The Fight Within (41 page)

Now Treasure was on her feet and gunning for him. Before she had an opportunity to go round the table and lay hands on the smart-mouthed joker, he called out, echoing throughout the room in a loud boom.

“Treasure! No!” Sean put his hand up in her direction. His brows dipped low and a scowl split his damn face. It scared the shit out of her… a
true
man had spoken. “Do me a favor, please. Give me and Brian a minute or two alone.” He smirked, clicked his tongue against his cheek, and glared at her child.

She hesitated, loath to enable their quarrel to escalate further. Sean was a bit of a hot head, and Brian had gotten a hold of the same disease…

Must’ve gotten it from his father… Okay fine, my son is like me at that age, but this is just inexcusable!

She was appalled at her son’s behavior, but certain her words and punishment may have little to no effect on the boy. Yet, she continued to stand there, shooting glances between the two, her feet sinking into the plush carpet as the weight of the damn stratosphere pushed her down until she was barely above sea level.

I can’t believe Brian is acting like this! I’ve never seen him so disrespectful to someone!

A hellacious heat commenced from her scalp and meandered its way down like blood flowing through her veins until it reached the bottom of her freshly pedicured feet. The desire to take matters into her own hands was almost too tempting to resist. Brian chucked an indolent glance her way, one of heartlessness and contempt, combined it with a ‘Who the fuck cares’ smirk,
Sincerely yours, Your first born
.

It hurt like hell.

She’d been assured that they had an understanding, that he was slowly but surely accepting the situation and only wanted her to be happy. Instead, he’d turned on her like a cold-blooded serpent in the grass, waiting to attack under the guise of loyalty and love, plotting, then striking at the prime opportunity when he’d gained her utmost trust and thoughtful consideration.

“Asia, let’s go in the kitchen for a little while.”

The girl slowly rose to her feet, collected her half empty glass of milk, and she trudged behind her mother under the dining room archway until they’d disappeared…

*

Gradually getting up
from his seat, Brian mirrored Sean’s stance and stare. They sized one another up like two boxers seconds before the first round.

“You’re a real card, ya know that? I’m not going anywhere.” Sean raised a brow.

“Oh,
you’re
leaving.” Brian gave a chin check and a harsh chuckle, his teeth glistening under the glittering dining room chandelier.

I’d like to knock ’em all down your scrawny throat; all that expensive dental work ya got there…but you’re my baby’s son…can’t do that.

“Your mother is happy, that should be the main objective.” Sean stood straighter and crossed his arms, not in the mood to mince words or play with the ill-humored boy, but still kept check of himself for Treasure’s sake.

“She can be happy with someone
else
.”

“Like who? Your father?”

“You keep my father out your damn mouth!” The boy pointed at him, his finger shaking, his voice loud, vibrating and wrestling in his gullet. “You ain’t got shit! What can you give my mama? She been through enough! You’re a busta, man!”

“So because I’m not rich, I’m not good enough for your mother?” Sean grimaced. He cocked his head to the side like a confused canine looking at some chaos that simply wouldn’t compute. “Do you know how messed up that is? This sounds like a personal problem. Are you thinking about her or
you
?”

The boy’s face knotted, as if he needed a moment to gather his thoughts, to grapple with the conversational curve ball. It was written all over his twisted façade. This was deeper than who dear ol’ mom was dating, having sex with…loving…

“She’s defenseless and you knew it, swooped right in to try and take advantage of her. You ain’t gettin’ one dime!”

“Yeah…” Sean rolled his eyes at the idiot and briefly looked away. “That’s why I pay for almost everything we do, everything we eat, and places we go…’cause I’m taking advantage. That was my aim this whole time. To wine ’nd dine her, pay for everything, then go in for the kill. How ridiculous you sound. You don’t know what the hell you’re talkin’ about.” He shook his head, looked away for a spell then back at the boy. “Your mother is grown, Brian. Unless I was hitting her, talking down to her or some shit like that, you have no right to take her through these types of changes.”

