Page 25 of Just One Kiss

“You’re not now, but you will be,” his dad said, eyes flashing cold.

His mom stood behind his dad, pleading with the man to calm down, but his father seemed not to notice.

“I won’t do it again.” Josh took a step back into the room.

His father swore and advanced toward him.

“Jim, please,” his mother said, pulling at his father’s arm.

His dad shrugged her off. “This is none of your business, Gloria.”

“He’s my son too,” his mom said in a rare, if short-lived, display of strength.

“Go downstairs and let me handle this.”

His mother looked at Josh, fear flickering behind her eyes. He wanted to beg her to stay. He wanted her to stand in front of him, to at least try to protect him. But she didn’t. Instead, she did what she always did and went downstairs, leaving Josh to fend for himself.

But at that age, there was nothing he could do. Nothing except try his hardest not to cry while his father whipped him over and over again—on the back so nobody would see the damage he’d done.

“I know you’re not crying, you sissy,” his dad yelled as his belt snapped against Josh’s skin. “No son of mine is going to grow up to be a weakling, and no son of mine is going to be a cheater. You’re an embarrassment, you hear me?”

Josh shook the thoughts away now as his eyes drifted to his father’s belt. He could practically hear it snapping across his back.

“He didn’t have any concrete information,” his mother said in response to his father’s looming question.

“Of course he didn’t,” his dad barked. “Surprised he’s here at all, he’s done such a good job of staying out of the picture.”

“Jim, please,” Gloria said. “He just got home.”

Josh stared at the wall while his father looked him over then finally walked into the kitchen. “You can come help me in the backyard,” he called over his shoulder.

Josh’s fingers gripped the strap of his duffel bag, his thumb tapping against it. “This was a mistake.”

“No, Josh,” his mom said. “He just wasn’t expecting you is all.”

He faced her then. “When are you going to stop making excuses for him, Mom?”

Her forehead pulled. “What do you mean?”

“My whole life, that’s all you’ve done. He’s a jerk, Mom, and you know it, but all you do is explain away his terrible behavior.”

“He’s my husband, Joshua. And your father.”

“And I’m your son.” Josh’s voice broke as he said the words.

He needed air. He needed out. It was as if the suffocation had started the second he’d pulled up in front of this house and the memories had been slowly squeezing the life out of him ever since.

He pushed past his mom through the entryway and out onto the porch, praying she would just let him go.

“Josh, come back inside.” She held the door open but didn’t step outside.

He faced her, shook his head. “I’ll let you know when we hear something about Jaden.”

“Joshua, please.”

“No, Mom,” he said. “This is your choice—to stay here with someone who hurts you, to make excuses for him—but I can’t be a part of it. I won’t.”

“Don’t go,” she said.

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