Page 195 of Rhet

I drive to my parents’ house its now 11:29 pm. I know my mom will be sleeping but my dad will be up. The majestic oak tree bends over the brick laid road, as my car passes through, the moon peaks out just to remind me that he is still there.

I park my car to side of the house, near the oak tree. Grabbing my black case, I breathe in to find my peace. I jump out, walk across the courtyard, then up the stairs. My hands pass along the cold marble column remembering the night I showed the guys the engagement ring I bought for Charlotte. Shaking my head, I walk to the door and before I can open it, the doors open.

“Master Banner,” Davis opens the door with a big smile.

“It’s been a while. How are you doing? How are they treating you?” I ask as I look around my parents’ home.

Davis closes the door. “Well, I’m good. Your mother just went to bed and your father is in his office.”

“Thanks Davis,” I walk past the grand stairway, a table with white lilies sits in the middle of the entryway. My father’s office door is ajar. As I approach the door, I can hear a sniffling like someone one is crying.

“Dad?” I open the door slowly. Standing in front of his desk my father turns his back quickly and grabs the belt of his robe and tightens it. Throwing his head back, he empties a drink into his mouth.

I leave the door ajar and I take a seat, in one single armchair closest to the door. The black case is placed on the side marble and wood table.

“You killed him,” he says as he presses his hand on the table, his head is bent, his back is curved.

“He had a heart attack,” I rub my hands against the arms of chair.

He slams his fist on the table “You fucking killed him.”

I fly up out of the chair, “He killed your fucking son.”

My father remains silent his shoulders begin to shake, as if he were crying. The very thought of him crying grate my nerves.

“You should be fucking rejoicing at his death,” I scream out, my breathing is becoming erratic.

Then it all started to make sense. “You and Carson have been together for years haven’t you?”

My father looks over his shoulder but he doesn’t respond.

“Why didn’t you want me to marry Charlotte? Why did you send her to Barrett?” I move to my father’s desk, walk around it so I could look in his face.

He stands straight and pushes his hair away from his face. His skin is hot red from his neck to his hairline. His eyes were puffy like he had been crying for hours.

“I didn’t want another soft pansy son. I needed you to be strong to hold up the Banner name,” he declares.

I was so sick of hearing about the Banner name. “You mean the way you couldn’t hold it up. I press my fists against the tabletop “So you had Barrett rape Charlotte because you wanted me to be a Banner.”

“I wanted you to be strong, to be powerful by any means necessary. She was in the way.” He screams spittle dropping out of his mouth. His fist were clenched tightly by his side.

“Is that why you had Carson kill Trent? He said he wasn’t the only one.” The final piece of the puzzle fell into place.

My father stays silent as he stared into nothingness.

“Carson was so in love with you, that he was willing to do anything for you including kill Trent,” saying those words out loud hurt.

A glass breaks behind my dad. We both look to the door and my mother is standing at the threshold.

She walks through the glass ignoring the shards.

She walks up to my father and grab him by the collar “Say it’s not true Henry.”

She shakes him back and forth “Say it’s not true.”

He opens his mouth and closes it.

My mom shakes her head and backs away from my dad falling onto the chair.

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