“I’m not taking her through anything, I’m protecting her! I know y’all fuckin’, too…” The boy’s gaze dulled, as if he’d gone to some dark, evil place within. “You leave my mother alone, you hear?! I’m not askin’ you, I’m
tellin
’ you!”

“You’re cute.” Sean guffawed.

“You’re corny.”

“Your mother doesn’t think so…”

The boy’s eyes went pitch black as he narrowed them upon him.

“I oughtta beat your ass.” Brian plopped back down in his seat. He said the words, but they didn’t feel legitimate, tried and true. They came out wimpy, watered down and bruised. The damn things were wrapped in faux passions falling on semi-deaf ears. “I should fuck you up.”

“And I would beat you down.”

The stare-a-thon continued a moment or two longer.

“You don’t want to mess with me. I’m serious, don’t let my thinness fool you!”

“Give it your best shot. I’d like to see you try.” Sean grinned a bit wider, then slowly sat in his chair as well. “I’d mop this damn floor with you if I didn’t love your mother, that’s a fact. You got entirely too much mouth.”

“How you gonna say some shit like that to me?!” Brian seemed truly appalled.

The little turd realized he didn’t have the upper hand, and things weren’t going as planned… and this tickled Sean a bit.

“Look,” he said with a shrug, “I’m just giving it to you how you’re servin’ it to me. What? You don’t like it? All joking aside, let’s finish this pissing contest and get right to the main issue. I just need ya to know that no one is kickin’ anyone’s ass tonight, so relax. Besides, I’d have an unfair advantage.”

“Oh, I’m supposed to be scared of you? ’Cause you a big ass Irish mothafucka with a damn tattoo on your arm, a fresh scar on your face, and you look corn-fed?” The cocky son of a bitch smirked.

“Your mother feeds me well…but I don’t like corn. I prefer her kisses.”

“More jokes…” Brian grimaced and rolled his eyes.

“I have to, Brian. I have to find humor in this because if I didn’t, I’d have you on the ground right now but not doubled over in laughter.”

The boy looked at him a second or two, catching his drift.

“And trust me, it
wouldn’t
be a laughing matter. I don’t like how you acted in front of your mother. My feelings aren’t hurt by the bullshit you said, so fuckin’ what, you’re just a kid…but you really hurt her tonight. THAT’S my issue with you!” He pointed at him, and was met with a steely glare and silence. “Now, what I was getting ready to say before I got sidetracked, was that I’m Brooklyn Kickboxing Champion for the past three years in a row. I’ve received several national honors and awards, too. I’ve taught Jujitsu for over six years to inner-city youth and I was personally trained by one of Louis Neglia’s prodigies.”

He could see on the boy’s face that he knew
exactly
who Louis Neglia was… Oh yes, the seed had been planted.

Brian swallowed down his surprise and gulped it whole, maintaining his obstinate stance.

“I don’t care if you were shit out of Mike Tyson’s ass…” the boy mumbled, now staring down at his cuticles. “You hurt my mama, and it’s a wrap.”

“I have no intentions of hurting your mother, Brian. I love your mother, and
she
loves
you
. Anyone that Treasure loves, I’d learn to love as well, but don’t make this harder than it has to be, because making things challenging for one another can be a two way street across the globe—and I’m an International traveller known to ignore traffic signs.”

The threat lingered in the air like burnt coffee, microwaved fish, and cigarette smoke.

The boy huffed, but said nothing.

“Your mom was dating other guys long before I came on the scene, Brian. What gives?” He took a gulp of his drink as he waited for the damn answer.

What is it about me that he takes such objection to? He acts like her divorce is fuckin’ fresh? Like I’m the first guy to arrive at Treasure’s door! What tha hell!

“She never brought anyone home though…inside of our house.” Brian sat back in his seat, looking thoroughly exasperated. “She’s been acting different since you’ve entered the picture, acting silly…whispering on the phone, locking her door.”

