Chapter 2

Age 6

Mom sent me to school after the incident with my dad, so I didn’t really have many problems with him. Until summer vacation came around, and mom still worked. By that time I had gotten a little brother and dad took care of both of us. We were all fine and we got along happily throughout that summer we hardly got punished and dad kept his cool most of the time.

Or at least I thought.

A few days before it was time to go back to school, mom and dad agreed to go school supply shopping. We walked all around Target looking at all the choices and then Mom chose the ones suitable for me, and I was as happy as can be.

We got home...

Mary went to work the next day and Chris and Jadon stayed at home with Samuel. As Samuel and Jadon were asleep in the bedroom, Chris got up early and decided to play with his new ‘toys’. He got out his notebooks, pencils, erasers, and color pencils and begin to draw.

He drew on the cover of the notebook, then on the back, on the first page, then he went on and on to keep enjoying the coloring.

Jadon stirred in his sleep, he turned around, then he got up and crawled to the edge of the crib, grabbed on to the bars, and started to stand up. One of his little baby hands let go and slipped off the edge of the crib, causing Jadon to fall back. He burst into tears, more scared than injured and kept crying until Samuel lazily got out of bed grabbed him quickly and forcefully.

“JADON! SHUT UP!”

This caused Jadon to cry even more. This is when Samuel realized his mistake.

“Jadon, it’s ok”

He patted Jadon on the back and tried to calm him. Soon enough Jadon was quiet, and Samuel decided to check on Chris. As soon as he saw Chris, his blood started boiling and he was about to burst if it wasn’t for the baby in his arms.

“CHRIS! ARE YOU CRAZY, YOU ARE THE STUPIDEST BEING I’VE MET!!!”

Chris ran to his room instantaneously in fear, he didn’t want the slaps he got last time. But if that is what Chris was afraid of, I would probably say he was pretty safe, for he didn't know that...

“How do you DARE run away from me when I'm talking to you!”

“No daddy...no! Please daddy!” Chris's accent was now devoid of baby talk and he learned to toughen up a bit from last time's occurrence.

”Dad please”, he pleaded now hoping that maybe his father's heart would soften up a bit.

Whip! Whip! Whip!

“That shall teach you for next time and that way I won't have to deal with a son that runs away when I try to talk,” Samuel said as he stomped angrily back to his room.

Chris refused to cry after being hit with the belt, he had to learn to be strong, and handle things that came his way; but tears came down inevitably, not because it hurt him physically, but because he was hurt by his father, who he loved and admired.

Later on that day, before Samuel headed off to work, Chris ran up to him, and hugged him.

“Love you daddy,” he beamed.

“Love you too, son.” He walked out the door feeling bad for his previous mistake secretly vowing to himself that he wouldn't let his temper control him again. He loved Chris and Jadon dearly and couldn't handle seeing them ever being hurt by anyone, let alone himself.

He looked up at the window as he left and saw Mary, Chris, and Jadon watching him leave from the window. He smiled to himself.

'I love my family,' he thought to himself, 'and no one has the right to wreck it.'

He waved back and drove away.

At that point I didn't understand why he could lose his temper so quickly, but no matter whatever he did I could never bring myself to hate him. I always looked up to him and tried my best to please him.