Page 86 of Shattered Dreams

A shot rang out, dulling the hearing in my right ear. “Shut up!”

Silence filled the air, along with the scent of whiskey and gunpowder.

Maybe he’s drunk?

“C’mon, man, we can grab a drink.” I tried to switch tactics, to get through to him.

From outside the house, I heard my brother Cooper yell, “Clear!”

Jo looked at me and I mouthed the kids are safe.

She gave a slight nod and pressed her bloody hands down, trying to staunch the bleeding from her father’s abdomen.

“Seriously. What do you want, John?” I tried to keep my voice even. “Let’s talk this out like men.”

“You stole my wife.” He raged behind me.

“Man, I thought you didn’t want her.”

“She! Left! Me!” he punctuated each word by poking me harder with the gun. “You stepped in where you weren’t wanted.”

“Man, I’m sorry.” I held my hands up higher.

“And now you’re stealing my fucking kids.”

Forgive me.

“I’m not trying to.” I huffed out an impatient breath. “But I can’t see her without those brats.”

“You callin’ my kids brats?”

Whoops, wrong words.

“No. No. No. Just that it’s a package deal.” I shrugged. “If I see her, they come with.”

Behind me, I heard liquid sloshing in a bottle, and felt the gun move down.

“Johnny?” Jo’s voice wavered. “If I come home, will you let him go?”

“Oh, now the bitch wants to come home.” He moved the gun from my back, waving it all around while he ranted. “You fuckin’ left me! You left me crying on the floor. I bawled like a bitch, begging the good lord to bring you home.” He paused to take another swig. “But no. You had to be a cunt and keep my kids from me.”

“No. Johnny, you can see them whenever you want.”

“You dumb cunt! Anytime I call you to talk to my. Motherfucking. Kids. You tell me no!”

“They were in school!” She snapped back. “What do you want me to do?”

“You … you let your so-called friends tell you what to do and you let them control you!” He splashed whiskey all over as his arms flailed, punctuating his words. He finished by randomly shooting the wall, then used the gun to point to himself. “You. Didn’t. Care. About. Me! You took my kids away. You took everything and clawed at my heart. You’re heartless. I said I’d give up everything for you. But no!”

The gun goes off again, missing Jo. “You just snuck off and came back to the place you couldn’t wait to get away from. Fuck you, Lynn! Fuck. You.” His neck has veins popping out, his face is red, and spit flies out when he talks.

“They decided to not let me have visits anymore, because of you. I know you told them to take my kids away. You heartless fat fucking cow!”

I noticed his balance was almost gone as he turned to face me. Seeing an opportunity, I cold-cocked him. My fist throbbed, and blood flowed from his nose, making him drop the gun and bottle of whiskey, swinging wide back at me.

“You dirty cock-” was all he got out before I swung again.

He came back with another fist, but not before I grabbed him by the neck. “You will not talk about Jo that way.” I punched him in the gut. “You will not talk about the kids that way.” I punched him again. “And you will follow every god damn rule the courts set before you.”

Hands wrapped around me, pulling me from Johnny. He landed a sucker punch before another officer restrained him.

The resounding horn blared from an ambulance, filled the air, and I felt the cuffs being locked on my wrists.

Happy fucking thanksgiving.

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