TORN BETWEEN LOVE, RELIGION AND RESPONSIBILITY

We had now reached the front door when Paul whispered, “Please don’t leave, Peter.”

I stopped instantly. “What did you just say?” I asked, turning to face him.

“Peter, get in here,” my father commanded, appearing at the door.

Paul shrugged his shoulders as I turned to obey my father’s command.

“Paul, go to your room and keep your sisters there,” my father said. Paul rushed off as I turned to face my father. “The mother of the boy you were in a fight with yesterday just left here.” I was taken aback. “Did you know that your little fight is going to cost me money that I don’t have?” he asked, raising his voice.

“What do you mean?” I asked, frowning.

“You broke his arm,” he yelled.

“What!” I exclaimed.

“I expected better from you, Peter. What examples are you setting for your brother and sisters? Why do you want to embarrass me in this place like this?”

Then, without any warning, he grabbed my shirt sleeves and pulled me into him. My father was about two inches taller than me, and his face was slightly rectangular and he had a slight bulging belly.

“Are you trying to follow in your mother’s footsteps?” he said, putting his left hand around my neck.

I instantly lost control of myself and reflectively knocked his hand from my neck and pushed him forcefully away from me. My father was in shock.

“So you think you are a man now? You want to fight with me, me who helped bring you here?” he shouted.

“Don’t you ever say anything to me about my mother again! You lost that right years ago!” I yelled back at him.

My father rushed back to me and slugged me in my mouth. I raised my hand to return the blow, when I heard a distant scream which seemed to be growing louder by the second. With my hand still in midair, I turned my head in the direction of the scream and saw Paul, Shelly, and Wendy standing at the now-open bedroom door. Wendy was crying and shouting my name,

“Peter, Peter!”

My hand dropped and my father slapped me in the head, pushing me away at the same time. I steadied myself then walked through the still open front door.