Her Father's Shame

Chapter 7

I still have two months before the school resumes, why do I have to go?” I asked with a defiant expression, clearly not agreeing to my father’s ridiculous order. Lesbianism was legalized here in Switzerland, and some people practiced it here openly, so why was he reacting this way?

“We’ve not addressed the issue of that photo and the fact that you disgraced me. Do you know how many community council representatives have seen that picture?!” My father’s sudden outburst made me shrink a little, my little shoulders trembling involuntarily, and I even lost control of my bladder. The last time my father got this angry, I got hurt. Tears instantly filled my eyes. Disgrace? I was obviously far from it. I have received awards and certificates all dedicated to him which filled a 969-square-foot room.

So I shot back, not wanting to swallow the insult like that, “Disgrace…" My mocking psychotic laughter made my mum’s eyes widen in surprise, then panic. “I’ve been the only person, or should I say, thing, keeping your head held high in society, Father. Is liking a girl or taking an intimate photo with a girl a disgrace to you? When will you ever drop your male ego and act like a father to my sister and I?” I yelled at him, not caring about the little crowd that was starting to form around us, and my little speech earned me another slap. My ears kept ringing and everything went black again for a few seconds. “Get in the car, you ingrate!”

My father commanded in a low voice with gritted teeth and I had no other option than to obey with my mum forcefully steering me in the car. My sister silently came down from the car and sat at the passenger seat, worry evident in her very being. She was scared for me. We both knew what kind of father we had after our elder brother’s death ten years ago. We weren’t at fault, so why had we always been forced to endure his mood swings.? Lesbianism was legal here, why do I have to endure his refusal, why??? I had lots of questions, but I couldn’t even voice out any of them out. The drive home was quite as Switzerland at 1am. Even the occasional chaos from the outside world didn’t seem to pierce through the car’s silence.