“…It’s called being happy. You should try it sometime.”

The boy’s eyes widened a bit as he no doubt combed through the recesses of his mind for a rebuttal, but the search proved in vain.

“Look, man.” Sean grimaced and fell back in his seat. “Your mother and I are together. It’s a done deal.” He waved his hands in the air as if to say, ‘That’s all, Folks!’ “I meant what I said to you about loving anyone that she loves, though. She cares for you and your sister so much, and I’m not trying to come between that. Matter of fact, it’s a bonus.”

“Why couldn’t you just leave us alone?!” Brian said woefully. It sounded more like a sad plea, a cry for help, than anything else, despite his angry expression. Sean’s damn chest grew tight, filled with uncomfortable sudden warmth as he looked down the table at the guy, met with another heated glare…man-to-man, eye-to-eye.

“Brian, this is a buncha bull and we both know it. I’m not going to apologize to neither you nor anyone else for falling in love with your mother. You must’ve mistaken me for some idiot. You already admitted that you basically have, but this crap you’re pulling isn’t going to fly. Besides, I don’t even think this is really about
me
.”

“Of course it is.”

“No it isn’t. I think…I think that you haven’t had to really share your mother with anyone since your dad left, and for a while you’d hoped they’d worked it out. They didn’t, and now you feel threatened.”

Much to his surprise, the boy didn’t protest. He simply stared at him, fidgeting just a tad as he chewed on his lower lip fast and tight like a dog on flea-ridden flesh.

“You had to sit back and watch your family fall apart, and you stepped up to the plate.” Sean began a slow clap, seemingly startling the boy out of his thoughts. “That’s admirable, a great thing. But you’re not a man, you’re a teenager and you should be enjoying life. Not chasing after your mother’s boyfriend, thinking you can run me off. And what if it worked?”

“What if what worked? Me getting rid of you?” He sat a bit taller, proud and bold. “I’d throw a damn party.”

“No you wouldn’t, because you would’ve spoiled something your mother was enjoying. You’d feel like crap and never forgive yourself.”

Brian turned away, rolling his eyes.

“It’s true.” Sean scratched his cheek with the tip of his index finger and continued. “I’d do anything for your mother. You wanna know why? Because I love her, Brian, and she’s good to me.”

The words were so simple, yet complicated. So genuine, so true, so pure… A declaration from his mouth to the boy’s ears, and he needed it to sink in.

I. LOVE. HER.

Brian looked at him a long while, his face still twisted in a scowl.

“She loves you too…”

“I know. So why would you wanna mess this up?” Sean asked in almost a whisper.

The boy looked down at the table and clasped his hands together. “I guess it might be like what you said, it’s a bunch of stuff, really. Like,” he placed his hand on the table as he explained himself, “I told her a while back that I didn’t want her getting hurt. That’s my mom, man!” He came to life, breaking from his sleepy tone, as if refusing to relinquish his previous post without one more gallant fight.

“She’s
your
mom, but she’s
my
woman.”

They stared at one another long and hard, sizing each other up for old time’s sake.

“Imma be watching you, man.” Brian rocked back in his chair, his eyes narrowed, his lips curled in a smirk. If Sean didn’t know any better, he’d swear the little asshole was stifling a laugh.

“That’s fine, watch me,” Sean offered a half grin as he leaned back in his seat, relaxing. “You
should
. Because you love your mom, you want her safe. I’m gonna take care of her, though…matter of fact, I already am.”

Brian reached for his glass of cream soda and took a hearty chug, then plopped it clumsily back on the table next to his half eaten plate of baked chicken, risotto, and broccoli casserole.

“So you kickbox, huh?” Brian sucked his teeth and crossed his arms, giving him another once over for good measure.

“Yup.”

“And you teach jujitsu? I used to take karate.”

“Why’d you stop?”

Brian looked down and shrugged, his lips twisted to the side.

“I don’t know…got bored with it I guess. That was a long time ago anyway.”