least with Anita’s unwillingness to share. And there she was asking prying questions back at him and expecting openness. He narrowed his eyes at her and nudged his daughter with his shoulder. “I dunno.” He mimicked her cop-out answer with eyes glued to the screen as he struggled with the mechanics of the video game. Owen was better at calling out the best moves in the game than he was at executing them.
For good measure Owen let a moment of silence fall between them. Extra emphasis on the dead-end that a lack of communication got them before he answered her question.
“I found your mother. Well, she found me. Actually… I was in the right place to be found, I guess. Anyway, I told her who I was.” His fingers mashed hard at the buttons and triggers as his character was pummeled with bullets. His escape route proved useless. Owen sighed in frustration and let the controller drop to his lap as he waited for the re-spawn, his failure replaying out on the screen first. Glancing over at his daughter, he continued on, “I think she sensed that we had a connection…” Owen snatched up the controller moving his character back into the fight. “But, you know, ultimately, she asked for more time to think things over.”
He shrugged as he ran back into the fray. “So I left. I can’t force her to do anything. Maybe she’s happy with her life as is. Who am I to barge in and ruin whatever she might have going right now? People move on.”
Owen’s character was once again respawning. The video game proved a poor metaphor for giving up as it was perpetuated on infinite second chances. The irony was not lost on Owen. A sort of desperate look on his face as the character returned to battle again and again.
Cain sat up and opened his mouth as if to protest against the idea that a ‘break was good’ as his mother had claimed but her expression and the way she seemed to have more to tack on to the idea shut him up. His jaw clamped together and he looked away from her watching cars pass.
“I wasn’t trying to hurt her.” He argued as if his mother had suggested it. And she hadn’t. Cain was defensive by default. “And I’m not unhappy.” Another counter argument that didn’t belong.
“Well I’m not unhappy with her.” Cain knew that everyone around him could sense he was just unhappy in general. Unhappy with himself and his body and the way people saw him or the way he imagined people saw him. He knew that he let that unhappiness spill over into and made toxic every positive relationship in his life from the girlfriend he loved to his mother. But knowing it didn’t make it an easy fix.
“I do want to fix it.” He was nearly whining. Cain let his head fall against his mother’s shoulder and scooted closer to her so that their thighs touched. His tail swished in agitation across the wood of the step behind him. “I guess I feel like maybe she’s already realized she’s better off without me. And I kinda don’t want to hear that from her. Maybe it would just be easier to let her go.”
There was nothing but defeat and self-loathing in his voice and he hid his face against his mother’s arm. Owen had spoken to him about his feelings that he didn’t deserve Akiko, didn’t deserve the affection she had for him, but the lesson hadn’t quite sunk in.
For good measure Owen let a moment of silence fall between them. Extra emphasis on the dead-end that a lack of communication got them before he answered her question.
“I found your mother. Well, she found me. Actually… I was in the right place to be found, I guess. Anyway, I told her who I was.” His fingers mashed hard at the buttons and triggers as his character was pummeled with bullets. His escape route proved useless. Owen sighed in frustration and let the controller drop to his lap as he waited for the re-spawn, his failure replaying out on the screen first. Glancing over at his daughter, he continued on, “I think she sensed that we had a connection…” Owen snatched up the controller moving his character back into the fight. “But, you know, ultimately, she asked for more time to think things over.”
He shrugged as he ran back into the fray. “So I left. I can’t force her to do anything. Maybe she’s happy with her life as is. Who am I to barge in and ruin whatever she might have going right now? People move on.”
Owen’s character was once again respawning. The video game proved a poor metaphor for giving up as it was perpetuated on infinite second chances. The irony was not lost on Owen. A sort of desperate look on his face as the character returned to battle again and again.
Cain sat up and opened his mouth as if to protest against the idea that a ‘break was good’ as his mother had claimed but her expression and the way she seemed to have more to tack on to the idea shut him up. His jaw clamped together and he looked away from her watching cars pass.
“I wasn’t trying to hurt her.” He argued as if his mother had suggested it. And she hadn’t. Cain was defensive by default. “And I’m not unhappy.” Another counter argument that didn’t belong.
“Well I’m not unhappy with her.” Cain knew that everyone around him could sense he was just unhappy in general. Unhappy with himself and his body and the way people saw him or the way he imagined people saw him. He knew that he let that unhappiness spill over into and made toxic every positive relationship in his life from the girlfriend he loved to his mother. But knowing it didn’t make it an easy fix.
“I do want to fix it.” He was nearly whining. Cain let his head fall against his mother’s shoulder and scooted closer to her so that their thighs touched. His tail swished in agitation across the wood of the step behind him. “I guess I feel like maybe she’s already realized she’s better off without me. And I kinda don’t want to hear that from her. Maybe it would just be easier to let her go.”
There was nothing but defeat and self-loathing in his voice and he hid his face against his mother’s arm. Owen had spoken to him about his feelings that he didn’t deserve Akiko, didn’t deserve the affection she had for him, but the lesson hadn’t quite sunk in.
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
The following 1 user Likes saronym's post: megs
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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
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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
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RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 10-24-2016, 05:23 PM
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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
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RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 10-31-2016, 01:41 PM
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RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by megs - 11-03-2016, 05:36 PM
RE: Glass Houses [Closed] - by saronym - 11-11-2016, 04:17 PM
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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
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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