Page 12 of Reaper and Abby

With that said, I walked to the glass back door, sliding it open and heading for the power box. No power meant no television, no games and no charging anything. I flicked the main switch and could hear everything in the house winding down as I stepped back inside.

“What did you do!” Tyson yelled.

“Turned off the main power.” I said calmly while sliding the glass door shut. “And it’s staying off, until I say otherwise.”

“But we need lights!”

“The lights are on a different breaker. But if you push me,” I looked across at all three of my out-of-control teenagers. “I’ll turn that off too, and you can all have a flashlight each.” I closed the door. I could basically hear their inner horror at the mere thought of no power.

“Now, new rules. One. Dinners, you are to eat what is made. No requests. If you turn it down, fine. You go without.”

The girls gasped but Tyson, he just glared at me.

I looked straight at him. “As for you, my son, we are going to the hardware store. And buying white paint. You are going to paint every wall in your bedroom that you have destroyed with those black markers, like a toddler, that your mom told you not to use on the walls.”

He scoffed. “White doesn’t cover black, Dad.”

I chuckled. “I didn’t say one coat would do it Tyson.” I walked towards him. “I’ll buy twenty gallons if I have to. And you don’t stop painting those walls until every inch is white again.”

There was no doubting Tyson was my son. So right now, as he was giving me one of my own classic expressions, I just waited for the line to come from his mouth.

“You’ll piss off back to the club before the end of the day and this will all be over.” He said stubbornly and crossed his arms, looking at me smugly. “We all know the club comes first.”

“Believe it or not, Tyson, but I’m your father first. So no, I ain’t disappearing to the club. In fact. I’m taking the whole school holidays off.”

His face scrunched up with aggression. Just like me, the kid doesn’t know how to handle emotions. Goes from calm to furious within seconds.

“I hate you,” he hissed at me.

“Son, you aren’t the only one. But unlike every other person who says that to me, you don’t get the privilege of not seeing me again. Now go put your shoes on, grab a hoodie because we are heading to the hardware store to get that white paint.”

His fists clenched at his side, he looked at me for a few moments longer—baiting me, as if to see if I was serious.

“You can walk around the whole store in bare feet if you want. Doesn’t bother me.” I added.

Tyson scoffed and stomped off.

I turned to Abby. “The girls are coming with me, and you.” I stared directly into my wife’s eyes. “Are going into that studio and creating your final piece. I’ll make damn sure you aren’t disturbed.”

Abby opened her mouth.

“You aren’t giving up. Hear me Abby. You have spent the last five years working on this. And the final piece isn’t going to be where you call it quits. I haven’t supported you enough through this degree. That stops now. I know it’s late. But it will be over my grave before you call it quits.”

I then turned to Kim. “Rent the penthouse of Eastern Villager if you want. You don’t have to deal with the kids throwing tantrums with everything you are going through.So run up the bill, do what you want, spa dates, whatever. Its on me.”

Kim looked at me for a few moments before crossing her arms. “No, I think I’d rather stay here and watch little reaper take on big reaper and double trouble give you migraines.” She popped a sucker in her mouth. “I don’t think anything else would be more entertaining than that.”

I shook my head, “Fine, but I ain’t turning the power on for you. So that is your choice.”

“I’ve got a phone with an internet connection. I’ll hotspot or whatever. I’ll be fine.” She smirked at me. She then turned to her sister. “This is going to be more fun than any drama we have ever watched.”

I pointed a finger at Abby. “She won’t be watching, she will be in her studio. Escaping from this chaos of a family with her art.” I then looked at my wife. “Why are you still here? Go.”

“But what about dinner?”

“The kids are having soup. With a piece of buttered bread.” Just as the words left my lips, Abby’s mini shadows gasped. “And one word out of them, I’ll take the bread away.” I added, without turning to look at Eve or Hannah.

Abby’s eyes were wide. As if I couldn’t be serious.

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